Northern Wisconsin. 2017

[markcasper]

My south hillsides just poured in the afternoon Saturday. They ran a gallon per tap between 2pm and 9pm when it froze up. The north slope didn't fare as well, maybe 2/3 of a gallon per tap. All in all, I hauled in 2600 gallons, some that ran Friday and a little from Thursday. Lots of ice in all the tanks. I roed it down to 1200 gallons and will boil later today.

[Austin351]

Last 2 days nothing much. I do believe the frost drove in around the tree roots with no snow and so much moisture seeping in when we had no frost... and then the week or so of frigid nights which now is the reason for the slow restart up here... Just a hunch? No crazy hot temps. forecasted so still have alot of time to get our fill of syrup...

I'm with ya, Rhino. Had one ok run a couple weeks ago but that is still frozen hard in storage tank. Thought it would run good yesterday but still needing more time to get past the hard freeze 7-10 days ago. Crazy weather for sure.

[wilfredjr]

Trickle trickle
Finally got going today, not what you would call running, yet.

[Rhino]

Agree..... trees finally are waking up a bit.... test bags at my house are dripping a drop every 2 seconds so nothing to speedy yet but the start for me it looks like. My neighbors who monitor my woods in Price county called and said about the same is happening there.

[Rhino]

My uncle decided to collect his bags before the single digits tonight.... his woods in Price county is only a half mile from where I tap. He ended up with a gallon a tap since sunday. (525 gallons). I decided to let my bags fill up more and freeze tonight. I only set out 1500 bags this year.... all my pipeline was ripped out because a select harvest was due last winter so im going back to old school... my goal is a few hundred gallons to bottle for our farm markets and no bulk sales. I will sell sap if needed after I hit that goal. My uncle as he collected said his taps started dripping at 11:00 and slowed at 3:00... cold wind and 32 degrees today.

[Zucker Lager]

Same thing here in Sugar Camp just a slow trickle the last few days and now with this latest cold blast who can tell? Only the trees in direct sun gave anything. Jay

[Diesel Pro]

On Thursday the 9th we pumped up 220 gallons from the 2 day run on the 6th and 7th before things fizzled. This was with 60 taps. Since that run things have been more or less froze tight until this past weekend when they just started to run. On Sunday the 19th I added another 20 tap string. Things were flowing good when we left, but we still only have 125-150 gallons according to my neighbor who checked in for me yesterday eve. Not much to show for almost 2 weeks, but its been cold.

I've always said I'm a bit behind the curve with the weather where I am and I think we are seeing more of this. I'm on a slope that falls to the north so my field edge trees tend to deliver before the rest that are deeper in the woods. Over the past few years I have scrapped and scraped to get enough sap to run and then when I'm at a point where I have had enough they let loose. This season is similar, but I've been more patient and with the 3/16 setup I can leave things run on auto pilot and sell some sap once I am done.

Looks like a potentially decent run into and through the weekend.

[markcasper]

An interesting fact for us guys. I tapped a large silver at the farm on Valentines Day, and I mean large! On the south side and the bag ran over 3 times, plus it had a pinhole 1/2 way up leaking sap the whole time. On Sunday, we tapped all the trees in the yard and we put 5 more bags on this tree and by Monday morning everyone was 1/2 to 3/4 and guess which one was running over? The one I tapped on Valentines. I used a new lapierre straight clear spout and work fairly well for bags. Just thought [I]'d share my belief in the use of new spouts for whatever method if you want to keep the holes going.

From Sunday noon until Monday noon I got 3 plus gallons per tap off my south woods, the bad part, Monday at 6pm the bulk tank temp said 62 degrees and this is with all white tubing except 1/4 of the taps are on 3/16 light blue. So I sucked it out again since I was going to be cooking. My north woods was about half that much, so I believe you northern guys what your talking about.

[Austin351]

Anyone north of Hwy 8 feel like the season hasn't even really started? Sounds like central WI has already peaked. My woods are still pretty frozen and although I do get some days with some drips, I wouldn't say I have seen a hard run yet... I have been messing with 3/16" this year so that has been a learning experience but my bags aren't doing anything great either. Been tapped since first of March.

[Rhino]

As of now between my uncles taps (500) and what I put out (1500).... we averaged a gallon a tap since tapping early to mid March. (Obviously missed early runs in Feb.) As I collected yesterday and this morning I can feel the frost under the leaves. Hard as a rock and on slopes I got to be careful not to slip when the leaves slide on the frost. Just a slow drip the last few days with my bags with the weather being rainy and cloudy. Without lines and vacuum this year is where I suffer on days like this. Getting in shape though collecting bags. Forecast looks good for up north here with at least close to freezing nights.