New Saphouse and what to do with the old one

[hispls]

Got 30 acres of sugarbush and some equipment/infrastructure in Wilton Maine last year. Ended up with a total of 200 gallons that I split with a member here who helped me tap, gather, and boil. This year I'm all ready for my first solo operation. Put a LOT of money and work into this project and really really hope for a bumper crop. I'm all tapped now (about 1040 taps), and have a new releaser that'll be here this week.

Anyway, on with the pics. Here's what the place looked like when I got it.....quite a mess.... The old milk pump was noisy and greasy, but got me thorugh most of the season with fair vaccuum (was supposed to have a new one late Feb last year...it ended up showing up about 6 days before the end of the season LOL)
http://i1083.photobucket.com/albums/j389/AA_Maple/before%20pics/DSC04362.jpg

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[hispls]

http://i1083.photobucket.com/albums/j389/AA_Maple/before%20pics/DSC05677.jpg
http://i1083.photobucket.com/albums/j389/AA_Maple/DSC07099.jpg

[hispls]

Now. I decided to use this old shack for a cabin to post up in while I'm working/living there for the season. No water yet, but I can boil snow of wash water and buy/carry in drinking/cooking water. Water issue will be solved with either RO or steam away hood next year, and I have a port-a-potty for the season (much simpler than driving to Wal Mart when I need to make a #2)

Some cleaning later:

http://i1083.photobucket.com/albums/j389/AA_Maple/DSC07096.jpg
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[hispls]

Got this prefab garage from Hillview Minibarns. Plenty of floor space and really the price delivered with the options we wanted was less than we could build it for. (more on this later)

http://i1083.photobucket.com/albums/j389/AA_Maple/DSC07494.jpg

[hispls]

Had to get all the junk out of the old building. Wall needed to come off for the old milk tank to come out

http://i1083.photobucket.com/albums/j389/AA_Maple/DSC07113.jpg

http://i1083.photobucket.com/albums/j389/AA_Maple/DSC07119.jpg

[hispls]

Put in some insulation, wood stove, and some walls. The "loft" isn't finished yet (ran out of time) but it'll serve as a bedroom and eventuall storage when I move up permanent and get a proper place to live.....Oh I even mowed the lawn!

http://i1083.photobucket.com/albums/j389/AA_Maple/DSC07426.jpg
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[hispls]

Lots of floor space. We had them frame in a room which is now the breaker box and storage but will insulated and finished to contain RO in a year or two as needs and budget permit.

http://i1083.photobucket.com/albums/j389/AA_Maple/new%20saphouse%20construction/DSC06650.jpg
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[adk1]

why did you build that when you had a perfectly good shack already?

[hispls]

Laid down some cement board and tile all around. Will keep things fire resistant and make for easy cleanup. This tile is fairly slip resistant as well, but I may get some rubber mats for the traffic areas eventually.


http://i1083.photobucket.com/albums/j389/AA_Maple/new%20saphouse%20construction/DSC06662.jpg
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[hispls]

Just got this up and shingled before the snow came

http://i1083.photobucket.com/albums/j389/AA_Maple/DSC07479.jpg
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[hispls]

Got feeder tank mostly plumbed in (all plumbed in now, but no pics of that) high-vaccuum pump hooked up and ready and all electrical good to go.

http://i1083.photobucket.com/albums/j389/AA_Maple/DSC00983.jpg
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[hispls]

In the meantime, the old shack is a bit crowded, but liveable. Got my "kitchen" and "office". The empty corner has a couch in it now that's fine for sleeping and folds out to a bed if http://i1083.photobucket.com/albums/j389/AA_Maple/December%20work%20trip/DSC00359.jpg
http://i1083.photobucket.com/albums/j389/AA_Maple/December%20work%20trip/DSC00358.jpg
http://i1083.photobucket.com/albums/j389/AA_Maple/December%20work%20trip/DSC00357.jpg
http://i1083.photobucket.com/albums/j389/AA_Maple/December%20work%20trip/DSC00356.jpgI had company.

[hispls]

Got a couple truckloads of pine slabs (for short money!). This picker on the truck looks like a lot of fun!

http://i1083.photobucket.com/albums/j389/AA_Maple/December%20work%20trip/DSC00329.jpg
http://i1083.photobucket.com/albums/j389/AA_Maple/December%20work%20trip/DSC00326.jpg
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[hispls]

A friend of mine bought an old farm up in Vermont and put a trophy home on it (actually won a worldwide architecture award for it....breathtaking). Anyway he had some old sugaring equipment on site that he gave to me sight unseen. I had Bill Mason go pick it up in the hopes he could restore it....well wasn't much salveageable out of there but I got a little credit towards a new evaporator from him. It looks very nice as does the finisher he made.

http://i1083.photobucket.com/albums/j389/AA_Maple/December%20work%20trip/DSC00331.jpg
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http://i1083.photobucket.com/albums/j389/AA_Maple/December%20work%20trip/DSC00299.jpg

[adk1]

wow, what a setup that is. How many taps do you think you will have? What size evap is that from mason

[hispls]

Got it all bricked up and the stack up. Built a stand for my releaser out of an old speaker box....sadly the releaser is a bit loose and will be updated with a larger one so this "stand" will need to be replaced or modified.

http://i1083.photobucket.com/albums/j389/AA_Maple/December%20work%20trip/DSC00384.jpg
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[hispls]

Got the pans on here. I've cleaned out the room a bit and finished plumbing to the evaporator. Got a 10 gallon milk can to draw off into (and auto-draw off).

If all goes well I'll be too busy boiling to update much, but anyone is welcome to stop by and check it out while I'm going. email me at hispls@comcast.net is the easiest way to get hold of me.

http://i1083.photobucket.com/albums/j389/AA_Maple/DSC00978.jpg
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Special thanks to people who helped me get this thing going:

My brother and father
My friends Dick A, Jim R, and Jim P.
Rodney Hall (Hall Farms)
David Levitt (Long Drive Acres)
Bill Mason (for the evaporator and finisher).

Still of course a work in progress.

[hispls]

wow, what a setup that is. How many taps do you think you will have? What size evap is that from mason


About 960 last year, 1040 taps this year. (Could get 1500 easy out of the orchard once I get time to really get up and put some proper lines in. Probably 2000 or more if I can work the other part of this land and expand onto neighbor's properties)

All I do when I'm up there is spot beautiful trees either not close to a branch line or close to a lateral that allready has 20+ taps on it. Will have a copule dozen taps on bucket in the front yard and up the road.

3X8 evaporator. Bill has been really great and his steel work looks very nice.

[adk1]

how loud is tht blower?

[hispls]

how loud is tht blower?

Quieter than you'd think. Really since I haven't fired it yet I don't even know how high I'll need it cranked up....even at full throttle it's a low hum. I hope that over the roar of boiling sap I won't even notice it :)

[RyanB]

have you used those pans yet? just curious how hard they are to clean?
RyanB

[hispls]

have you used those pans yet? just curious how hard they are to clean?
RyanB


Just got this delivered last month. Will find out soon enough I suspect...

[hispls]

OK, a quick update. Boiled about 700 gallons of steam today LOL. Might see syrup tomorrow. I can't throw wood in this thing fast enough :o It is very very hungry. Using pine/fir slab wood, which probably is part of it, but still really going through wood and even with the fan at lowest setting the sap in the rear pan is practically levitating.

Doing a good 100 gph out of this average, I think I could go faster if I had cut more wood. Keeping up with filling the feeder tank, watching for foam, cutting/bundling/loading wood is pretty hecktic.

All in all I'm very happy with everything. Had to buy a new releaser last minute (1300$ I didn't plan on spending this year) but that seems to be holding much better vaccuum and should be a little more capable on the high vaccuum pump than the old one. Vaccuum is around 18" now which is pathetic....need to spend a couple days up looking for loose saddles, fallen limbs from that ice storm and squirrel eaten lines.

[Kribkeeper]

Very impressive! I really like the cabin modifications. You've graduated from a man-cave to man-land!