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Thread: Tapping for 2021

  1. #11
    Join Date
    Dec 2015
    Location
    Weston, CT
    Posts
    473

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    Quote Originally Posted by Ghost View Post
    The Bear hath spoken, thyne drill shalt rest until a great freeze settles upon us . . .
    The Bear asks that when you do tap be sure to post your sugar content as often as you can .... and please test from a combined mix of all your sap.
    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.

  2. #12
    Join Date
    Jan 2018
    Location
    Connecticut
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    27

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    Quote Originally Posted by Sugar Bear View Post
    Very tempting indeed.

    But ... another rule of thumb I have just recently adopted is to avoid tapping before we have had a good prolonged freeze up. Whether I had 4 million taps or 4 taps that would be the case. For an assortment of reasons. But the obvious one would be that if the above rule of thumb were not logical then maple syrup in the united states would be best known as Tennessee Maple Syrup or Virginia Maple Syrup rather then Vermont Maple Syrup.

    In my parts so far this year we may have gone 24 hours without getting above 32 degrees, but I don't think we have gone 48 hours and 4 sure not 72 hours.

    But if you have more trees then taps, my rule of thumb changes to whenever you think you can make syrup then make it.

    Gods Speed and let us know how it goes.

    The Bear
    So tempting for sure with the forecast ahead. Still not tapping until close to end of January. Still have equipment adjustments to do anyways. I’m not ready to make anything yet.
    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

  3. #13
    Join Date
    Mar 2017
    Location
    Granville, PA
    Posts
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    Quote Originally Posted by Sugar Bear View Post
    Very tempting indeed.

    another rule of thumb I have just recently adopted is to avoid tapping before we have had a good prolonged freeze up.
    The Bear
    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

  4. #14
    Join Date
    Nov 2019
    Location
    Hartford, CT
    Posts
    30

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    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

  5. #15
    Join Date
    Jan 2011
    Location
    Southern Ohio
    Posts
    1,349

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    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

  6. #16
    Join Date
    Nov 2019
    Location
    Hartford, CT
    Posts
    30

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    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

  7. #17
    Join Date
    Mar 2017
    Location
    Granville, PA
    Posts
    403

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    Quote Originally Posted by Ghost View Post
    When did you tap last year?
    if your question was to me, I tapped Feb. 8th & 9th last year.
    Matt,
    Minehart Gap Maple

  8. #18
    Join Date
    Dec 2015
    Location
    Weston, CT
    Posts
    473

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    Quote Originally Posted by Ghost View Post
    The only trend I can discern with suitable confidence is that my wallet keeps getting thinner.
    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.

  9. #19
    Join Date
    Feb 2017
    Location
    Connecticut
    Posts
    149

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    Quote Originally Posted by minehart gap View Post
    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.
    I agree. I feel like I'm waiting just because I'm supposed to. The daily long range forecast for my area looks so good. 20's at night, 40's during the day.

  10. #20
    Join Date
    May 2009
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    UVM Proctor Maple Research Center, Underhill Ctr, VT
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    6,390

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    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

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