🍁North-Central Wisconsin Tappers🍁

[Diesel Pro]

Merrill area

I don't have a good count, but put in somewhere around 90 taps on 3/16 Saturday. Had decent flow and vacuum starting already when I left. Tuesday eve my brother checked gauges. 11 (low) 19, 14, 0. Found a blocked tee and cleared. Took gauge off the one that was low because leak relates to the gauge line. Typically the vacuum ranges highest at first line and similar from there dropping slightly the further in and north. Looks like a bit over 100 gallons Sat thru Tuesday eve. Would really like to see about 320 total for the weekend but that's probably wishful thinking. I'm sure they went all night last night, but I suspect they slowed or stopped today thru Thursday. Doesn't look much like it will freeze overnight tonight.

[Bgreisch]

All done for the year, pulled the taps April 1st, was a good year for me made 9.7 gallons on 31 taps on a new Smokey Lake Dauntless Evaporator.

Bryan

[TwoSaps2]

Don't let that other sap fool you. He's already found the easiest method for cleaning pans. Leave camp and the pans behind. Let little brother clean em. Actually, I filled pans with water, sprinkled some borax on them, COVERED THEM to keep the steam in, and let them simmer for a few hours. Rinsed pretty darn clean.

I'm starting to wonder if the season is over? We had a pretty significant warm-up Sunday-Wednesday. Last two nights have been below freezing, but still not a drop from any of the taps. Could it be? Season is over?

[Bgreisch]

Friday collected only 12 gallons on the 31 taps this year. Saturday the trees were all dripping nicely when I decided to head home since I did not have enough to start up the evaporator. Hoping the warm temps this past weekend get the trees flowing. Will be back thursday to see how it has been doing.

Bryan

2022 - 31 taps (very slow start to the year)
2021 - 31 taps 9.7 gals, new SL Dauntless Evaportator
2020 - 25 taps 7 gals
2020 - 25 taps 7 gals

[TwoSaps]

We are near Winchester. This is always too early, but with the tropical forecast, we caved in to FOMO and put in 51 taps on Sunday March 3. Most were immediately dripping furiously. Then the sun set, it snowed on Monday, and we ended up with a mere 22 gallons after the first day. Just starting to drip again on Tuesday noonish. Not the geysers we anticipated. We'll see. Latest working theory - since there is at least an hour less daylight in early March than when we usually tap, there is much less time for sun/warm to heat up the trees and internal sap before things shut down again for the night. Or maybe our trees are just cranky and uncooperative until after St. Patty's.

[TwoSaps]

Update on the craziness in the far north. March 5-6 were great. About a gallon per tap per day. Some taps yielded 2 gallons per day. Then today, March 7, the weather seemed about the same, and 51 taps produced about 10 gallons. ??