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Thread: Should I Stay or Should I go, in Dudley

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jan 2020
    Location
    Dudley Ma
    Posts
    14

    Default Should I Stay or Should I go, in Dudley

    I never seem to get timing right. Today is February 9th, I know its traditionally early to tap. But according to the whether channel app today is 36 degrees and tonight 31. rest on the week is Mon 41/33 , Tue 40/28 , Wed 41/32 , Thurs 46/17 , Fri 22/2 , Sat 26/18 , Sun 41/30 and the the week after looks all highs in 40's. But Friday and Saturdays cold temps make ma a little nervous.
    This is my 3rd full year as a hobbyist around 50 taps mostly on reds. So what does everyone think? should I stay or should I go? Thank for any advice.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
    Location
    Oneida NY
    Posts
    11,547

    Default

    Are you on tubing, buckets or bags? If tubing, with vacuum go for it, if buckets or bags, wait until you see a good pattern for 2 weeks out. By the way, for best sap flow you need freeze thaw cycles, it is best when you get days in the low to mid 40's and nights at 28F or below. You will likely never get that for 2 weeks in a row, from there you just need to guess. By the way, a night at zero or below is not bad in season, it helps the tree pull more sap up from the roots, ready for the next thaw.
    Last edited by maple flats; 02-09-2020 at 01:01 PM.
    Dave Klish, I recently ordered a 2x6 wood fired evaporator from A&A Sheet Metal which I will be converting to oil fired
    Now have solar, 2x6 finish pan, 5 bank 7x7 filter press, large water jacketed bottler, and tankless water heater.
    Recently bought another Gingerich RO, this one was a 125, but a second membrane was added thus is a 250, like I had.
    After running a 2x3, a 2x6, 3x8 tapping from 79 taps up to 1320 all woodfired, now I'm going to a 2x6 oil fired and a 200-425 taps.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Mar 2005
    Location
    Cornish,NH
    Posts
    712

    Default

    Cold temps are not a problem, It is warm temps that kill your tap holes.
    3x10 Dallalre, oil fired, Stainless steel.
    Steam hoods front and rear with preheater.
    1500 taps on vac, right to sugar house.
    900 on Gravity
    New Busch 3 Phase Vacuum. (2010)
    Lapierre 600 Turbo with 2 - 8" posts
    36 years of MAPLE ENJOYMENT!!
    https://www.facebook.com/pages/Hills...93710737313171

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jan 2020
    Location
    MA
    Posts
    1

    Default I'm in Dudley, too

    After hearing that producers in Woodstock were tapping the very end of January, we did, too. No regrets. We do it the old fashioned way b/c we only have 15 taps... buckets and open fire.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Mar 2017
    Location
    Harvard, MA
    Posts
    240

    Default

    In Harvard, MA I’m betting on the few days in the 40s this week. There will be some chillier days later in the week but next week looks solid currently. I tapped most of my trees on 5/16 tubing yesterday, the rest Later today. By tomorrow I’ll have a doZen buckets up too, and away we go. 135 taps this year. Honestly I’m not 100% ready in the sugar shack so I’m hoping the flow isn’t too big yet.
    2022 is season 7
    2016: 20 taps on buckets, 4 gallons on a borrowed 2x3.
    2017: 32 taps on buckets, 8 gallons of syrup, on a "loaner" Lapierre 19x48.
    2018: 80 taps. First time tubing. New 10x12 sugar shack, Lapierre 2x5. Made 17 gallons
    2019: 100 taps. 22 gallons. Added a small RO 50 gph.
    2020: 145 taps, 30 gallons, sold half. Murphy cup is a great addition.
    2021: tapped Feb 23, 150 taps, 35 gallons.
    2022: 200 taps. I lost 50, added 100. Having fun but short season?

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Mar 2016
    Location
    chester, ma
    Posts
    905

    Default

    I've been back and forth on the fence for over a week now. In particular, the forecast for this week has looked anywhere between great and terrible over the last week. I wound up biting the bullet and tapped today. Of course the predicted high temp for me today was 42, and it barely got to 35, so I may have blown it. Oh well, we shall see.

    Cheers,

    GO
    2016: Homemade arch from old wood stove; 2 steam tray pans; 6 taps; 1.1 gal
    2017: Same setup. 15 taps; 4.5 gal
    2018: Same setup. Limited time. 12 taps and short season; 2.2 gal
    2019: Very limited time. 7 taps and a short season; 1.8 gals
    2020: New Mason 2x3 XL halfway through season; 9 taps 2 gals
    2021: Same 2x3, 18 taps, 4.5 gals
    2022: 23 taps, 5.9 gals
    2023: 23 taps. Added AUF, 13.2 gals
    2024: 17 taps
    All on buckets

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Dec 2013
    Location
    Stockbridge,Ma
    Posts
    285

    Default

    We drilled 300 yesterday and today I did another 100 myself. By then I was soaked so came back to the shop to work on things for the evaporator. I will be back on the mountain on the morning.

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