is the sap rising neer you yet?

[catweasel]

just been out to check the for the sap rising here in yorkshire, sadly its not ready yet, ive been wondering when it'll start what with the winter we've had this year (last year it started about now give or take a week)

I've tryed the birch and the sycamore, not found a maple yet i might be a bit too far north

so has it started neer you yet?

 

[maddave]

Nope.. nothing here in Manchester yet... Done a couple of test cuts with the knife but no real results yet

 

[stovie]

Its rising here...but it is St. Valentines day

 

[HillBill]

It rose at the start of March here last year. A little early at the moment i think. Give it another week or two and it will be flowing in most places.

 

[Melonfish]

aye i'm going to wait till march before i try owt, there is an aweful lot of birch on the way into work and i've already got some out of the way places to pop taps on whilst i'm at work

 

[HillBill]

aye i'm going to wait till march before i try owt, there is an aweful lot of birch on the way into work and i've already got some out of the way places to pop taps on whilst i'm at work

Not a bad idea that mate, best of both worlds.

 

[catweasel]

i thought the south might have started by now, last year round here it was the end of feb/start of march when it starts i'll hve a tap in every tree with in 2 miles (got to stock up on birch wine)

 

[JonathanD]

I think it may be the second/third week in March this year here. Too cold and nowt doing.

 

[Melonfish]

Actually here's a question, what are you guys using to protect your sap when it rains? i.e. your collecting and your away from your collector and the rain starts coming down?
do you just let it dilute?

 

[JonathanD]

Mine goes straight from a tube in the tree to a platypus bottle. No rain or fox pee can get into my setup

 

[HillBill]

I cover mine with a square of old goretex. Just pin it to the tree around your tap. It hides it too to some degree which is good if you are leaving it for the day.

 

[JonathanD]

I always hide mine with scrim scarves. When I first started collecting it some years ago, I thought it was supposed to be that yellow. The salty taste confused me for a while :thinkerg:

 

[Survivalmike]

Here in Austria it would be a while longer to get to the refreshing sap.
We have already winter and a lot of snow here - so I´m waiting and waitung and ........

I think in the middle of March the sap is in full rising....

greetings from Austria
Mike

 

[JonathanD]

Dry as a bone here. I reckon at least another month.

 

[littlebiglane]

It certainly is rising in sycamores and norway maples in Devon. I used a nearby Elder as the 'tube' as it has a large pith to shape the groove for the sap to run down.

 

[HillBill]

Quality set up that mate. Nice one.

 

[JonathanD]

Does the elder taint the taste at all?

 

[littlebiglane]

Does the elder taint the taste at all?

No...not in this case. No acrid taint from the fresh-cut elder. I suppose its such a small piece and the drips just run down it and off. Tasted the sap and no off-taste from the elder. I would definitely pick up on it if it had.

 

[JonathanD]

Cheers, I might give that a go with a pencil thin piece and a small hole. All this talk of rotting hollow trees because of our tapping has got me concerned.

 

[FerlasDave]

Not rising over this way yet. I reckon next month, we've had a bad winter.