Tapping 2022

[canaanmaple]

calling it a season! 3/16 was my last collection and boil. (how coincidental since I am all on 3/16's :P) heard the spring peepers for the first time last night too!

first collection/boil was 2/12. ended up with 6,600 gallons sap on 375 taps and made a little more than 100 gallons on a custom CDL 2x4 pan set and 180gph RO. dumped maybe 400 gallons from the 1.2% bush because not condusive to the time/space continuum I was in at the time. I think I am gonna pull my lines from that low sugar sugar bush this summer and expand elsewhere. It has great flow, but low sugar and steep as heck and doesnt get much sun. One note on it, is that I have been there 4 years now, and havent replaced drops yet but still get 18gallons per tap. Maybe steepness and the fact I flush em with peroxide when I pull taps?

So far all my seasons have been about 5 weeks long which is 1 week too many on my small setup haha! gonna pull taps this weekend, but first is skiing and cookout party at the local resort since its gonna be 60 and they are calling it a season also

[220 maple]

CanaanMaple,
Per text from one of the Seven Brothers sap still running at SpruceKnob Maple, I’ve heard rumors that most of Pa. is down!
Mark 220 Maple

[canaanmaple]

CanaanMaple,
Per text from one of the Seven Brothers sap still running at SpruceKnob Maple, I’ve heard rumors that most of Pa. is down!
Mark 220 Maple

was still running a little when I was pulling taps yesterday at one place too, but bacteria is so bad this year with the wild temps it's just not worth it for me. Same was said from a much bigger producer just north of me so I am sure they are fighting it too.... 5 weeks was a normal season for me so I am happy. Trees not close to budding either. Daffodils barely showing leaves. but have heard peepers for a number of days the past week, and of course supposed to get some decent snow this weekend again

[220 maple]

CanaanMaple
Darn shame your sap turned buddy, two weeks of good sap gathering weather! Nothing like snow and single digits!
Mark 220 Maple

[canaanmaple]

CanaanMaple
Darn shame your sap turned buddy, two weeks of good sap gathering weather! Nothing like snow and single digits!
Mark 220 Maple

didnt turn buddy, but just really stopped running very good with the temps and with lines getting loaded with bacteria. This week looks awesome for sap too just snowed for 3 days and 4 degrees currently. Felt like mid january for the past 3 days. At least I got some excellent skiing in Maybe Ill put some buckets on some untapped trees just to test the sap this week....

[canaanmaple]

Maybe Ill put some buckets on some untapped trees just to test the sap this week....

wow, got nice sap and 3% on the field maples I just tapped. Looks like more snow and good temps for sap coming up. some years there are two maole seasons based on the weather here. But its not worth the gamble to wait it out till march to tap though. Maybe Ill throw some more buckets out and go retro and make a small stash on a fire pit this weekend

[220 maple]

Dr. Mike texted me this morning that the gang on the Dryfork still producing, dark strong robust flavor, I was in there Thursday and the sap was coming in at a pretty good rate, had 16000 gallons in a 24 hour period, not bad considering 10000 of the taps was 8 weeks old, they have heard no peep frogs and the pasture field have not greened up much, of coarse the over night temps at 3300 feet was 2 degrees, I would be afraid to guess how cold it was on Phares Knob at 4200 feet. Don’t believe they will make it to 100 barrels. But making syrup in April south of the Mason Dixon! How about that!!!
Mark 220 Maple