Do you use your evaporator after sugaring season?

[Friar_Athanasius]

It seems strange to me to spend a grand on an arch and only use it for a month every year. Does anybody here use their arch to cook with in the summer or have some creative thing to do with it?

[mapleack]

About the only other thing you can do is sorghum or cane syrup, and you have to use different flat pans to do that. If you've only got 1k sitting there the rest of the year don't worry. There are producers on here with 30k rigs that sit 11 months a year. :)

[Rhino]

I would hate to say what we got invested in our evap. and all it does is a month of work and then just sits there all shiney and lazy. We joke that its big enough to cremate the dead for a side job. But now that you mention it...All our syrup equipment is meant and used for just that....syrup. I would say what a waste but it's what brings the liquid gold out of hideing.

[Friar_Athanasius]

Maybe put a big grill across the top...

[Flat47]

I'm of the belief that it's best to keep sugaring seperate from everything else. We do a lot of canning in the summer and could use some of the sugaring equipment, but i don't want anything mixing/tainting/destroying the sugaring stuff. I won't even store none-sugaring stuff in the sugarhouse.

I really think that within the maple community it's completely expected and accepted that sugaring stuff is for sugaring only.

[Bucket Head]

I had to laugh at this post! Just last week some guys at work asked me if I could use the evaporator for anything else. A couple of them asked if I could rework it into a still for the off season. And one of them brought in a recipe they found online for moonshine! How much red tape is involved in getting a distillery license, lol?

Steve

[michiganfarmer2]

Iv thouht about making fruit syrups, but Ive never investigated it

[Ausable]

Hey Bucket Head -- You got me thinking (Always Dangeous) Could You imagine a small sugarin operation being raided by mistake and trying to explain to some agent that wants to arrest someone -- That this large coil of copper tubing - wrapped around his stack was a sap preheater and not a moonshine condenser coil........take a lot of splaining --- lol--- Mike

[Friar_Athanasius]

I thought of moonshine too!

[morningstarfarm]

I have a plywood cover that I put on mine when we are finished boiling...makes for a really nice workbench to get ready for next year on..:rolleyes::D

[Sugarmaker]

Mine is a great dust catcher during the off season.
SM

[Russell Lampron]

The evaporator and RO don't get used during the off season. If I am lucky I can stretch that month into 6 or more weeks. The filter press and canner do get some use, but is only for sugaring stuff. I have cooked lobsters in my finisher though.

[markct]

in the off season the evaporator is just a conversation piece, the sugarhouse does see some use as a party hangout especialy now that it has a woodstove, and its the hot tub changing room also it seems when we have summer bonfires and get the wood fired hot tub going!

[MASSEY JACK]

The finisher could also be used for cooking and freezing sweet corn. As for the evaporator, how about running the pool water through it to preheat the pool when you open it up in the spring???? Just kidding---I think it would be a real pain to remove the minerals from the pans if you have hard water.

I sell farm equipment and they complain about things like corn planters. They get used about 3 weeks or less a year. Some of the planters cost $150,000 or more!!!!!

Jack

[Flat Lander Sugaring]

I was thinking brewing beer, sure would be a lot. I think the hops would get stuck every where and be hard to get off.

[Bucket Head]

We already have the "What do you haul sap with?" thread. Now we'll have to have the "What do you haul shine with?", lol.

I guess I would use the F-350 and the cage tank for the shine too. At least the sap and the shine would look the same in it!

Steve

[firetech]

We change out the pans to flat and cook sorghum syrup on the arch in Sept/Oct. The sinks are used all year round for something. We bottle all summer long. Plan on setting up a gluten free bakery in the entry room about 75% finished, and building a wood fired brick oven in the other room, seperate areas because of the cross contamination of flours. If your kitchens are lisc settingup a bakery is cake. HAHAHa

[twitch]

i've thought of cooking lobsters and clams with my evaporator. I think i would fab up another pan it wouldn't have to be fancy just a pan and a rack.

[ennismaple]

We've joked about cremating pets in our Force 5 because the firebox is so big! Anything smaller than a pony could go in whole but we'd need to take the legs off anything larger!

[Dill]

I know of 2 pet crematories in the area. One does up to large dogs, one handles horses. The big one does have a "dismantling fee" for very large horses.

[Bucket Head]

These are all very creative ways to use the equipment all year long!

So should we have individual ones, or do we list the maple syrup, distillery, bakery, sorgum syrup and crematorium all on one business card? And I really have to give some thought to a logo!

Steve

[3rdgen.maple]

Yeah I bet it is a big hit with customers when they buy some syrup from you then bring a pet by to be creamated and notice you putting it in the same evaporator the syrup they just put on their kids pancakes this morning came from. lol Dont forget the big lead deal came about from a guy using his evaporator in making apple cider. I think you guys are all silly and need sap.

[RipTyd]

I had a steel plate made to cover my arch when the pan is off and I have been having a small fire in it to keep my little helper warm while I work on stuff in the sugar shack. There are some stills for sale on ebay.. hmmmm

[Bucket Head]

Your right 3rdGen. Not enough sap and way too much free time!

Steve

[Monster Maples]

Why not shine? It is legal, for personal use and no selling. You can buy stills over the internet. But I know, why start another hobby, especially when you can't make any return. That is why I am planning on taking donations. Or charge an entrance fee, this way I am not charging for the shine per se, just charging for them to " Look " at my equipment:lol: I think the law said up to 100 gallons. I am not sure what I will do for shine the other 11 months.

[3rdgen.maple]

Just sell them an empty cup. If they decide to put some shine in it hey who are you to stop them lol. This weather better break or we are all gonna go insane and come up with some more dumb ideas to waste our money on. lol

[Groves]

I'm a steam pan guy, running 8 pans currently.

We use ours in the summer when we put up corn. Sure beats steaming up the kitchen.

[maple marc]

firetech,

I would be interested in hearing more about sorghum. I attented a seminar last fall and they demonstrated a sorghum press. They boiled the juice in a homebuilt pan. I was amazed at the high level of sugar in the juice. We bought a jar of the syrup. I like it on toast, but I would say it's an acquired taste. It only takes 30 row feet of cane to produce a gallon of syrup--pretty efficient, I'd say. Are you selling the syrup? How's the market? And what kind of pans are you using?

Thanks,
Marc

[Monster Maples]

Do you dry the corn? We have a pan (not for the evaporator, for the stove) that we use to dry corn. Some people have never heard of this. But I have thought the evaporator would work very well for this. Our pan to dry corn has I will say 2 levels. Bottom holds the water, then a flat pan on top of that you put the corn on after cutting it of the cob. Put it on the stove and turn the burners on. Then, when you want to eat it, re hydrate it in a sauce pan and then eat it. Pretty good stuff. But I was thinking if I just got a flat piece of stainless to cover my pans I could do this on the evaporator. I hope I get sap tomorrow, I can't keep going on like this. :lol:

[3rdgen.maple]

I think I might use mine in the off season to wash diapers in lol.

[emo]

The advantage of using a backyard block arch. Had been spit roasting turkey on the grill at Thanksgiving for several years but was limit to about 15lbs bird due to the size of the grill. Borrowed and welder and learned how to weld; high temp black paint hides a lot of inexperience. Has a 15 inch opening to the firebox and the lid is 16x16x20. Test firing started charing the outside of 2 chickens in about 30 minutes, only runnnig about 1/3 of the fire I use for boiling. Cut upwood really small and 18lb turkey came out good for last Thanksgiving. Still a few details to work out.

[Friar_Athanasius]

firetech,

I would be interested in hearing more about sorghum. I attented a seminar last fall and they demonstrated a sorghum press. They boiled the juice in a homebuilt pan. I was amazed at the high level of sugar in the juice. We bought a jar of the syrup. I like it on toast, but I would say it's an acquired taste. It only takes 30 row feet of cane to produce a gallon of syrup--pretty efficient, I'd say. Are you selling the syrup? How's the market? And what kind of pans are you using?

Thanks,
Marc

Sugarbeets are supposed to have more sugar.

[Monster Maples]

I think I might use mine in the off season to wash diapers in lol.

Geez, there it is again. I am taking a road trip after the season. Maybe when I head to Vermont in April. One place I am stopping along the way is your place. Why? Inventory check on your sugarhouse. I am sure to find some diapers for filtering your very best, and lightest syrup. I bet you use those "crap" orlon's for the commercial, and the diapers for the good stuff. I shall see. LOL

[3rdgen.maple]

Geez, there it is again. I am taking a road trip after the season. Maybe when I head to Vermont in April. One place I am stopping along the way is your place. Why? Inventory check on your sugarhouse. I am sure to find some diapers for filtering your very best, and lightest syrup. I bet you use those "crap" orlon's for the commercial, and the diapers for the good stuff. I shall see. LOL

LOL. you wont find a single filter after the season. I burn them when I clean the pans for the last time of the year. Besides you will waste your time if you are looking for a diaper in my sugarhouse but your welcome to come look.

[Monster Maples]

Ahh, burning the evidence. Smart!!! So which is it, Huggies or Pampers? Lol Just joking!!!!!

[Monster Maples]

Oh wait, they were cloth diapers weren't they?

[ksmeagher]

The guys at work have a lobster boil every spring, we get together buy about a 150lbs. of lobster take it to th camp and spend the day boiling lobster on a little batch evaporator works very well. It also works great for bottling deer meat as the bottles need boiled for 2h15m.

[Turtlecreek]

I have a friend that works for the state police crime lab narcotics division. When i was usin a modified turkey fryer she said it could pass for a meth lab! Talk about a side bussiness that stuff sells for a bunch of money. I'm just glad one of their helicopters didn't fly over the house and think I was up to something!!!

[Groves]

I had a neighbor call the cops on me after she saw in a houseless lot cattycorner to her (I own it, but she didn't know) had stainless pans strewn about.

I was at church during "the bust", but always wished I was home so I could have got some pictures of me with the po-po.

Another neighbor kindly explained the syrup making concern and showed them around.

[Kev]

I have considered putting a much smaller orifice in the burner and building a new coffee roaster to go on the arch. I might someday but not untill I need to roast 15 plus pounds at a time

[Rockwood]

My self with the 3x4 Mason I've had some plate steel cut to fit the top after removing the pans of course. Thus turning it in to my wood stove for heating the 12 x 24 work / sugar shack.

[valleyman]

I convert my block evaporator into a brick oven for pizza and bread. I close off the back half and top and build out from the front. Works great. Link below is to my pizza blog page.

http://gregkaraspizza.blogspot.com

[collinsmapleman2012]

the pizza is pretty cool. in the off season, i have used canners to cook and 150 pounds of salt potatoes for chicken BBQs