Has happened every single year I've been a member here, Diesel. Weather gets warm after Christmas and noobs start asking if it's a good idea to start tapping. Well, if you want to kill your trees by having the trunks split open during the February freeze up, go right ahead.
Been tapping since 2008.
2018 - 17 taps/7 trees...819l sap, approx 28l syrup
2019 - 18 taps/8 trees...585l sap, 28l syrup...21:1 ratio
2020 - 18 taps/8 trees...890.04l sap...gave away about 170l, 30l snafu'd....23l total for me from approx 690l
2021 - 18 taps/8 trees...395l sap, 12 l syrup
2022 - 18 taps/8 trees....7 sugars 1 red due to #2 having surgery so had the season off....582l sap, 18.5l syrup
2023 - 18 taps/8 trees...all sugars again. 807l sap, so far approx 14l syrup
Roger that Galena, I'm a noob 2nd year coming up but not tapping till I see a good freeze thaw pattern in march
Anybody tapping this weekend?
Millsy...perhaps you should read the rest of this thread first. ....Weather gets warm after Christmas and noobs start asking if it's a good idea to start tapping. Well, if you want to kill your trees by having the trunks split open during the February freeze up, go right ahead. Leave your trees alone til at least March. Noobs!
Been tapping since 2008.
2018 - 17 taps/7 trees...819l sap, approx 28l syrup
2019 - 18 taps/8 trees...585l sap, 28l syrup...21:1 ratio
2020 - 18 taps/8 trees...890.04l sap...gave away about 170l, 30l snafu'd....23l total for me from approx 690l
2021 - 18 taps/8 trees...395l sap, 12 l syrup
2022 - 18 taps/8 trees....7 sugars 1 red due to #2 having surgery so had the season off....582l sap, 18.5l syrup
2023 - 18 taps/8 trees...all sugars again. 807l sap, so far approx 14l syrup
I had read it. Looking at the 2 week forecast I thought it looked favourable for tapping. Just wanted to see what the veterans thought
Assuming that you're a hobbyist, you have no real reason to worry about starting early in order to fulfil a contract or meet a quota like the pros here who do have such to meet, and yes, maybe they are preparing to tap soon. But they know what they're doing and have hundreds if not thousands of taps and the equipment (i.e. vacuum) and often generations of experience behind them.
I'm guessing you want to enjoy sugaring for years to come? Then be good to your trees. Leave them be, keep your equipment stashed away. Wait for a long-term warming trend; 2 weeks is not nearly long enough.
Been tapping since 2008.
2018 - 17 taps/7 trees...819l sap, approx 28l syrup
2019 - 18 taps/8 trees...585l sap, 28l syrup...21:1 ratio
2020 - 18 taps/8 trees...890.04l sap...gave away about 170l, 30l snafu'd....23l total for me from approx 690l
2021 - 18 taps/8 trees...395l sap, 12 l syrup
2022 - 18 taps/8 trees....7 sugars 1 red due to #2 having surgery so had the season off....582l sap, 18.5l syrup
2023 - 18 taps/8 trees...all sugars again. 807l sap, so far approx 14l syrup
You aren't going to kill your trees or split them open by tapping early. A hard freeze up after tapping even lasting weeks is not going to harm the trees. If your trees split after freezing hard, then you are tapping them wrong. What will happen by tapping to early is the tap hole drying up before the season is done because bacteria causing the hole to start sealing up.
Sugaring for 45+ years
New Sugarhouse 14'x32'
New to Me Algier 2'x8' wood fired evaporator
2022 added a used RB25 RO Bucket
250 mostly Sugar Maples, 15% Soft Maples. Currently,(110on 3/16" and 125 on Shurflo 4008 vacuum, 15 gravity), (16,000 before being disabled)
1947 Farmall H and Wagon with gathering tank
2012 Kubota with forks to move wood around
Thanks BAP that's kind of what I had already researched. Hey Galena I'm down here in the Banana belt of southern Ontario. You are usually tapping another ten days to two weeks after we have stopped down here.
By the looks of the forecast I will wait another week and see. Tapped last year on the 20th of Feb and it was right on schedule.
I'm tapping Friday in SW Ontario. Last year I tapped Jan 31 and had no issues.
Hey Robinson, are you on buckets or tube?
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