Sunapee

[Mark-NH]

Ok, here is my plan. I want to run the new wet/dry line this weekend. Replacing about 800' of single main line that went through a culvert and ran chest high across the field with a new wet/dry line suspended over the snowmobile trail and above the fields.

It froze most nights in the culvert and did not thaw out till after noon. Also hoping, with a clean installation, to keep it up year around. It is high enough to keep it away from the cows and curious people.

Once this is complete I will be ready to tap out. Busy next weekend so it will be the weekend of the 21st that we tap out. I should be able to tap both bushes in a weekend with a little help.

Of course, plans are subject to change.

[3% Solution]

Mark,
Hey the weekend of the 14th looks to be the weekend for us!!!!
Haven't forgot you guys checking us out this year!
See ya soon!!!

Dave

[Mark-NH]

Dave,

I am planning on getting over to your operation this year. Looking forward to it. Weather for this weekend is looking perfect for getting out in the wood and working.

[3% Solution]

Mark,
We're waiting for ya!!!!
And your crew!!!!

Dave

[Mark-NH]

Made progress on the suspended main line today. We have the wet line completely strung and the second, dry line 3/4 of the way. Ran out of ties of all things. Turned out to be about 600' that we suspended with one support almost half way. I know it is asking a lot to span those distances but it is what the situation dictated.

We tied the 3/4" lines to the guide wire but did not crank down the wire ties. My hope is that we will be able to add enough tension to the main lines that we can avoid dips.

Picked up 300 ties at Home Depot tonight and hope to finish suspending tomorrow and hoist everything back in place. From there I will add the vacuum boost and then we should be ready for tapping.

Parker, you are right. When the sun came out today it warmed up to hight 30's for about 1/2 an hour and felt wonderful.

[Parker]

Mark- I buy "bag ties" at Carroll concrete across from Ruger's,,they do rust, but have been working well for the last 7 years,,,snow should be setteled some for you today,,,50 deg here now (5AM)

[Mac_Muz]

I just read all of this thread too "The 2009 Maplecreek Experiance "

In Tamworth today we hit 48 degrees. I dug out my stove and pan from with in the shed, checked out my drying white pine which may or not be any good, but that isn't a problem.

What and why I am posting about is I don't want to miss the early run, but then I don't want to jump the gun and find out it turns up too cold, too windy and or too cloudy, and my taps dry up too early.

I might have all of 20 pails out, and do not want to tap twice, because I don't think it is wise.

The trees I use are not on this property for the most part and are 1/2 mile off mostly on town land along the road. I suppose that depends, but i also ask the locals who would own the land if that land wasn't with in the town set back.

These trees are shaded by tall white pine all the time, Always in shade. There is far less snow plowed up to them this year, from last.

I have found some more trees, maybe more than 5, and closer, still in shade most of the day.

Last year i was left wanting more sap. I made about 3 gallons, which must make you guys laff hard, but all I want is 5 gallons if i can get it, which is plenty for 3 people a few gifts and lots of work for one man burning wood.

Feb 14th is next Saturday, and before then it is supposed to be very fair for 2 days. I am not sure what to do, tap a few and see? Wait?

Last year i tapped i think on March 1st, but i would have to go read my thread on that to see if it is true. But I recall I waited, and had a bad time getting sap.

Bein' you guys are all Maple GODS I AM DEAD CERTAIN WHAT EVER YOU TELL ME WILL HAPPEN 100%

[mcgeec]

I agree completely with Mac-Muz. I am an even smaller operation than him, in the north end of Nashua. My trees are all neighbors. I have 25 taps and made 2.5 gallons last year.

When do we pull the trigger?! Feb 14? Feb 21? March 1?

[Mac_Muz]

mcgeec, I'ld say you are bigger than me. I had out 15 taps last year, and hope to have 20 this year.

Yesterday was a nice sunny and bright day with high winds. Not a good day for sap, not here anyway. Of course I don't have 1 tap out, and so I can't say I really 'know' that, but in the past on windy days not much sap ran.

I still haven't looked at my thread in this section from last year, to see what day I tapped, but in general I don't till March 1st, or very close to that usually depending on a weekend as close to march 1st as I could.

I am in no hurry to tap, because tapping to early just allows the type of tap I use to dry up. I use primitive taps, made of cast alloy (pot metal I guess, some steel, and maybe there is 1 or 2 stainless taps)

I don't liquor up the trees with various solutions to tempt the tree to give more, or kill bacteria. I just use a clean auger and drive in a clean tap.

Clean is by eye.. Hang the pail, slam the cover on, and move on. My pails are joint compound and like pails.

Once I lived even more rural than now, and had the best of my ever best trees along a brook in a very south facing and sunny location.

Each and almost every day when the temp was right and the winds were calm, my buckets of this size would be nearly over flowing!

That wasn't the case here last year. That leaves me wondering if some how I missed a early run, which about now I am wondering again. But I don't think so, and if I did it wasn't much loss.

[Mark-NH]

When I was running 13 buckets I once tapped with 3' of snow on the ground because I didn't want to miss anything. An old time sugarer drove by slowly while I was tapping the road side maples and rolled his window down to chat.

Explained to him that I knew it was early but did not want to miss any of the season and his reply was "don't hurt to let the tree have a little". North Nashua, I know you guys run a lot warmer and earlier than up here in Sunapee, so I really don't have any advice for you other than watch your local forecast.

Tamworth is a similar weather pattern to here and I drove through there last Thursday and you have about what we have for snow. My plan is to be tapped out by end of day Sunday 2/22. If I saw a long term warming trend before then it might change by mind but a couple warm days this week is not worth chasing.