If you think it's easy to make good money in maple syrup .... then your obviously good at stealing somebody's Maple Syrup.
Favorite Tree: Sugar Maple
Most Hated Animal: Sap Sucker
Most Loved Animal: Devon Rex Cat
Favorite Kingpin: Bruce Bascom
40 Sugar Maple Taps ... 23 in CT and 17 in NY .... 29 on gravity tubing and 11 on 5G buckets ... 2019 Totals 508 gallons of sap, 7 boils, 11.4 gallons of syrup.
1 Girlfriend that gives away all my syrup to her friends.
2017: 7 taps, turkey fryer
2018: 10 taps, turkey fryer
2019: 15 taps, turkey fryer
2020: 20 taps, Mason 2x3
The taste at the end makes it all worth while
I followed this"rule of thumb" last year and will not make that mistake again. I believe at one time in history, that rule may have been applicable, but not with the weather of recent times.
Last year, I made 1/3 of the syrup per tap that I have made in the past. Partly because of an early warm-up but partly because I waited 5 weeks from when weather first looked good for that prolonged freeze.
Sure, the ssc may be down before a freeze compared to after but what if that prolonged freeze doesn't happen. Weather is unpredictable at best and getting more unreliable every year.
If the weather is right and you are ready, tap them and make syrup. You never know what it might be like tomorrow let alone in a couple of weeks.
Last edited by minehart gap; 01-03-2021 at 01:07 PM.
Matt,
Minehart Gap Maple
When did you tap last year?
2019 LNG fired pot, 20 taps on 3/16, 10 buckets, gave it up after 3 gal.
2020 New Mason 2x4 XL; 30 taps on 3/16
I start watching weather trends in October and November and try and build an estimate of what will happen. Once we get close to the winter solstice you can usually reasonably guess the trends for the next couple months. Look at the weather history for the last 6-8 weeks and you'll be able to identify some trends. Guide your tapping by that, still I would be reluctant to go all in more than two weeks prior to historic tapping dates. I'm in southern Ohio and my timeline is not the same as you in northern areas, but weather trends are still applicable. We often see winters anymore that never have a deep freeze and our thaw comes quicker. However, we rarely get long periods of snow cover and so when we do get really cold temps. our ground takes longer to thaw than those areas that have deep snow cover. Therefore use what others are doing only as a source of information that helps you build your own scenario. I have tapped all in as early as January 8th and as late as February3rd, but most years (80%) my all in tapping is between January 20 and 31st. When you see me talk about tapping in December, don't get confused that I am all in. I have a part of my bush I early tap independent of my main bush and season. I do not depend on these for regular production, but as a bonus tapping.
125-150 taps
Smokey Lakes Full pint Hybrid pan
Modified half pint arch
Air over fire
All 3/16 tubing
Southern Ohio
The only trend I can discern with suitable confidence is that my wallet keeps getting thinner.
2019 LNG fired pot, 20 taps on 3/16, 10 buckets, gave it up after 3 gal.
2020 New Mason 2x4 XL; 30 taps on 3/16
Yup me too and also that every year we get a more and more dangerous version of the flu! This year being particurly bad!
By the way "The Bear" findeth this today all over the news.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/weath...lit-cold-snow/
If you think it's easy to make good money in maple syrup .... then your obviously good at stealing somebody's Maple Syrup.
Favorite Tree: Sugar Maple
Most Hated Animal: Sap Sucker
Most Loved Animal: Devon Rex Cat
Favorite Kingpin: Bruce Bascom
40 Sugar Maple Taps ... 23 in CT and 17 in NY .... 29 on gravity tubing and 11 on 5G buckets ... 2019 Totals 508 gallons of sap, 7 boils, 11.4 gallons of syrup.
1 Girlfriend that gives away all my syrup to her friends.
Long-term weather forecasts are not terribly reliable. History is as good or better an indicator.
https://mapleresearch.org/pub/mn1116weather-2-2/
Dr. Tim Perkins
UVM Proctor Maple Research Ctr
http://www.uvm.edu/~pmrc
https://mapleresearch.org
Timothy.Perkins@uvm.edu