Western MA - My drill finger is getting itchy

[berkshires]

Looking at the short-range forecast for my area in Western MA, next weekend (1/20 - 1/21) looks very good, with daytime temps in the 40s. And then long-term forecasts for the end of January and all of Feb look above average. I know it's really early, but I'm seriously considering pulling the trigger next weekend.

Some considerations aside from the usual come from the fact that my wife and I had a baby, so that means I'll likely only have time to get to the cabin to boil on weekends. That means that some late season runs might sit in the sun over the week and spoil in 60 and 70 degree temps. So if I can trade early season runs for late ones, that's probably a good trade-off.

There is another piece of it though. I may have a limited number of weekends I can skip out on the family, or convince the wife to come with me. Since there tend to be more and bigger runs late in the season, if I wind up only being able to get out to my sugarbush a few times, I might get more out of the late season trips rather than early season ones.

What do you all think?

[johnpma]

Congrats on the baby!!

The forecast looks tempting but I am no where near ready to tap. I can tell you (after my septic issues) that there is a LOT of frost in the ground. I'm not sure if this has any influence on sap flow.

I'm going to stick to my plan of 2nd weekend in Feb. If you do tap and need a hand on a weekend to speed things up shoot me a PM I'd be glad to help you collect, or help however I can. I know how busy, and hectic things can get with a little one.

Good luck keep us posted on how it goes

[berkshires]

Thanks for the congrats, and thanks too for the offer of help! I'll let you know if I get overwhelmed.

I think in Chesterfield you're physically close as the bird flies, but quite a bit higher in the hills. I suspect as much temperature difference between your place and mine as between mine and, say Westfield (typically around 4 degrees warmer than me). So it seems reasonable I should start a week or two before you. Last year I tapped Feb 19th, which worked out perfectly for six weeks. Looking at my notes, I can't see any time in the recent past where tapping this early is really the best, but in 2012 and 2016 I think there would've been only a small penalty for tapping so early. So I might get lucky this year. I dunno, the jury is still out.

Gabe

[johnpma]

I work in Westfield and it's about 8 degrees colder up in Chesterfield so you are correct for sure........

Certainly up by me this weather feels warm after the cold we had but I have never really tapped before Feb ever.......

Good luck

[berkshires]

Well, no-one talked me down from this crazy idea, so.... I'm going to go tap tomorrow. We'll see what happens!

[MikeR]

Go for it! I'm going all-in tomorrow as well (~30 taps on swamp maples).

[berkshires]

Good luck Mike!

[johnpma]

Good luck this season guys did a lot of cleanup around the shack today.....interested to hear your results

[berkshires]

Well I tapped today, and I'm now wondering if that was wise. Nearly 40 degrees, and barely a couple of drops of sap from the trees that see the most sun. I'm thinking with all the snow, they're still pretty frozen up. Hope I don't regret tapping so early. We shall see. Forecast says 50 degrees on Tuesday. If that bears out, that'll get the trees running for a day at least.

[sweetwater sugar shack]

I put in 86 yesterday they were running pretty good all 3/16