I might tap around Feb 24th. I am taking the family on vacation for Eastern break so I have to be cleaned up before the end of March. Figure that would allow me to tap a little early if I want in case I miss out on the better back end of the season. Every drop counts with early clean up, so might as well go for it! I think I can get 5 weeks out of my taps before they would dry up - at least most of them.
2014 - 15 taps
2015 - 20 taps
2016 - 25 taps
2017 - 60 taps - added sugar shack and first evaporator
2018 - 70 taps on Bags
2019 - 90 taps - new 2x4 corsair with hybrid pro pan from Smokey Lake
Looks like Friday (tomorrow) for me here in the SE corner. New CV spouts plus vac have proven to keep pouring until the end even when tapping in early Feb (last year). Mostly Silvers and Norways, so I'm done by late March no matter what. Perhaps if we don't get huge warm-ups I could maybe tickle April...not likely though. Truly amazing what newer "tech" has done compared to the old reused-every-year spiles I used as a kid. Couple weeks of being tapped and those red maples said "no more!"
42.82N
2015 - Small operation. 25 buckets. One excited 5 year old and one 35 year old that feels 5 again.
2016 - One year older. New Homemade 2x4 Arch, Smoky Lake Pan and looking at 52 maples, 17 box elders and 2 walnut trees.
2017 - Shurflo 4008 hooked to 42 stingy silver maples and a few Norways. A couple buckets on sugars and Norways. 10 box elders.
2018 - ...a few more taps.
2019 - ...more taps on 3/16 gravity. This spiral is heading downward in a hurry.
2020 - 4x400 RO - RB20 (uh-oh!)
Tapping 4 box elders that start a week before everything else this weekend. We have our marker then.
Good luck to you guys and keep us posted on how it runs. I think it is still a couple weeks out for me as everything is froze up pretty good. With the lack of snow there is probably a few feet of frost to get rid also.
15 day forecast warmed up considerably overnight. Looks like snow will be gone in 5 days. Coyote hunting season is going to be done after this weekend and sugar season will start... I might even tap on Sunday. trying to fight the itch, but sunny days around 40 degrees should get the trees running a bit starting late next week.....
2014 - 15 taps
2015 - 20 taps
2016 - 25 taps
2017 - 60 taps - added sugar shack and first evaporator
2018 - 70 taps on Bags
2019 - 90 taps - new 2x4 corsair with hybrid pro pan from Smokey Lake
Forecast here looks nearly perfect! Drilling this afternoon once I'm done working. Last couple days warm up plus a nail hole in a box elder says the trees are ready to go.
go-time.jpg
42.82N
2015 - Small operation. 25 buckets. One excited 5 year old and one 35 year old that feels 5 again.
2016 - One year older. New Homemade 2x4 Arch, Smoky Lake Pan and looking at 52 maples, 17 box elders and 2 walnut trees.
2017 - Shurflo 4008 hooked to 42 stingy silver maples and a few Norways. A couple buckets on sugars and Norways. 10 box elders.
2018 - ...a few more taps.
2019 - ...more taps on 3/16 gravity. This spiral is heading downward in a hurry.
2020 - 4x400 RO - RB20 (uh-oh!)
I've been busy building bee equipment and took 2 weeks off to go to Southern Texas so I'm not exactly ready for tapping but when the weather is right it won't take too long to drag the tubing out in the woods. I think we need to wait until the frost comes out which may take a while. The last 2 years were early but our normal start date is the first week in March. Happy tapping and cooking everyone!!!!!!!!!!!
150 on 3/16 gravity 2018 and 120 sap sacks
14 x 20 sugar shack
2014 New custom 2x6 arch "The Firestorm" w/ preheater, AUF & AOF
Smokey Lake pans and water jacket bottler
2024 new 2x8 set of drop flue pans and hood from Smoky Lake. Lengthen our arch.
Just a hobby but seems like more work every
year
3 generations working together
Wife that guards our syrup
43.74° N
What bee equipment do you all make? We have a small bee operation down here in Erin. Its been a brutal fall/winter for us. Only have 2 hives alive. Most of ours left us for dead in late fall for some reason. Didn't die, but abandoned their hives when they were full of honey and had plenty of space.... We are in the Washington/Ozaukee county beekeeping group and a lot of people have really struggled this winter. Guys with 60-80 hives down to 10-20 alive. Many have had 100% kill off. Brutal...Originally Posted by WI Sugarpop
2014 - 15 taps
2015 - 20 taps
2016 - 25 taps
2017 - 60 taps - added sugar shack and first evaporator
2018 - 70 taps on Bags
2019 - 90 taps - new 2x4 corsair with hybrid pro pan from Smokey Lake
Beekeeping is new to me but I did woodworking and cabinet making most of my life so I'm making all of our wooden ware.
150 on 3/16 gravity 2018 and 120 sap sacks
14 x 20 sugar shack
2014 New custom 2x6 arch "The Firestorm" w/ preheater, AUF & AOF
Smokey Lake pans and water jacket bottler
2024 new 2x8 set of drop flue pans and hood from Smoky Lake. Lengthen our arch.
Just a hobby but seems like more work every
year
3 generations working together
Wife that guards our syrup
43.74° N
Hi Y'all. I'm a newbie. Did 6 taps last year and planning 30 some this year. Got a few in today as I had the day off and the sap is running, dripping all over the place as I was trying to get the taps in. I'm in Racine, WI
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