LMP Maple 2022

[LMP Maple]

Started getting things together here in southern NH. Set one of my tanks in the woods yesterday after washing it out etc. Wanted to get it in place while I could still drive in the field. I know we are a ways off but it always seems to creep up on me. Sold all of my buckets last spring with the exception of 5 to keep around for the boy scout tour. Adding more taps this year at my neighbors all 3/16 on a sureflow with solar panels. I hope to be in the 60-70 tap range with a max of 100 this year. Also added a nano RO and CDL Vacuum press. Seems like a lot of new stuff which should keep me on my toes. I'm a little nervous with all the new 'toys' but in the name of efficiency they were a necessity. My traditional tapping date has been the 23rd of Feb the last two years we shall see how it pans out this year. Crazy to think that is only a month off. Nice deep freeze here currently which is a good thing. Good luck to all. Glad to see it is underway for some in the south. Good luck with the prep work to all my fellow NH sugar makers.

[ecolbeck]

Hope you have a great year. We bought the buckets from you last spring. Can't wait to use them!

[eustis22]

4 less taps and twice the amount of syrup made? That the RO + the vacuum filter?

[LMP Maple]

Hey Ecolbeck. Nice to put your call letters to the face. I was thinking about those buckets the other day. I am glad we connected when we did. I think buckets were hard to come by this year. Good luck on your season. I will be interested to here how you like the CDL vacuum press.

Eustis22 - 100 percent based on two things. I gave up on Red Maples on buckets and added 3/16 on Sugar Maples with a good slope. My first year I taped any Maple I could find some Reds deep in the woods they were marginal at best. It did not take me long to figure out that the Reds on buckets for me anyway were not worth the effort. My second year I tried to phase out the Reds as best I could. My third year I did not tap any reds and the sap numbers went up. That year I added 19 more taps that were all Sugar Maples and dumped all the Reds. That helped. My tap counts have stayed consistent but my species selection has changed a lot. Before I get any hate from the Red Maple guys this was my experience and with my sureflow set-up this year I would not hesitate to tap the Reds and likely will when I get a little more confident with it.

[eustis22]

makes sense....I only have a couple of sugar maples on the hill here but when I move to Western Maine ir will be all sugars.

[LMP Maple]

Good luck on your season and the move to Maine. You will be happy with the sugars. I love Massachusetts. Well, I love making money there then heading back to NH If Maine wont have you the granite state will take you in.

[LMP Maple]

In the woods all day today. Forgot how out of shape I am. Ran around 1000 ft of 3/16. I was getting anxious to tap and thought I might on Thursday but seeing the amount of snow in the woods and the ice/crust layer I am going to wait. Looks like a good three day stretch with above freezing temps here and talk of a 50 degree day mixed in this week then cold again. I think the warmth will be enough to get the trees thawed and soften things up a bit. I am planning on tapping likely next week if I see a good stretch. I will take this Friday to get all of my lines in and likely do a test boil on Wednesday.

[raptorfan85]

This week does seem tempting but it's still early. I think my taps are going in the 20th unless the forecast changes. This is the first year I got to leave my lines up, I don't miss running tubing in the snow! Good luck this year, hope it's a good one.

[LMP Maple]

Good luck as well Jake. Seems like we are on about the same geographical plane so to speak. Boy a day like today certainly gets the blood flowing. I was awfully tempted to drill some holes but I'm going to hold off for the next warm-up to tap. Still pretty frozen in the woods here although I think the sunnier spots probably would run this weekend. That's ok. I dont think I will miss out on too much sap and still a bit to do. Did my test boil today. All good there and set a few of my collection tanks. I will get the rest of the lines set on Friday and set up the sureflow. I think I will tap next Wednesday if the forecast holds looks like a 40 degree day after three days below freezing that would put me a week earlier than normal if I stick to it. Some days I wish I had 3000 taps at least then I would say I have to start by this date to get them all in. When you are tapping a smaller number it seems easy to overthink it, but it makes it interesting.

[Hop Kiln Road]

I'm going to start tapping 2/19, 2/20. I usually get some sap in the last week of February but also have to manage some hard freezes which takes extra time so nothing gets damaged. Easier to wait for the consistent flows I think. Should be a great season!