2024 Tapping Season in CT
Hey All,
Figured I'd get this going as it's now 2024...
I hope everyone had a good off-season, and is busy getting ready for 2024.
Needless to say, its been an interesting start to the Winter.
What's new and when are you thininig about tapping?
Best,
Bryan
2024 - 160 taps, Shurflo 4048. Sap Sucker 4-D. Mason 2x4 Raised Flue. 5x400 RO.
2023 - 121 taps. Shurflo 4008. Sap Sucker 4-D. Mason 2x4 XL, 4x150 RO. 20 gallons.
2022 - 103 taps. Shurflo 4008. Sap Sucker 4-D. Mason 2x4 XL, 4x150 RO. 23 gallons.
2021 - 77 taps on Shurflo 4008. Sap Sucker 4-D. Mason 2x4 XL, 4x150 RO. 22 gallons.
2020 - 70ish taps on Shurflo 4008. Mason 2x4 XL. DIY R.O. ~24 gallons.
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Trout Brook Valley
Weston, CT
There have been a few days in the past weeks where I think I should have already tapped, but I’m holding off. I’m shooting for late January, although the CT maple meeting is next weekend, so I will see what everyone else has to say. Last year I was not ready and missed the first week, a big run from what I hear. Trying not to let that happen again.
2017 - 20ish taps on buckets, boiling outside in two baking pans
2018 - 70+ taps, 14-buckets, 50+ on tubing, homemade arch from oil tank in my barn, 17 gal syrup
2019 - same set up, 20 gal syrup
2020 - less taps, short season, but RO kit was fantastic! 6 gal syrup and a maple cat!
2021/22/23 - expanded into the neighbors yards! 50 taps on buckets and 40 taps on tubing
Need to hear from SugarBear, the oracle when it comes to tapping date… IMHO.
Originally Posted by SkunkWorks
Hope all are well.
In the entire scheme of things, much like the rest of us, I am a know nothing.
But since you asked, my suggestions are in this order ...
If you have more than a few thousand taps start tapping in July. (only kidding for the tight folks out there)
Accept that this season may be a poor season compared to some other season or might be your best season.
*
Read the Kentucky Blog and others for their early success rates. While things do vary measurably just ridge to ridge this still tells us something important about general trends.
Be patient and set your tapping date for no earlier than February 1. I usually tap February 14th but if still frozen then February 21.
Wait 2 or 3 days after the first good temps if things are frozen or are deeply frozen perhaps 4 days. But it depends how good the good temps are.
If you are south of the Merrit in CT down off the Escarpment, then back up my numbers 7 days.
Don't let the world con you in to thinking it is just not going to happen anymore. It will.
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.
Sugar Bear... you are better than a bottle of Xanax.
Thanks for calming my nerves.
I'm moving indoors this year. Feel free to come join me at some point!
That invitation goes for everyone else out there as well.
Bryan
2024 - 160 taps, Shurflo 4048. Sap Sucker 4-D. Mason 2x4 Raised Flue. 5x400 RO.
2023 - 121 taps. Shurflo 4008. Sap Sucker 4-D. Mason 2x4 XL, 4x150 RO. 20 gallons.
2022 - 103 taps. Shurflo 4008. Sap Sucker 4-D. Mason 2x4 XL, 4x150 RO. 23 gallons.
2021 - 77 taps on Shurflo 4008. Sap Sucker 4-D. Mason 2x4 XL, 4x150 RO. 22 gallons.
2020 - 70ish taps on Shurflo 4008. Mason 2x4 XL. DIY R.O. ~24 gallons.
______________________________________________
Trout Brook Valley
Weston, CT
I gave up on weather.com - so many ads running the page wouldn't load 1/2 the time. I use this one now https://www.wfsb.com/weather/ they seem to get it pretty good. After the 15th, they're showing some cold weather coming, for how long who knows? This could be our new 'normal' here in Ct. Time will tell.
Who is going to the Maple Syrup Producers Association of Connecticut (MSPAC) meeting this sat? This will be my first year going, as I just joined this fall.
2017 - 20ish taps on buckets, boiling outside in two baking pans
2018 - 70+ taps, 14-buckets, 50+ on tubing, homemade arch from oil tank in my barn, 17 gal syrup
2019 - same set up, 20 gal syrup
2020 - less taps, short season, but RO kit was fantastic! 6 gal syrup and a maple cat!
2021/22/23 - expanded into the neighbors yards! 50 taps on buckets and 40 taps on tubing
Was hoping to but the mountains of Vermont are calling me....
2024 - 160 taps, Shurflo 4048. Sap Sucker 4-D. Mason 2x4 Raised Flue. 5x400 RO.
2023 - 121 taps. Shurflo 4008. Sap Sucker 4-D. Mason 2x4 XL, 4x150 RO. 20 gallons.
2022 - 103 taps. Shurflo 4008. Sap Sucker 4-D. Mason 2x4 XL, 4x150 RO. 23 gallons.
2021 - 77 taps on Shurflo 4008. Sap Sucker 4-D. Mason 2x4 XL, 4x150 RO. 22 gallons.
2020 - 70ish taps on Shurflo 4008. Mason 2x4 XL. DIY R.O. ~24 gallons.
______________________________________________
Trout Brook Valley
Weston, CT
Any discussion of this crazy warm weather?
One of the speakers said go with your normal tap date, minus a week. Tap holes are viable for up to eight weeks, maximum, so look in your records to your average date of your last run, and go back 6-8 weeks. Then, to account for global warming, he goes back another week.
It was a really good day, with lots of vendors, and really good talks.
2017 - 20ish taps on buckets, boiling outside in two baking pans
2018 - 70+ taps, 14-buckets, 50+ on tubing, homemade arch from oil tank in my barn, 17 gal syrup
2019 - same set up, 20 gal syrup
2020 - less taps, short season, but RO kit was fantastic! 6 gal syrup and a maple cat!
2021/22/23 - expanded into the neighbors yards! 50 taps on buckets and 40 taps on tubing
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