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Thread: N00B - When to Tap - Southern NH

  1. #11
    Join Date
    Dec 2011
    Location
    Bedford, NH
    Posts
    139

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    Quote Originally Posted by jwith View Post
    I'm new to maple syrup production. The neighbor and I are doing this for fun and family only. We have finished building our arch and had a 2x4 SS continuous flow evaporator pan made.

    We have identified ~80 trees (mostly swamp maple, but some good old sugar maples). We have good elevation ~100' drop for about half the trees (Unfortunately, they are North East facing). We have setup 3 lateral runs with 10-20 trees each, using 3/16 tubing for natural vacuum. We followed Tim Wilmots papers for 3/16 vacuums.

    Being new to this, we understand the theory of freezing nights and warm days causing sap to flow. The problem is identifying good runs and when they are coming, based on weather forecast. I've spoken to a few local backyard sugars' and most have said they have been starting too late and missing the first good run. We don't want to tap too early because we don't want the taps to start to heal and close up before the end of the season.

    If anyone in our area could keep us up to date when they are taping. I'd like to follow along with experienced maple syrup makers.

    Thanks!
    I’m in Bedford. We are tapping this week 2/12 after work no later than this coming weekend 2/17. Have 50 taps on hobby vac.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
    2016-2018, 50 taps on hobby vacuum, boiling outdoors on the Mason 2x3.
    49 taps 2015, mix of hobby vacuum and gravity, boiling outdoors on the Mason 2x3.
    42+4 taps 2014, still on a WF Mason 2x3 Hobby Evaporator
    43 taps 2013 on a WF Mason 2x3 Hobby Evaporator
    10 taps 2012

    Follow along on our sugaring adventures at our website:
    http://littlecreekmaplefarm.com

  2. #12
    Join Date
    Jan 2018
    Location
    Amherst/Bedford, New Hampshire
    Posts
    17

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    Quote Originally Posted by bcarpenter View Post
    I’m in Bedford. We are tapping this week 2/12 after work no later than this coming weekend 2/17. Have 50 taps on hobby vac.
    We tapped this past Firday/Saturday 2/9-2/10. We have 50 taps total, 3 3/16 lateral lines that run down ~100' drop. The taps started running immediately. We've got about 30 gallons of sap in 36 hours. I'd say not too bad. Weather is looking good for this week.
    2018 - 60 taps (first time tapping)

  3. #13
    Join Date
    Jan 2017
    Location
    ...
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    212

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    ..........
    Last edited by Scm; 04-11-2018 at 08:27 AM.

  4. #14
    Join Date
    Dec 2011
    Location
    Bedford, NH
    Posts
    139

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    Quote Originally Posted by jwith View Post
    We tapped this past Firday/Saturday 2/9-2/10. We have 50 taps total, 3 3/16 lateral lines that run down ~100' drop. The taps started running immediately. We've got about 30 gallons of sap in 36 hours. I'd say not too bad. Weather is looking good for this week.
    Nice! Are you closer to Bedford or Amherst? Always looking to see how other people do their hobby set ups. We are off of Wallace rd.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
    2016-2018, 50 taps on hobby vacuum, boiling outdoors on the Mason 2x3.
    49 taps 2015, mix of hobby vacuum and gravity, boiling outdoors on the Mason 2x3.
    42+4 taps 2014, still on a WF Mason 2x3 Hobby Evaporator
    43 taps 2013 on a WF Mason 2x3 Hobby Evaporator
    10 taps 2012

    Follow along on our sugaring adventures at our website:
    http://littlecreekmaplefarm.com

  5. #15
    Join Date
    Feb 2014
    Location
    Candia NH
    Posts
    89

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    Greetings from Candia. 25 in yesterday and another 25 today with the little one. We got soaked but he had a good time. Hopefully finish off the buckets in the next few days. Seems pretty early this year but weather looks promising, don't usually tap for another few weeks. I guess we'll see what happens. Have a good season everyone
    2018 - ?? 2x5 lapierre raised flue evaporator

    2017 - 150 taps mixed 2.5 x 4 evaporator

    2016 - 230 taps taps mixed 2.5 x 4 evaporator

    2015 - 115 taps mixed buckets, bags and, water jugs. 2.5 x 4 evaporator.

    2014 - 55 taps mixed buckets, bags and, drop lines. 4 steam trays and a block arch. 3 gallons made tapped prematurely (lesson learned)

  6. #16
    Join Date
    Jan 2018
    Location
    Amherst/Bedford, New Hampshire
    Posts
    17

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    We put 50 taps in on Saturday 2/10. Over the week we collected about 120 gallons of sap and made 2 to 2-1/2 gallons of syrup this weekend. We are expecting a lot more this week.



    2018 - 60 taps (first time tapping)

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