When is it too early to tap?

[wcproctor]

OK I Did it! I'm doing a test, I only put 10 in and 6 were moving. Yes it is very early but I am look for something to do. Ha Farmboy I usually start in the 2nd week of Feb. and I am in Mass on the RI line.

[Gary R]

Aunt Stella's,

Let us know how they are running in a few days. South facing slope will be running best. You are able to take the evaporator too the trees?

Made it to 40 today. It's still 35 at 9 o'clock. Need to wait up here though.

[Jax]

I got everything prepared to tap but had the wrong drill bit, so my tap hole is too big. It's a plastic tap, so I wrapped a bunch of duct tape around it, hammered it in, and so far, it's working. No sap yet, but it started to get dark before I could get a smaller bit and drill some other trees.

It's still 37 at 9:35 on Thursday night. If the weather keeps this way and we get some decent snow melt, I think I could get my first sap by the end of the weekend.

[Saw Filer]

Farmboy,
We are in N.E. Ct. and we usally tap between the first of Feb and the middle of the month, the middle of the month would be late for us to have all our taps in. I think this is a little earlier than most people we know in this area.In the past we have tried tapping one third to half our trees early in the areas we thought would run early, in order to tap more without using the bathtub for a holding tank. This seems to work pretty well (not the bathtub part) most years depending upon the weather,as always.

george

[The Birdman]

I've never heard it suggested before but maybe all you south'n eager beavers should take a thermometer to the bush with you and drill a hole in the first tree just small enough to put the thermometer stem in a few inches to see if the tree has thawed. No sap comes from frozen trees.

When you drill a hole and sap runs out before you get the tap in it warm enough.

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

We tapped just a few yesterday. tapped more today and we have run! We are on the very, very edge of the sugar maple growing zone on the western edge of the Shenandoah Valley. The trees are few and far between and the season can be very short so our idea is tap as soon as the weather lets us in the new year. We will sweeten our pans by the weekend.

You are about 3 hours from me and I agree, if you are going to make syrup, you probably need to tap now as your season is probably about done by March 1st. Be interesting to see what you sugar content is, I imagine it's pretty low.

[red maples]

well I said I was tappin' no tree but did 5 today way out on the end I wasn't going to tap them this year anyway. So no loss if they close up. I got like 1 cup of sap. it got to 43 degrees here but the sun went behind the clouds before noon. So the trees got no thaw at all. maybe just the edges on south side a little but no enough. forcasted for 42 tomorow then starting to get colder by sunday then back to normal temps by monday. I hope I get something tomorrow so I Can at least play with it a little.

[maple flats]

According to Dr Tim Perkins' presentation last weekend at the Verona Maple Conference, He is tapping this week, at Proctor Maple Research Facility in Vermont. He IS using the new check valve adapters. He is doing a test with careful monetering of results to see if the season can effectively be extended a few weeks. Time will tell.

[gmarvin]

You are about 3 hours from me and I agree, if you are going to make syrup, you probably need to tap now as your season is probably about done by March 1st. Be interesting to see what you sugar content is, I imagine it's pretty low.

We have a hydrometer for brewing and it tells us the sap is about 3%. Does that sound about right? Our trees are so very few and far between there is sometimes a good hike between lots. When the weather warms it is almost panic time to get started before we miss it. If it were not for the love of it, I am sure most would find our woods not worth sugaring in. We get just enough syrup by seasons end to keep us in supply and to sell a few hundred dollors worth to friends and family. What was your start date last year?

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

I started tapping last year around Feb 1st which was first stage. Next two stages were in the next 3 weeks as I usually space out taps with my north bush sometimes not getting tapped until March 1st. MY season is usually over by March 21st.

What is your ratio of sap to syrup. Take 86 and divide it by the number of gallons you boil and you will find out your sugar content. I would doubt it is 3% as the further south you go and the milder the winters, it seems the lower the sugar content. I know a producer in Monroe county which is close to VA border and south of me and much warmer area and he runs 50 to 75 to 1 ratio and has about 1500 taps.