Well guys we're past the first of the year. Gotta be some southern people starting to tap trees? At least cleaning prepping gear. I've already gotten couple E-mail reminder to buy my gear now. Even though I have bought anything for several years or tapped trees since 2019.
I like tapping trees making syrup, but much like trapping. For me just not cost effective right now to play at it.. I still have couple gallons syrup in basement from 19 anyways. I just don't use much myself, not going to give it all away either. Which is really easy to do everyone wants it for free.. Just to try some you know. Lol
I have no interest in selling it either would rather give it to friends.
Both my younger sister and brother are retired now too. So I might drag everything out tap trees this spring. Maybe they want to come try playing around help making maple syrup. Otherwise I might be sitting this year out again.
Did notice my yard tree dripping in November couple warm days. That's really nothing new. Supposed to be warmer here next couple days so I will watch see if drips.

What's everyone else doing?


Mac

I've been thinking about making a vacuum filter. From what I have watched on YouTube, they seem to be way faster than a gravity filter. I just need to find a place to buy two large stainless stock pots. Or I guess I should say a cheap place. Man, they want a lot for them.

Hi Mac I talked to our friend Mike the other day and he said he made 2 gallons of walnut sap last spring.Who da thunk that?

To far south for that but I do keep an eye on the red maples as the maple bloom starts the bee season here. The buds are swelling up now.

I never did understand different time zones, growing zones, etc.

But, here in Minnesota, it is nearly the middle of January. In a very mild winter, it might be possible to set out a tap or two in late February. But, by the time the sap really gets to flowing in March, those February tap holes have sealed up.

Friend of mine in NE taps boxelder for sap. They may be good for something yet.

We have always tapped here in Eastern WI the last week of February and finished the first couple days of March. Last year we collected about 25% of all of our sap the whole month of March and the rest in the first 10 days of April. We will wait maybe another week. We may miss an early run but with buckets we have had a couple maybe 3 years when it got really cold for 3-4 days and froze whatever ran in the buckets before we could empty them.
As we age missing a run or two is not as dissappointing. I hope it does not get too cold with no snow cover that means the ground could freeze hard and then when it warms it thaws fast and one gets a really short season.

Bryce

So do I. Boxelder makes great syrup; it just takes a bit more sap than the sugar maples. So, what? I don't make syrup for the sake of the finished product. I just love the process. Out in the nice mild late winter, early spring, hauling wood and sap, tending a beautiful fire.... Love the process, and give away the sickeningly sweet syrup crap.

I seen he had trees tapped there one day when I went by. Can't say recall if it was last spring or year before??
Ive heard others say they tapped Walnut trees. Mike must have done lot cooking to get 2 gallons syrup don't believe there is big turn around per gallon sap with walnuts.



Been told box elder in same family with maples lots people tap them. Some people tap birch.

I tapped a poplar tree once when I mistook it for maple. Figured it out when it was barely running sap and maples were all running good. Stood back looked at tree and realized Dumby ya tapped wrong tree.

Mac

Here in Northern NY we usually start the first week of March. 250 buckets. My friends with vacuum will start a couple of weeks earlier.

Boil the sap only down to a specific gravity of around 1.100 and you have the foundation for a decent wine.

Just tapped three black walnut trees here in NE Kansas and the sap is running.

Its been very mild so far this winter in SE WI.
I have been drilling holes all around Maple trees in Nov. and Dec.
While doing my drilling on warmer days only (low 30"s) I have experienced sap running out of the trees on the sunny side of the tree.
I have wondered if it was sap rising or falling.

Days or even weeks later many of these trees are wet below the holes all around the tree.

Just something I have noticed.

Sunny and 39 degrees here right now and like I figured my yard tree is dripping pretty good. Don't know how to post video or could show it. Like I said Im probably not tapping trees this year. Earliest I think I ever have tapped it was last week February. Most times been in March and most my trees I tap are an hour north. They always week or so later than this one. But this tree here is running today.

Mac

We used to tap early to mid-March in Langlade County when we ran bags. Now we have all our taps on a tube system and from what we've read and seen at the big operations, we could tap anytime now. The tube system reduces the threat of the holes sealing up.

We've been making around 50 gallons of finished syrup the last few years. Looking into a reverse osmosis system for this year to increase efficiency.

Tapped trees today, probably should have a week or two ago but didn't get time until now.

I still remines about those times pictured. though 70 yrs ago it was with a Bit & Brace. Hard boil eggs in the corner of sap pan. Fresh beaver meat in a side pan. Great Memoires........... Tut

I recently bought my retirement property, and ordered some goodies for tapping maples, but I think I missed my window for the year! So I’ll have to wait until next year, but I’ll have some time to get ready for next year!
I have never tapped trees, so this is a new adventure for me, that has been a lifelong dream. I have always wanted to tap maples, but did not have anywhere to do it. Now I have my own trees, and by next year, I will be ready!

My grand daughter Is In Massachusetts working for a commercial maple syrup Co. I guess It got so cold that the trees expanded so much they blew the taps right out of the trees. From what she said they tapped over 2000 trees.

We haven't tapped yet.

Last year we tapped our paper birch trees after the maple flow. From 5 gl sap we finished about a pint of syrup. It was different but not as sweet as our maple.