+ Reply to Thread
Page 3 of 51 FirstFirst 1234567891011121323 ... LastLast
Results 21 to 30 of 508

Thread: Eastern Ontario 2018

  1. #21
    Join Date
    Mar 2012
    Location
    North Grenville
    Posts
    1,477

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by paulslund View Post
    So what's the verdict on next week? I've been quite surprised with the warmer weather and thaws we've had this year considering the forecast was for a long, cold and snowy winter.. sure has put a damper on the snowmobiling.

    Starting Sunday the Ottawa area forecast is calling for highs of 1-2 degrees and below zero nights...is that enough to thaw the trees to get sap going or should I just wait and see if we get back to freezing temps into March. My preference is to wait.. primarily because I'm no where near to ready and don't want to rush but I will if that's the right call..

    Thanks!
    Paul.
    Hmmmm...sledders out here having a fine old time with all the snow we have. Some years they barely get out a half-dozen times. They've been out an awful lot this year.

    In terms of tapping, I peeked at the forecast for next week and yes, it does look promising...for now!!! For example this time last week it was calling for Tuesday to be zero. Now it says -6 for a daytime high. (btw I'm SE of Ottawa so we're usually 2-4 degrees warmer.)

    If you have smaller trees, and temperatures actually do go with what the forecast says now, then it might be worth tapping. But if you have gigantic old trees like I do - like big enough that two adults might be able to reach around their trunks - I could tap next week and probably not see a significant amount of sap from my biggest trees for another 2-3 weeks. And if I get a lot of NW winds, then that usually kills the run til it warms up or I get a wind from the the South. Hope this helps!
    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

  2. #22
    Join Date
    Feb 2014
    Location
    Kingston
    Posts
    100

    Default

    Just read that article that was shared...

    Great info and getting itchy here in Kingston too....next week looking awful tempting....

    TurkeyJohn

  3. #23
    Join Date
    Mar 2006
    Location
    Lanark, ON
    Posts
    2,387

    Default

    We'll probably start this weekend but I wouldn't expect much sap next week if it only gets a few degrees above freezing. That generally means only a few hours of above freezing temps.
    4,600 Taps on vacuum
    9,400 gallons storage
    3 tower CDL RO
    3.5'x14' Lapierre Force 5
    Twitter & Instagram: @ennismaple
    www.ennismaple.com

  4. #24
    Join Date
    Mar 2012
    Location
    North Grenville
    Posts
    1,477

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Galena View Post
    This article should be a good read for everyone and will help noobs see what tapping too soon can do to a tree.
    https://onmaplesyrup.wordpress.com/2...018/#more-2793
    You mean this one? ;-0

    I have to admit that I wasted no time getting on the snowpants and wading through nice deep snow to check my trees to see how they had healed and if I had any splits in the bark. I did have small bark splits on some trees, but a couple had none at all - though I didn't like seeing spile holes from years ago still taking their sweet time to heal over. Conversely, one tree heals over so fast that I have trouble finding last year's spile holes!
    Last edited by Galena; 02-12-2018 at 12:43 PM.
    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

  5. #25
    Join Date
    Mar 2016
    Location
    North Gower, Ontario Canada
    Posts
    244

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Galena View Post
    Hmmmm...sledders out here having a fine old time with all the snow we have. Some years they barely get out a half-dozen times. They've been out an awful lot this year.

    In terms of tapping, I peeked at the forecast for next week and yes, it does look promising...for now!!! For example this time last week it was calling for Tuesday to be zero. Now it says -6 for a daytime high. (btw I'm SE of Ottawa so we're usually 2-4 degrees warmer.)

    If you have smaller trees, and temperatures actually do go with what the forecast says now, then it might be worth tapping. But if you have gigantic old trees like I do - like big enough that two adults might be able to reach around their trunks - I could tap next week and probably not see a significant amount of sap from my biggest trees for another 2-3 weeks. And if I get a lot of NW winds, then that usually kills the run til it warms up or I get a wind from the the South. Hope this helps!
    Kemptville sure has had some good sledding this year..especially compared to last year. My area seems to get hit w the freezing rain and such..we had just opened up last Wed from the Jan thaw that killed us. Was out in Osgoode yesterday and they have considerably more snow than my local trails. I'm just south of Ottawa in North Gower.

    Hmm.. my silvers are massive, but my sugars are small. Starting Sunday forecast is for 8 days of 2 degree highs.. So I think I'll wait until the big thaw starts.. but will keep a close eye on it.. The weatherman tends to understate the warm spells until we get closer to them (case in point.. 2/3 days ago the high for Wed was 2, and that was it for the week. Now it's 5/6 for Wed/Thursday and no overnight freezing! )

    Thanks!
    Paul.

  6. #26
    Join Date
    Mar 2012
    Location
    North Grenville
    Posts
    1,477

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by paulslund View Post
    Kemptville sure has had some good sledding this year..especially compared to last year. My area seems to get hit w the freezing rain and such..we had just opened up last Wed from the Jan thaw that killed us. Was out in Osgoode yesterday and they have considerably more snow than my local trails. I'm just south of Ottawa in North Gower.

    Hmm.. my silvers are massive, but my sugars are small. Starting Sunday forecast is for 8 days of 2 degree highs.. So I think I'll wait until the big thaw starts.. but will keep a close eye on it.. The weatherman tends to understate the warm spells until we get closer to them (case in point.. 2/3 days ago the high for Wed was 2, and that was it for the week. Now it's 5/6 for Wed/Thursday and no overnight freezing! )

    Thanks!
    Paul.
    The local microclimates are really something else. I am familiar with North Gower, having lived and worked in that area for some years, and North Gower is almost always a transition point between deepest darkest BBQhaven and Kemptville area. Not at all unusual for it to be snowing in Barrhaven, raining in North Gower, and then completely dry in Kemptville....and yes sometimes the complete opposite occurs!

    Are your trees all bush trees or roadside? Knowing how flat and open that area is, I would think that wind plays a big factor. I know it certainly affects my trees.

    ETA: just checked forecast and I see nothing promising in terms of a feasible time to tap til the last weekend in February. Some temps between now and then do look promising, but they're also calling for either precip or cloudy weather, which only slows down the thaw out here.
    Last edited by Galena; 02-12-2018 at 01:41 PM.
    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

  7. #27
    Join Date
    Mar 2016
    Location
    North Gower, Ontario Canada
    Posts
    244

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Galena View Post
    The local microclimates are really something else. I am familiar with North Gower, having lived and worked in that area for some years, and North Gower is almost always a transition point between deepest darkest BBQhaven and Kemptville area. Not at all unusual for it to be snowing in Barrhaven, raining in North Gower, and then completely dry in Kemptville....and yes sometimes the complete opposite occurs!

    Are your trees all bush trees or roadside? Knowing how flat and open that area is, I would think that wind plays a big factor. I know it certainly affects my trees.

    ETA: just checked forecast and I see nothing promising in terms of a feasible time to tap til the last weekend in February. Some temps between now and then do look promising, but they're also calling for either precip or cloudy weather, which only slows down the thaw out here.
    Tell me about it.. I work in Kanata and sometimes get message from my wife saying how heavy the snow is coming down at home, and nothing at work! LOL... makes planning for sledding difficult at best!

    So most of my Silvers are on the edge of the bush.. I'm on 2 acres and the trees I"m tapping this year are all along the perimeter of the landscaped yard. My sugars are either just on the edge near the road or on the edge of the yard.. but get good morning/mid day sun I believe.. I'm going to hold off until end of Feb.. other than next Monday the highs are only 1-2 degrees. My plan was originally have everything ready to go in Jan so I could jump on the taping.. didn't happen (maybe I need to stop spending time sledding! Nah! LOL..). Thanks for the advice!

  8. #28
    Join Date
    Mar 2012
    Location
    North Grenville
    Posts
    1,477

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by paulslund View Post
    Tell me about it.. I work in Kanata and sometimes get message from my wife saying how heavy the snow is coming down at home, and nothing at work! LOL... makes planning for sledding difficult at best!

    So most of my Silvers are on the edge of the bush.. I'm on 2 acres and the trees I"m tapping this year are all along the perimeter of the landscaped yard. My sugars are either just on the edge near the road or on the edge of the yard.. but get good morning/mid day sun I believe.. I'm going to hold off until end of Feb.. other than next Monday the highs are only 1-2 degrees. My plan was originally have everything ready to go in Jan so I could jump on the taping.. didn't happen (maybe I need to stop spending time sledding! Nah! LOL..). Thanks for the advice!
    Yeah, I've also seen that Kanata/North Gower microclimate thing before too.

    Always good to be in touch with other sugarers near you :-) Most of my trees are yard maples, but there is a little one-spiler bush maple that actually did really well for its first season last year. Looked at the forecast again this morning and definitely sittin on my hands til last weekend of February at teh very earliest. Usually I set spiles around March 4/5 depending of course on that fickle weather!

    FWIW I wouldn't advise tapping in January if you can help it. Even if it is deceptively warm for a few days, it'll soon freeze up again and hurt the trees. See that link I posted for some pics as to what you don't want to see. Esp if you're a hobbyist doing it for fun, family and friends...why rush? And besides you need to get your sledding quota in! ;-)
    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

  9. #29
    Join Date
    Mar 2016
    Location
    North Gower, Ontario Canada
    Posts
    244

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Galena View Post
    And besides you need to get your sledding quota in! ;-)
    Oh, you've got that right! LOL

  10. #30
    Join Date
    Mar 2012
    Location
    North Grenville
    Posts
    1,477

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by paulslund View Post
    Oh, you've got that right! LOL
    Oh don't I know it, I think the sledders are doing overtime now. Last thing I hear at night and first thing in the morning, esp as I'm right close by the Kemptville Clubhouse.
    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

+ Reply to Thread
Page 3 of 51 FirstFirst 1234567891011121323 ... LastLast

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts