Originally Posted by
SkardaMapleFarms
Well we decided not to tap and probably won't for at least another week to 10 days looking at the current forecast. We are banking on a traditional March after the temps drop back down again. Hopefully we can make up what we missed out on this warm streak in late march and into April with fresh tap holes. I am thinking we made a good decision however it's painful to be 60s and sunny with no syrup made yet and not a single tap in the woods yet. How's it going for everyone else?
I have opted not to tap either, more because I am not ready yet. I did get all of the tubing fixed and ready to tap. I may start tapping Wednesday, but that is up in the air at this point. There are people tapping around here, but there is just as many that are waiting as well. I think many are not ready to go yet as well. It'd be beautiful syrup if you could get it processed quickly despite the warm t temps. My biggest fear would be all the bacterial precontamination in the tubing lines as this heat is to continue through mid week. If your doing bags, I would not tap this early unless you had new trees to go to later, because they will shut down if the season continues into April.
They said this will be the longest stretch of 50 plus degree days in Feb. since 1930, long before checkvalves, tubing and vacuum. Will see how these guys that got going pan out in a month or so.
Mark
Where we made syrup long before the trendies made it popular, now its just another commodity.
John Deere 4000, 830, and 420 crawler
1400 taps, 600 gph CDL RO, 4x12 wood-fired Leader, forced air and preheater. 400 gallon Sap-O-Matic vacuum gathering tank, PTO powered. 2500 gallon X truck tank, 17 bulk tanks.
No cage tanks allowed on this farm!