Northern Wisconsin. 2017

[GramaCindy]

Slow start yesterday for me as well. I guess the ground was a tad frozen, trees too. It only got down to 32* last night, and 1" of new snow. I was hoping the low pressure yesterday would have really kick started the sap. I have two large storage tanks with overflowing frozen sap. I hope that I can pump something out of them today.

[Diesel Pro]

I am hopeful that things ran through much of the night with the mild temps and will open up well today and Saturday. If I didn't have a conflict I'd be cooking Sunday and possibly making it a one weekend cook and sell the rest of my sap.

[cedar syrups]

I,m new to the site but I,m interested in how everyone else are doing this season New to gravity tubing and my ro I welcome any comments or hints thanks

[Northwoodsforester]

Spring set in too early this year. Set taps on 25 Feb. Inconsistent runs so far. Sap sugar content early March only at 2.0%. Now, loss of snow (only 3-4" remaining in our woods) and deep cold in past ten days has driven frost deep into the ground. No run yesterday. May take several days in upper 40's and 50's to loosen things up again.

________
2017 is our 30th year producing in Land O Lakes, WI
1987-2001 - 1200 taps commercial, all 16 quart pail operation, single horse (Shires, Clydes, & Norwegian Fiords) sled & wagon, all hand collection woods operation.
2001-present - 250 taps, hobby only
Leader 4x16’ raised flue, wood fired
65 acres of healthy 125+ year old sugar maples and mixed northern hardwoods.
Come visit anytime (715-367-1814)
Sap sled.jpg

[mike z]

I just checked the buckets. Most were near empty. Just a few trees starting to run, not many. Don't think Ill have a collection until late tomorrow. (...and that's a big maybe).

[mkoehler79]

Hi diesel. If you're located in Merrill area I'd be interested in buying your sap.

[jbelany]

Collected 40 gallons on 45 taps today south of Ashland. Sap tests at 3.2%!! Pretty good for red maple. Looks like first boil Sunday and Monday.

Joe

[markcasper]

Trees didn't do much on Thursday, but by mid afternoon Friday my south woods let loose and they were running almost as much as the "big run" (last run) 2 weeks ago this coming Sunday/Monday. The north woods today was running fair, but nothing to write home about. If it doesn't freeze tonight, I'll be collecting at daybreak. I got all the vacuum rechecked and the mishaps from the cold spell fixed.

I had my first delayed boil Wednesday night and it went well, made 120 gallons of syrup in 7 hours. I had RO'ed about 5500 gallons down to about 1000 over the course of several days. The cold delayed operations and even upon starting I had freeze up issues in the evaporator. The first drum was light, the 2nd was a little darker, medium probably. Some of the sap was 16 days old. All my tanks have about 20 gallons of ice in each one.

Am going to tap some bags tomorrow and into early next week, maybe some 3/16" in a pasture that I haven't tapped in awhile between gathering and cooking. Work 1 day in town the rest of the month. Forecast looks awesome!

[Zucker Lager]

Tapped the start of this week (12th)...........not a drop. We did have some above freezing days here in Sugar Camp WI since but I checked today and all buckets are dry. I'll bet in the next few days with temps trending up it will start here ????? I hope it will Sugar Camp is one of those areas in the "Cold Zone" in northern WI. sometimes that sucks. Jay

[Rhino]

Last 2 days nothing much. I do believe the frost drove in around the tree roots with no snow and so much moisture seeping in when we had no frost... and then the week or so of frigid nights which now is the reason for the slow restart up here... Just a hunch? No crazy hot temps. forecasted so still have alot of time to get our fill of syrup...