Today was such a beautiful day I really feel the maple itch.
My brain tells me it is too early, but the warmth of the sun and the warm air pouring in ahead of the rain tomorrow was hard to resist.
Soon.
Feeling the itch?
Today was such a beautiful day I really feel the maple itch.
My brain tells me it is too early, but the warmth of the sun and the warm air pouring in ahead of the rain tomorrow was hard to resist.
Soon.
Better put some neosporin on the itch, we still have awhile yet to go partner.
2004 - 2012 2x3 flat pan 25 to 60 taps
2012 2x3 new divided pan w/draw off 55 taps
2018 - didn't boil surgery - bought new evaporator
2019 new SML 2x4 raised flue high output evap. 65 taps
made 17 gal. syrup
2020 - only put out 53 taps - made 16.25 ga.l syrup
2021 - Didn't work out
2022 - 25 taps on bags / 8 taps on 3/16's line - late start
Don't do it... It's a trap. I fell for the January thaw last year. I'm with you... this past week has been ideal. Weatherunderground.com has a great graph in their 10 forecast and a great monthly calendar that can be specific to your town. Looking back through the historical weather trends I'm looking at tapping in on Valentine's day.
2020 LaPierre Vision 18x48 raised flue. 150 taps
Mountain Maple Vaccum pump controller
2016 1st season! Mason 2x3 and 30 taps... time will tell!
I think we are all itching to get the first sap of the season but hold on a little longer. I usually tap in Lewiston around the 14th then Sumner the week after depending on temperature. Having 2 locations 40 miles apart really helps extend our season
West Sumner Sugar House
West Sumner, ME
500 +/- Taps - 2 x 8 CDL Venturi - 3 Shurflo Solar Systems - MES Dolly 300
https://www.facebook.com/WestSumnerSugarHouse
I'll be tapping starting tomorrow. Takes me about 2 full days. Some years I might have tapped to see what I could get yesterday and today, but there were too many things going on and I wasn't sure it would run much yet anyway. Who's all tapped? How'd the sap run for you?
Steven Abbott
Over 900 taps on vacuum
30" x 10' D&G Woodsaver evaporator with Steamaway
Half acre market garden
2 farmers in training
I just tapped in all my trees (reds) over the past week. Sap is dripping, but I imagine with the mild temps this week (in southern maine at least), the trees are thawing and I'm hoping for some good action this weekend given the forecast. Next week's forecast is also looking ideal with 20's overnight and 40 during the day. I am excited/anxious to see how the sap starts flowing; I tapped a lot more trees than last year and hope I can handle it all... Here we go...!
2023 - 40-ish taps (25-30 “effective” ones), tapped mostly in New Year’s Eve. 5 gallons of syrup.
2022 - 70 taps - 12 gallons of syrup
2021 - 72 taps ~ 8 gallons of syrup
2020 - 8 taps on droplines into buckets, stove top boil, < 1 gallon syrup
A neighborhood consortium of red maple trees, a renegade group of neighborhood kids emptying 5 gallon buckets, a homemade RO, a 3 pan cinderblock evaporator near the street, and 1 very patient wife
All tapped in. Set up totes tomorrow and shurflos on Sunday. A little plumbing to do in the shack and ready to go.
305 taps on 2 Shurflo's, 31 taps on 3/16" and 229 taps on gravity. 565 in all
Mountain Maple S3 controller for 145 of the vacuum taps
2x6 Darveau Mystique Oil Fired Evaporator w/ Smoky Lake Simplicity Auto Draw
Wesfab 7” filter press
I've tapped about 3300 so far and have another 1150 to go, I'll probable finish up Sunday. I had a little drip from one tree, but that's it. Sunday and Monday are supposed to be close to 40 degrees here, I wouldn't be surprised to see a little sap.
I started tapping on 2/24, sugar maples on top lines. Just a little flow initially but it picked up on Friday. I’ll be tapping the reds in the woods next week. Looking good for a run next week
2020: 317 taps, 2021: 360, 2022: 350 2023: 300, 2024: 230 (getting smarter)
Drop lines and hanging buckets, all hand lugged
2 X 6 raised flue evaporator
7in. Filter press
17 HP Kubota tractor
12 X 16' sugar shack
Sugar and red maples
Just finished tapping 150. Hope for another 50 tomorrow. Installed shurflo this morning, not an ideal day for sap running. Tomorrow is another day. Hope to boil next weekend.
Posting Permissions
Reply With Quote