2018 Season

[Dennis H.]

I can now say that the 2018 sugar'in season is now on.

Took me 2 days to tap the trees. I wanted to make a few changes with a few of the Lat's and add a few trees that I never picked up before.

Today was leak patrol, did not have too many, only about 6 spots that I had to repair. One was a bug hole that was about 1" from the tap. Somehow I did not see that but I sure could hear it.

Sap was running nicely when I left the cabin, releaser was dumping about ever 3 min and I already had over 50 gals in the tank. If it keeps running like that till this evening I may have an almost full tank.

Then once I got home I had to hurry and put the sap tank on the truck for hauling and also get the RO together and rinsed.

SO all told the past 3 days have been very busy and looong.

[Dennis H.]

Looks like I will be jumping in deep end head first this season.
Sap tank was almost full today, 1st run of the season! The rest of the week looks just as good so I may be a little busy.

Looked at me records and my 1st boil last season was Jan 22nd and 1st this season is the 21st.

[minehart gap]

Dennis, sounds like you might be in for a good week.

I tapped 163 on Friday. Started about noon and had flow by 2:30. Leak patrol the rest of the day and all day yesterday. A lot of my spiles are not seating. I tap until the sound changes but I’m just not getting it. Laterals show no leaks then an hour later there is a line of bubbles. Might be the change in temperature in the trees. First boil was today.

[Dennis H.]

Minehart Gap, I understand your pain with the leaks.
I tapped the trees the day before the warmer temps so the trees were still frozen and the next day a lot of the trees had sap weeping around the tap. Gave each one a light tap with my tapping hammer and it appears to fix that.

[minehart gap]

Dennis, I believe that at least a part of my problem is that I am using a rawhide carpenter hammer that is used to seat finish boards into joints without marking anything. It’s very light but solid. I am going to try a slightly heavier hammer and probably order a tapping hammer.

Not that I am complaining, my trees have been running sap at about 3/4 gallon per day since Friday. No shut down over night just keep flowing. This is the first time that any of them have been tapped. It did drop below 32 Friday night but has been at least 40 since. Is that normal? Again, not complaining as long as I’m not hurting the trees.

[Dennis H.]

I use 1 lb dead blow hammer that I picked up at harbor freight for something like $2 years ago.
Not too heavy to carry around and with it made of plastic have not had any issues with harming the check valve spout.
Yeah it would be cool to have a real tapping hammer but I'm cheap!

[Paddymountain]

You guys have my drill finger itching! I going to start getting things online this week,
and hopefully will catch the run projected for next. Never tapped in January before
and it didn't sound realistic even last week, but temps are temps, and we need to follow that
not the calendar.
have fun everyone!

way to go Minehart! you'll have bugs to work out ,but the guys here are more than wiling to help

[Paddymountain]

I managed to get 150 taps in tonight, not ready to boil just interested in getting my tubing cleaned out a little.
Need to get the vacuum at the house up and running, maybe tomorrow night.

[minehart gap]

Paddymountain, if your trees run anything like mine are your lines will be clean tomorrow. Best of luck for the season.

Of my 6 laterals 4 are still running very good. The temps here haven't dropped below freezing since Saturday morning. Just an observation but the 2 laterals that have stopped are the laterals that have the check valve adapters and stubby spouts. 1.4 gap/day/tap since yesterday.

I went around this afternoon and retapped nearly every tap. good vacuum now. After checking lines, I started to boil. My boil rate never caught up to the sap entering the tank and the evaporator was at a very good boil. I am going to have to burn some vacation time to boil (gee darn)

Dennis, thanks for the hammer tip. I will pick one up tomorrow.

[Paddymountain]

I have about 320 taps in. looking for 4 decent days starting tomorrow.
Even if we get a week or two of freezing, I'll have made some syrup!
Not putting any buckets out until weather looks for sure like sugaring.