Early Tapping

[SDdave]

March 5th is the "average" start time by Sioux Falls. I too was hit big by the bug with this thaw, but there is to much left to do before the season starts. Hopefully the FIL can help me out.


SDdave

[wbreitbarth]

I know it sounds crazy but no joke my last year finished before the 2015 season "2015 ended before St. Patrick's day". I just looked back at the temperatures for southern MN last Feb. and 16 days were above freezing. 8 days were over 40, and the last day of the month it was 57! I know its crazy to think only a few hours south makes a big difference.

[maplenutter butter]

I'm an hour northwest of you and i was collecting sap until about the 10th of April last year as well. Yes it warmed up around 70 around st pattys last year but froze shortly after. I also spoke to Herings a few days ago, who is the largest producer in MN, located in Waterville right next to you and they haven't even put a tap in yet as well.

[SDdave]

I know it sounds crazy but no joke my last year finished before the 2015 season "2015 ended before St. Patrick's day". I just looked back at the temperatures for southern MN last Feb. and 16 days were above freezing. 8 days were over 40, and the last day of the month it was 57! I know its crazy to think only a few hours south makes a big difference.

Actually the last two years have had a strong warm up in March, 70 degree weather the trees even budded out. But then less than a week after the "great buddening" solid freezing temps came back, freezing off the buds, and restarting the whole season.

Now what you do is up to you. If you want to tap then go for it. But for me who is a little further south and in sandy soil which heats up faster. I'm going to get my gear dusted off, and everything in order.

SDdave

[markcasper]

I know it sounds crazy but no joke my last year finished before the 2015 season "2015 ended before St. Patrick's day". I just looked back at the temperatures for southern MN last Feb. and 16 days were above freezing. 8 days were over 40, and the last day of the month it was 57! I know its crazy to think only a few hours south makes a big difference.

Season over I pulled my taps yesterday morning because I have 0 time to cook. Of course after I pulled them and it froze and they ran like crazy. I would have ended up with another 40 gallons but oh well. Ended the year with 4.50 gallons of syrup on 24 taps.

I don't know? Something isn't jiving, looks like you didn't have time to boil, it wasn't the weather.

[markcasper]

I'm an hour northwest of you and i was collecting sap until about the 10th of April last year as well. Yes it warmed up around 70 around st pattys last year but froze shortly after. I also spoke to Herings a few days ago, who is the largest producer in MN, located in Waterville right next to you and they haven't even put a tap in yet as well.

I thought the largest producer was up by the northshore?

[Bombadil]

Does anyone ever tap early during a January thaw to test things out before the big run starts? Temps by next weekend could have sap running.

Just curious. Anxious to try out our new gravity setup.

I was also thinking about it but decided to not tap... warm spell is almost over and we are going to see colder temps in the next few days. Now if this was mid Feb... like last year. I would be taping some sample trees.

[maplenutter butter]

Mark-I'm not 100% but I know Herings has about 35,000 taps. I thought the northshore people have around 25,000. I'm not positive and things change. Either way, more than I will probably ever have.

[TooManyIrons...]

Checking in for the season! I survived another year and I am all prepped for the project. I put in my three test taps yesterday, a bit early but I don't care because now they are in and I no longer need to worry.

I ordered more taps/lines and they are on the way. I am expanding my production and if all goes well I will be processing most of my syrup into sugar. People can buy real maple syrup anywhere but it is hard to find maple sugar and people around here love it, I have had a lot more requests for sugar than for syrup. My goal this year is to produce 60-80 pounds of maple sugar and still put a couple gallons of syrup in inventory.

I shoveled out the arch area today. My reward for the effort was a bottle of homebrewed maple porter beer made using a quart of my maple syrup from last year. Good stuff. I would much rather use my syrup in a batch of homebrew than drizzling it over pancakes, I love alternative uses for this stuff. <grin>

Hoping for a great season for all!

[SDdave]

...I survived another year...

That's good to hear. Let us know when those test taps start drippin'! What are using for the agitation for the sugar? Not by hand I hope. I think I am going to make more sugar this season than last. How do you store it?

SDdave