With the -21 at my place this morning it's not happening for me this weekend. I am thinking next weekend depending on the long range. The warm day yesterday and forecasted for the weekend made it tempting but the trees will still be frozen solid. Last year I tapped March 17 and it didn't flow before March 21st.Originally Posted by Brien
2021 - Year one. 15 taps using 5/16" and drop tube into buckets. Homemade barrel evaporator with 2 steam trays. 4.7L syrup.
2022. 32 taps. Added AUF.
2023. 51 taps. Ditched the steam pans for an 18x22 flat pan.
I usually tap in the West Nippissing area after the second weekend in March and could probably wait until the third week
I will do the same thing this year. Never really had any good sap runs that early
2019 - Barrel evaporator 2 steam pans 44 taps 13 Liters syrup
2020 - Barrel evaporator 2 steam pans 51 taps 21 Liters syrup
2021- New homemade 2x3 evaporator and flat pan 80 drop tubes to buckets
2022- (•,•)
2023- "\_{•¿•}_/"
If you could update when you tap, that would be appreciated. I'm 1hr from my sugar bush and don't always check on it because of the ice fishing season.
I see you added a AUF in 2022, I'm contemplating adding one, how do you like it? Did it increase your boil rate much?
Will do. I did a test boil of my new pan today. The warm weather in the bush made it tempting to tap.
2021 - Year one. 15 taps using 5/16" and drop tube into buckets. Homemade barrel evaporator with 2 steam trays. 4.7L syrup.
2022. 32 taps. Added AUF.
2023. 51 taps. Ditched the steam pans for an 18x22 flat pan.
+5 here today and +5 forecasted for tomorrow. Long range forecast needs to warm up a tad for future flows.
The plan is to boil the next two days, but I have no idea of when I will boil for a third day. As mentioned, the hope is the long range forecast will warn a little.
The sap is flowing, but not racing. It is only above freezing for about 6 hours and my hills face east. The smart play is to wait to tap, but I will like the experience of boiling for the first time on the divided pan. I have about 89 gallons to start and should get another 25+ gallons on Sunday. Who knows I might get my first draw or two depending how much sap I collect on Sunday.
2022 - 5 pan block arch - 109 taps, 73 on 3/16 lines, 36 on drops into 5 gallon pails.
930 gallons boiled, 109 L (28.8 gals) of delicious syrup made.
DYI Vacuum Filter
2023 - 170 taps, mostly on lines, 1153 gallons boiled, 130 L (34.34 gals) of delicious syrup made, on a 2x4 divided pan and base stack, 8” pipe, on a block arch that boiled at a rate of 13 gallons per hour.
I will be boiling today and tomorrow. The goal is to boil all of the sap I have collected, maybe make some syrup, but mostly to have it all boiled and concentrated. After tomorrow, I will drain the sweet from my pan and let it freeze again, unless there is a dramatic change in the forecast.
The article I posted on another thread shows that we may not get our traditional cold March and that winter might persist into April. This could lead to a short season depending how fast April warms up. Skip to near the end of the article for easier reading.
https://www.severe-weather.eu/global...ada-europe-fa/
I am still hoping that some of the days that are at freezing or just below freezing will warm up, but that may not happen. Opps just checked the forecast and those 0° C days are gone.
E2044609-74C9-46BB-86F0-4591A96908DB.jpg
2022 - 5 pan block arch - 109 taps, 73 on 3/16 lines, 36 on drops into 5 gallon pails.
930 gallons boiled, 109 L (28.8 gals) of delicious syrup made.
DYI Vacuum Filter
2023 - 170 taps, mostly on lines, 1153 gallons boiled, 130 L (34.34 gals) of delicious syrup made, on a 2x4 divided pan and base stack, 8” pipe, on a block arch that boiled at a rate of 13 gallons per hour.
Mid march
I agree with Someclown. I prefer to tap when its ready to run. If i see a run of +4 and up i tap but never before march break.
Next year I will be conservative and will tap like you say around mid March depending on the forecast.
I did put to boil 110 gallons of sap yesterday. I drained it all from the pan based on the forecast.
That forecast changes daily and is different depending on the weather forecaster. I usually go with the Weather Network, but I do not like any of the choices.
If I trusted Environment Canada’s forecast, I may not have drawn off the sweet.
Weather network 0, -1, -1, -1, 0, -1
Environment Canada 1, +1, +3, 0, +1, +2
Today was +3 here. I am headed out to collect what ran today.
2022 - 5 pan block arch - 109 taps, 73 on 3/16 lines, 36 on drops into 5 gallon pails.
930 gallons boiled, 109 L (28.8 gals) of delicious syrup made.
DYI Vacuum Filter
2023 - 170 taps, mostly on lines, 1153 gallons boiled, 130 L (34.34 gals) of delicious syrup made, on a 2x4 divided pan and base stack, 8” pipe, on a block arch that boiled at a rate of 13 gallons per hour.
I believe we have learned to tap while the sap is just starting to flow.
Easy to spot leaks right out of the gate; and seems to save us time in the long run checking lines.
2010 40 buckets- 4 gals finished
2011 80 buckets- 14 gals finished
2012 105 buckets- 8 gals finished
2013 maxed at 130 buckets- 24 gals finished
2014 new max at 240 buckets- 18 gals finished
2015 newest max 240 buckets-+48 taps on 3/16 gravity- 22.5 gals finished
2016 150 taps on 3/16 gravity- 23 gals finished
2020 250 taps on 3/16 gravity- 22 gals finished
2021 385 taps on 3/16 gravity 25 gals finished
2022 385 taps on 3/16 gravity- 26 gals finished
For those in Northern Ontario, who have sugared for a number of seasons, what is the latest you have ever started your season?
If the 14 day forecast holds, the season would start after March 23 this year.
2FC907AD-2359-4C59-B3CF-954E1C5ED080.jpg
Last edited by Swingpure; 03-08-2023 at 06:18 PM.
2022 - 5 pan block arch - 109 taps, 73 on 3/16 lines, 36 on drops into 5 gallon pails.
930 gallons boiled, 109 L (28.8 gals) of delicious syrup made.
DYI Vacuum Filter
2023 - 170 taps, mostly on lines, 1153 gallons boiled, 130 L (34.34 gals) of delicious syrup made, on a 2x4 divided pan and base stack, 8” pipe, on a block arch that boiled at a rate of 13 gallons per hour.
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