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Thread: 2019

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Feb 2011
    Location
    South Dakota
    Posts
    448

    Default 2019

    Got all my taps in last week and have made 3 gallons so far...

    Alright, I'm in the same boat as all of you, buried in snow and freezing to death. The snow and excess cold is starting to get old, but that is the joy of Midwest life I guess. All the supplies have arrived and awaiting patiently for a break to run some gas line to the shed, which will be fun burying later this spring. Thinking same # taps, but don't know if time will allow. Season goal is only 5 to 6 gallons I think.


    Till tapping time (May?),

    SDdave
    It's not the size of the tree...it's what inside that counts!

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jan 2016
    Location
    MN
    Posts
    76

    Default

    Boy what a year its going to be. I have 2000 taps. I've been working in the snow/woods for the last month and watched it get worse and worse. I luckly replaced all m drop lines before it got to bad and fixed all my down lines. This past weekend I pulled my 1000 ft electric line to my pump house, which was a bear in its self. Slow and steady is the name of the game this year!! I plan to start tapping this Wednesday as it will take me probably 5 days plus to get everything tapped and only have weekends and Wednesdays to do that! Good luck SD Dave and everyone else!

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jan 2012
    Location
    MN
    Posts
    415

    Default

    I'm in west central (becker/ottertail county line) curious when some of you other sappers are planning to tap? Thinking maybe end of this week/beginning next week, have 2,000 taps to go through this season.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Nov 2010
    Location
    West central Minnesota
    Posts
    91

    Default

    Wow, 2000 taps, thats going to be a heck of a task with this snow. I'm in central Ottertail county and have about too on bags to get in. Early next week I think I will tamp down a trail with snowshoes (sold my snomobiles) and hope for the best. Probably start tapping around the 17th

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Feb 2017
    Location
    Minnesota
    Posts
    117

    Default

    I plan to wait and see what this weather is going to do. They are talking snow/rain Wednesday again with wind... I tap near a river and I hope they don't get washed away!

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Feb 2018
    Location
    Excelsior MN
    Posts
    7

    Default

    I stopped by Don’s sugar shack in Afton yesterday and picked up new 3/16 tubing/supplies and plan on running it on Saturday. Contemplating buying a two handed tool...they are expensive! The last couple of years I have placed the cut tube in really hot water and slid the fittings on. A two person job.
    I’ll have everything ready to go and will only have to drill and tap. I have a few trees near the house that I’ll tap on Saturday with bags to monitor flow.
    This year I’ll be tapping more black walnuts. That syrup is really really good.
    Will this be a good year? I’m way to new to this to understand how all of the snow will impact the season.
    Don did say he was a couple weeks out on tapping.
    2019
    60 on natural vacuum
    Smoky Lake StarCat with Hybrid pan
    Smoky Lake Auto Draw
    Home Made RO
    Did not tap black walnuts this year as I ran out of time...

    2018
    75 on natural vacuum
    Modified barrel stove with AUF
    Home Made RO
    10 Black Walnut

    2017
    25 buckets
    Barrel stove

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Mar 2011
    Location
    Sherburne Co Minnesota
    Posts
    125

    Default

    Going to be an interesting year no doubt. I started running some snowshoe trails yesterday and found another line with a large tree or branch on it, have about a day of repairs. should be a good time packing trails!! Not to mention the 1 foot +/- of snow we have coming!!!!
    Last edited by MN Jake; 03-07-2019 at 06:29 AM.
    March 2011- my brain had a weird spark
    3 taps then 14
    2012- 35 taps
    2013-GBM 2x4 150 taps
    2014- Custom 2x10
    2015- Smoky Lake 2x2 syrup 2x8 drop flue
    2016- turbo 2000 and 36 cfm sihi 500 taps,
    2017- SL filter and bottler

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Apr 2014
    Location
    Glencoe, MN
    Posts
    44

    Default

    I have 492 bag/holders ready to go... It will be an interesting season with all the snow! Stay Tuned & Happy Sapping everyone!

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Feb 2017
    Location
    Minnesota
    Posts
    117

    Default

    I went out and scouted today a little bit and broke trail with the snowshoes. Man is there a lot of snow out there! Hopefully this rain coming will knock it down some. Looking ahead at the long range I think if the temps forecasted hold I will tap Friday. It looks like it is going to be a lot of hauling in snowshoes for a while, hopefully my oldest will help out!

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Mar 2014
    Location
    Minneapolis, MN
    Posts
    2

    Default

    I'm thinking about tapping this weekend, north of Hinckley, based on the forecast and my ability to get help from family (most will be out of town the weekend after).

    If i'm wrong about timing and the run doesn't start for 3-4 weeks, is there any harm in tapping too early? Can the holes dry out, or does that take a while to happen?

    We tap 60-80 trees, but they're at the cabin, so we're weekend tappers and can't monitor the trees daily, so there's a bit of guessing.

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