New Shack Positioning

[Maplerock]

Hi,

I am new to sugaring and had a really successful (and fun) proof of concept season in 2011 with a barrel stove evaporator I made. I'm seriously thinking about building a small shack (8 x 12) at a cottage where we have 20 good sized mature sugar maples.

I have fairly limited options for positioning the shack. One is nestled amongst some of the maples. Should I have any concerns about smoke damage to the maples if the shack is positioned substantially under their canopies. I'm going to be boiling on weekends / March Break only. Maybe it's a non issue, but I thought I would check. Some open areas I do have are low lying and really wet in the spring. The other concern would be damaging roots in putting in the footings / foundation.

Any thoughts or tips would be most appreciated. I have made some searches on the subject, without success.

MapleTrader is a terrific website!

Jon (Ottawa, Ontario, Canada; Sugaring near Jones Falls, Ontario)

[BryanEx]

Knowing the Jones Falls area quite well I would be very nervous about having my stack directly under the canopy. It's not so much for smoke damage as the sparks. You will have a straight stack pushing 1000 degrees with no spark arrester and a good draft. You should see the night photos some maple trader members have posted to fully understand. There are tons of pine and fir in your area which drop tons of needles just waiting for a spark. I am guessing you have less than a 5 acre lot and you state you only want to boil for one week a year so I question building a dedicated sugar shack. What about a pavilion type structure that you can use as an open sided sugar shack but use for a picnic table the other 51 weeks a year? Do you have an overgrown area you may not have considered but could be reclaimed with a bush clearing saw and/or chain saw?

[Maplerock]

Thanks. I hadn't put two and two together on the sparks front. Yes, the lot is about 4 acres. I've considered all kinds of options for a shack ranging from an awning up to a miniature enclosed shack. The family is quite keen to have a 'proper' shack eventually; one option would be to put it next to an extensive vegetable garden (in the open, flat and fairly wet area I mentioned) where it would double as a garden shed / greenhouse / shelter in the late Spring through to early fall. We're also in need of a place to store a lot of cut wood, so I'll probably put a wood shelter adjacent to the shack. The more I think about it, and given your suggestions, the more I like the idea of building in the open, with views to one grove of maple trees and the garden. I'll just have to build up the foundation and access paths. Do you know anyone sugaring around the Jones Falls / Morton / Lyndhurst / Elgin area? I know of the Gibbons Family Farm near Frankville, not too far away.

Cheers,

Jon

[Ausable]

Howdy Jon -- No matter where You decide to build there can always be problems. My Shack started as an 8'x12' among some very tall trees - some being Hemlocks (Had to cut do to stack sparks) that Bryan mentioned. Build Your Shack tall enough - cause You will be making a lot of steam and also want to add on later. I did a pole barn frame on mine - as I to am in a low area and was concerned with frost heaving. Being a backyarder and not making money on my maple syrup - I still have a sand floor - but I still have options if I want to improve the floor. So when it came time to expand - that building in the trees still haunts me. Had a monster Popple next to the Shack and it clobbered the shack twice with falling limbs. We finally cut the monster down and boiled with the wood from it... However it got the last laugh as my expansion was limited to a 6'x12' addition do to the huge stump. So - You are correct - The site of the Sugar Shack takes some thought. -- Mike

[maineboiler]

Hello Maplerock. Sounds like I am in a similar situation you were in last year. I am new to sugaring, I paln to have about 100 taps and I have bought a 2X6 ft evaporator ( oil fired). I live on about 5 acres in Maine, USA. I am trying to figure out how to shelter the evaporator for the first season and I am considering eventually building a sugar shack. For this year i may use a canopy or some kind of extension to our tool shed. What did you end up doing ? Any advice would be appreciated---------Paul

[Bucket Head]

If your in a high wind area, like a hilltop or an open field (like me), not nestled in the woods or a valley that sheilds the wind somewhat, your going to want to consider the prevailing wind. Were contemplating a building too, and we have wind here somedays that has to be experienced to be believed! So ours will have to be oriented so one cupola door faces west and the other east. That way when the prevailing west winds are howling here, I could keep the west facing door closed and open the east one for the escaping steam. Just something to think about when positioning a sugarhouse. One other thing, if possible, have your sap firewood on the south facing side of a building so the sun can help dry it, and put your sap tank(s) on the north side to keep them in the shade as much as possible. Cold, or cooler sap is better than sap sitting in a warm, sun-heated tank! Good luck with the project and post some pictures of it too.

Steve

[Don(MI)]

Maplerock,

When we first started, I was about 6 or 8 years old. It was a hog scaulding kettle, used by my greatgrandfather to water his horses in the 1920's and 30's.

We used that same kettle years later, in the maple woods, with an open fire underneath. The trees nearby, actually got scortched, and can still see the dead burn marks today.

So to answer your question about smoke, I believe you wont have to worry about that. But one thing to keep in mind, if you do build in a woods, try and keep your exhaust stack as high as you can, to hopefully prevent live sparks from landing in the woods, on a dry day. By the time they get down, hopefully they are dead.

See photo....Might be a little overkill, but it works.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v50/Fuldraw/Sugar%20Shack/26-02-11_1546.jpg

[maineboiler]

Thanks for the advice. Sounds like you have learned some lessons. I won't have time to build a shack this year so I am thinking of using a 8 X 10 X 20 ft arched plastic canvas shelter to protect the evaporator. This will be oil burner fired, so sparks are less of a concern. I will roll back one end for the smoke stack and position it so the prevailing winds will blow the smoke away. What do you think ? I post some photos once I get things going, there is a lot to do and my real job gets in the way !------Paul

By the way, your sugar shack looks like a dream come true...

[Don(MI)]

Maineboiler, sounds like a plan. Make sure your tarp is far enough away from the stack, to prevent any melt down. And remember, even in the woods, the wind can swirl, most of the time it is the prevailing west wind. But occasionally it will swirl.

Canvas shelter? Been there. After we started with our kettle, we graduated to a canvas shelter with, roof, and 3 sides. Also had folding chairs and one table.

Those were the good ol days!! Could see every star and the moon in the sky, during a clear night. Watching the jet liners flashing lights. Around a cast iron kettle cookin sap, ahhh, I remember it!! I should dig out some old pictures.

Then we moved in our current shack, built from 2 wooden baseball dugouts, from the local high school. Moved them together, and built a cupola in the center.
Last couple years, we steel'd the roof, painted it, and put up a new stack (2 piece removable for off-season). Added a wood shed on the side you can't see, added a bunch of shelfs on the inside. Also just re-worked the cupola last year. Its almost a new shack now!

[maineboiler]

Thanks for the advice. sounds like you have a lot of good times sugaring. I am looking forward to the season but there is a lot of work to be done.
Here's another question : I am building a stand for the sap tank. The intake valve for the evaporator is at 40 inches height. How high should this sap tank be if it is to be gravity feed ? -------Paul

[Don(MI)]

Paul, I am guessing ours is 1.5 to 2' of fall, over about 6-8 feet horizontally. Ours is by no means the 'standard', but it works.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3JT9aSwX634&feature=mfu_in_order&list=UL

[maineboiler]

Sounds right. I likes the video. Maybe I will get to that level eventually. I
Ll take some photos----Paul

[1badsapper]

That's a fine looking operation!

[lastwoodsman]

Great looking setup thanks for posting---
Great to see families enjoying spring and projects together!
Woodsman