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Thread: Weather question vs sap run

  1. #11
    Join Date
    Jan 2018
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    Marion (South Central), Pa
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    Not much wind today. Light breeze at best. Sunny the first half and cloudy the second. High of 56F. Still 53 this evening.

  2. #12
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    Jan 2018
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    Marion (South Central), Pa
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    Wow, I tapped 2 walnut trees today and the one is cranking. Probably got 2-3 quarts from it in less than 12 hours. That is what I was hoping the maples would do but aren’t even close.

    Is the weather more conducive for walnut flow as oppose to Maple? Or do I have defective Maples?
    Last edited by Plutoman15; 01-27-2018 at 08:43 PM.

  3. #13
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
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    Oneida NY
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    The maples are likely not "defective". A defective maple is a dead or dying one.
    Just remember, mother nature is in charge and at times she's a tough lady to figure out.
    Dave Klish, I recently ordered a 2x6 wood fired evaporator from A&A Sheet Metal which I will be converting to oil fired
    Now have solar, 2x6 finish pan, 5 bank 7x7 filter press, large water jacketed bottler, and tankless water heater.
    Recently bought another Gingerich RO, this one was a 125, but a second membrane was added thus is a 250, like I had.
    After running a 2x3, a 2x6, 3x8 tapping from 79 taps up to 1320 all woodfired, now I'm going to a 2x6 oil fired and a 200-425 taps.

  4. #14
    Join Date
    Feb 2012
    Location
    Birdsboro PA
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    Think of your trees as women. They all look pretty much the same, but they can act wildly different.
    first year 2012 50 taps late season made 2 1/2 gals.

    2013 2x6 homemade arch 180 taps. 20 Gals.

    2014 40 on 3/16 gravity 160 on buckets.

    http://omasranch.wix.com/omasmaple

  5. #15
    Join Date
    Mar 2008
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    Lake County Ohio
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    Quote Originally Posted by psparr View Post
    Think of your trees as women. They all look pretty much the same, but they can act wildly different.
    But if they can both cook...may as well marry the pretty one!
    John Allin

    14x18 Hemlock Timber Frame Sugar House 2009
    Leader 2x6 w/Patriot Raised Flue Pan 2009
    Leader Steam Hood 2014 - Clear Filter Press 2015
    Leader Revolution Pan and SS Pre-Heater 2016
    CDL Hobby RO & Air Tech L25 Hi Vac Pump 2019
    06' Gator HPX to collect wood & sap
    14' Ski-Doo Tundra for winter work in the woods
    Great Family 3 grown kids+spouses and 7 grand kids who like the woods
    7th Gen Born in Canada - Raised in Chardon Ohio - Maple Capital of the World..<grin>.

  6. #16
    Join Date
    Mar 2013
    Location
    Lancaster County, Pa.
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    Good news and bad news for me. I checked a few of my 15 buckets this morning. The good news is that every bucket I checked was at least 3/4 full! The bad news is I'm sick. I came down with a bad head cold 2 days ago and feel like crap! Oh well, I guess I gotta suck it up and go gather my sap.

  7. #17
    Join Date
    Mar 2005
    Location
    Albion PA
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    5,099

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    Sometimes its just the trees! Not all maples are created equal. May try some different trees in different locations. Getting good runs= good healthy trees, warms temps, sun or rain helps too. Then to reset them after a day or two of wam and good hard frost will allow them to start up again. Expect 10 -20 of these event in a normal season. Remember that is no such thing as a normal season! You mileage may vary!
    Regards,
    Chris
    Casbohm Maple and Honey
    625 roadside taps + Neighbors bring some sap too!
    3x10 King, WRU, AOF and AUF
    12" SIRO Filter Press.
    2015 Ford F250 PSD sap hauler
    One Golden named Maggie, Norwegian Forest Cat named Lucy
    Too many Cub Cadets
    Ford Jubilee and several Allis WD's, and IH tractors
    1932 Ford AAB ton and a half, dump truck

    www.mapleandhoney.com

  8. #18
    Join Date
    Jan 2018
    Location
    Marion (South Central), Pa
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    79

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    I have a big old Norway that is completely open that i plan to tap soon and test and see if the sugar content is different from the tight woods ones. After doing some more reading, I suspect my low sugar (.75-1%) may be because I am too early in the season. At least I am hoping that is the case. I have another dozen Norway's I can tap and have enough slope (20 feet or so) to string them together and get some natural vacuum. Also thinking that I will get better flow in a few weeks. Even though I am in south central PA I think most of the maples just aren't getting that "Spring" fling yet since they sit deep in the woods and are hidden on the north side of a hill.

    Maybe you sugar maple guys can get a away with tapping early but I am thinking my Norway's need to be close to peak for proper sugar content.

  9. #19
    Join Date
    Mar 2005
    Location
    Albion PA
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    Plutoman15,
    Have you tapped the Norway maples with good results before? Maybe others on here have some experience? My gut feel is that your low sugar content is because they are Norway maples??? But if you have gathered 2% sap from them in the past then maybe they are protesting?
    Our sugar maples are producing 2% sap. But the weather is not very warm and the sap quantities have been reduced.
    Regards,
    Chris
    Casbohm Maple and Honey
    625 roadside taps + Neighbors bring some sap too!
    3x10 King, WRU, AOF and AUF
    12" SIRO Filter Press.
    2015 Ford F250 PSD sap hauler
    One Golden named Maggie, Norwegian Forest Cat named Lucy
    Too many Cub Cadets
    Ford Jubilee and several Allis WD's, and IH tractors
    1932 Ford AAB ton and a half, dump truck

    www.mapleandhoney.com

  10. #20
    Join Date
    Jan 2018
    Location
    Marion (South Central), Pa
    Posts
    79

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    This is my first year tapping so this is the learning year, both in knowledge and what my tree inventory can produce. I have read that lots of people see decent sugar levels in Norway's but I am guessing it is all over the map. My visual hydrometer comes on Monday so I will wait until then to tap and test the big open Norway versus my deep and hidden woods Norway's. It is probably 2-3 feet in diameter and sits completely alone on a hill. Fingers crossed otherwise I may have to wait 7-10 years for the sweet silvers and the super sweet sugar maples (RPM) that I will be planting this Spring.

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