South Central Ohio early taps in sap running

[buckeye gold]

I put out 38 taps on my fall line this afternoon. They were running good when I quit. As I tapped I let sap run out on the ground for a couple hours and then put lines in the tank. It took about an hour to get 5 gallons, so I should be able to sweeten my pan a little tomorrow. I won't do my main woods until Late January or early February, but this will give me some early bonus syrup. I guess it's game on.

[bmbmkr]

Thats Great! My buddy tapped down in Paintsville KY this past weekend, has close to 400 taps, he's already boiled a couple times. I will be tapping in the next 10 days or so, cleaned out the sugar house today. Goin to rain Friday but supposed to be 60F so that'll be powerwashing day. I've got a mile of tubing to run yet, have the laterals ran with twine already, just waiting on tubing to get here. We should have around 425-450 taps this year! Hope your sap is sweet and plentiful this season! Ben

[buckeye gold]

Collected about 30 gallons of sap and sweetened my pan a little. My AOF modifications seem to really add to my boil intensity. Finished putting new taps on my main woods today. Ready to rock and roll

[Sugarmaker]

Collected about 30 gallons of sap and sweetened my pan a little. My AOF modifications seem to really add to my boil intensity. Finished putting new taps on my main woods today. Ready to rock and roll

Wow it seams early, but your down south a ways too. Good luck with your season. We need some pictures boiling that 2018 sap!
Regards,
Chris

[bmbmkr]

[QUOTE=Sugarmaker;361067]Wow it seams early, but your down south a ways too. Good luck with your season. We need some pictures boiling that 2018 sap!
Regards,
Chris

Chris, we are usually finished boiling down here before some of our northern friends tap the first tree. If I have any gumption and wood left, I'm goin to tap some river birch in March.

I ran another 3000' of 3/16 Saturday, got the drops t'd in. These trees are all between 700'-800' ASL, the 400' mainline runs from about 620' to 600' ASL where the tank is. My help didn't how up Saturday so I have another couple of laterals and 100 taps on the bench to run, then start running tubing down the steep tying those laterals to the mainline. Have another 50-75 trees down in the holler closer to the main, haven't decided whether to use 5/16 on those or 3/16. More than likely goin to put a 12V pump on the main. Right around 175 taps in this woods, and I'm goin to have to haul the sap a mile and a half to my house. I have a 330 IBC for the collection tank, goin to have to use 2 275's to haul or one and make two trips. Last year and the year before I got well over 2 gallon per tap on my woods here at the house with a lot less drop and a lot more mainline on a lot less grade.

I have my new drops on, (70) and new spiles (240) on my woods here at the house. I put up another 600' mainline on the lower end of the property that over lapped part of last years main put in 70 new taps and ran some of last years laterals further down the hill to it. Then I ended up taking down a few hundred feet of last years main, AGAIN! Will use it for a pump line from the new tank up the the old main. The new tank is collecting 175 taps, and about 800' from the house, plan on pumping it up to the old mainline which carries 125 taps and empties into a 330 IBC, that gets pumped the last 300' to the sugar camp- 800 GL bulk tank that I bought from Buckeye Gold's cousin last year. Lots of pumping and hauling this coming season, will be between 450-500 taps.

I upgraded my Deer Run 125 to electric and a second post added with 2 brand new XLE's. She's goin to earn her keep with this many taps and my small evaporator.

It's pouring rain today, but supposed to hit 65F, I'm about to don the rain gear and go fire up the pressure washer and do a final rinse of the pans, corny kegs, milk cans, bulk tanks, head tank and IBC's.

Lord willin, I'm going to tap next week.

[buckeye gold]

We can only hope....this is too warm

[netsplitter]

Yes indeed. This weather has been crazy, we had a thunderstorm here in Eastern KY last Friday.

Wednesday is hopefully the start to better sappin days .

[buckeye gold]

Your doing good redbean, I had 73 gallons of sap this morning and I drew off 6 pints, but I started new with no sweet. I am done for the day but I have a bunch of sweet in the pan and sap is running well. So tomorrow I'll have more syrup.

[bmbmkr]

I am praying for this weatherman, hope he is RIGHT! https://www.accuweather.com/en/us/wi..._pc?view=table

[buckeye gold]

I never worry about that sap, it is so small amount when it does run it shouldn't matter. I guess you could, but I haven't. If it worries you pull the drop off your highest tap and it'll drain, then push it back on.