It may seem early but we are also going to start tapping this weekend. The first run is usually low sugar and we need some time to clean the isopropyl out of the lines. Sounds like snowshoes and sleds are the preferred tools to get the job done!
It may seem early but we are also going to start tapping this weekend. The first run is usually low sugar and we need some time to clean the isopropyl out of the lines. Sounds like snowshoes and sleds are the preferred tools to get the job done!
800 Taps on CVs & vacuum
3.5' x 14' Lapierre Force 5
www.farrellsfinestmaple.com
Leave only your footprints
I would normally wait until at least the first of march but this weather looks too good to pass up. Going to wait til Saturday and if forecast stays the same I'm going to tap too. I have all new health spiles and a lot of new tubing so I should be fine if it's a prolonged season.
Maple Rock Farm
www.Maplerockfarm.ca
400 taps on Vacuum
18”x60” Lapierre propane evaporator with Smokey Lake auto draw off
Homemade 3 post RO with MES membranes
Ford TS110 tractor sap hauler
There is one thing I might try, more just to give it a go...and that is go ahead and tap the virgin bush maple this weekend. That should scratch my itch. But only that tree, partly because it's much smaller (guessing 60 yrs old or so) and so may actually be able to go this early. All the others still have Do Not Disturb signs hanging on their trunks :-)
Been tapping since 2008.
2018 - 17 taps/7 trees...819l sap, approx 28l syrup
2019 - 18 taps/8 trees...585l sap, 28l syrup...21:1 ratio
2020 - 18 taps/8 trees...890.04l sap...gave away about 170l, 30l snafu'd....23l total for me from approx 690l
2021 - 18 taps/8 trees...395l sap, 12 l syrup
2022 - 18 taps/8 trees....7 sugars 1 red due to #2 having surgery so had the season off....582l sap, 18.5l syrup
2023 - 18 taps/8 trees...all sugars again. 807l sap, so far approx 14l syrup
I have a box elder that has almost fallen down and is going to be removed after the ground dries up this spring. So.........I had a perfect candidate for some test tapping. This afternoon I hung three buckets on it and, so far, it's dry. When it starts to run I plan on putting buckets up and down this thing so that it looks like Swiss cheese by the time it's cut down. I want to get every last drop out of it.
I snipped the end of a small twig from my Norway to see what was happening with that tree and it is dripping like crazy. Things just got interesting.
~ Karen ~
2012 - 10 taps, 1 turkey fryer - 169.5L sap 4.2 L syrup
2013 - 23 taps, 2 turkey fryers - 748.5 L sap 17.56 L syrup
2014 - 22 taps, 509 L sap 12.5 L syrup
2015 - 28 taps, 1093.75 L sap 25.1 L syrup
2016 - 25 taps, 1223.5 L sap 28.25 L syrup
2017 - 21 taps, 518.5 L sap 12.7 L syrup
2018 - 28 taps, 2 turkey fryers & Denali 3 burner propane stove - 798L sap 16.9 L syrup
2019 - 28 taps, 1409.5L sap 40.12L syrup
Sugar, Norway, Manitoba, Silver and Freeman Maples
I just cant bring myself to tap a tree in February. We might miss a bit run on Sat Sun then maybe again on Wed Thur but I doubt it'll be enough for us to worry about in the long run. It cools off again after the upcoming week. We've got feet of snow in the bush so maybe the sun and +9 can start by taking care of that mess first! Suspect we'll tap between March 3-6 as per usual.
Good luck to everyone this season.
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