Tapping Pennsylvania 2019

[Paddymountain]

Hey Chief103, I think you will be okay. Out of the last 8 years, 4 of them we boiled on or before February 9th.
I am in western Union County so you are exactly east of me about 30 miles.
If you are only boiling with a turkey fryer or such. Why not put out 1/2 your taps,
and then wait a week or so to do the rest. Honestly the forecast for next week doesn't look real
promising, but you being out away from the mountains might make a big difference.

[Paddymountain]

Sap is not flowing very well in Union County. I have 150 taps on 5/16 gravity that has only brought in about 40 gallons as of this morning.
100 taps on 3/16 starting to run; but leaks everywhere! after 3 times fixing leaks, I finally think
I have them under control. All the 3/16 is on marginal slope, so not getting big time vacuum, but better than 5/16 and no vac.
90 some trees at the house on vacuum tapped yesterday, only 10 inches vac after fixing a dozen leaks.
Probably won't boil until Friday, but certainly have a lot of the woods work ready for when we
get thawed out a little more.

[Chief103]

I only got about 18 gallons from the 20 trees I have tapped here in the flat land. Kinda hoping the next few days run good so I can boil the weekend. First boil is always fun, the neighbors always stop by for the sweet smell and a coffee.

[Skeller001]

So I have gone from over 6 gallons a day to 1. Some trees are producing almost nothing. Will it pick back up or are they done for the year?

[Paddymountain]

Skeller001: I would think that you need a good freeze to reset your trees. Here in Central Pa we just started thawing out, even though
we have been well above freezing every day since Sunday. Looks like a little colder on Saturday.
We have finally got everything up and running half decent. Haven't boiled yet but tomorrow we will.
Got the vacuum at the house up to 22" and hooked up to the tank around 4:00 this afternoon. 3/16 is sorted out and running.
150 Taps on 5/16 only had about 40 gallon in the tank yesterday, but until tomorrow should have enough to boil.
I really thought I would have boiled on Tuesday or Wednesday the way it warmed up, but surely can only do what nature allows.

[Sugarmaker]

Skeller,
Very interesting but not very surprising on how the sap production dropped off with continued warming the last few days. You should have good sap flow after the next freeze.
I worked this late afternoon in the rain getting the last of the tubing and gathering systems in place while the weather was favorable. Looking at tapping next week unless its too cold.
Regards,
Chris

[sbedilion]

So I have gone from over 6 gallons a day to 1. Some trees are producing almost nothing. Will it pick back up or are they done for the year?

You’ll be overloaded next week . The trees will basically shut down after several warm days without a freeze. Everything is freezing up here tmw and Saturday...then next wk is the freeze/thaw everyday we want.

[Skeller001]

Thank you everyone! I have about 7 gallons of 2x RO concentrate to boil off this weekend. Looking forward to it. I tried a small batch last weekend, a gallon, but went too far since I didn’t have a thermometer. So it is super thick.

[Plutoman15]

definitely get a candy thermometer. Make sure to test it with boiling water first to see exactly where it says the boiling point is. Mine is off a degree or 2 so I just add the temp for syrup from there.

sap should starting flowing Saturday afternoon again.

[Skeller001]

definitely get a candy thermometer. Make sure to test it with boiling water first to see exactly where it says the boiling point is. Mine is off a degree or 2 so I just add the temp for syrup from there.

sap should starting flowing Saturday afternoon again.

I ordered a candy thermometer but it was back ordered. I tried to use my turkey fryer one but quickly realized it wasn’t right when it said my boiling sap was 150 degrees. My thermometer has now arrived. Tomorrow will be the test. Thanks for the suggestion on boiling water. So I wasn’t it at that point plus 7 degrees I believe