what is fair ????

[rinert]

I have a guy who wants to work out a deal on syrup. He wants to tap more trees than he can boil and he was wondering if we can work out a trade. He would tap/collect/and supply the wood. I would give him a tank to haul with. I think if we do it I would only tap 50 trees in the best section i have. It would save me a lot of time collecting. I think we could figure out all the details. What I am not sure of is how we should split the syrup. Though I am only cooking it down and I only get between 10-15 gal hour I don't mind long cooking hours but I will have the most time in making the syrup. What do you guys think is a fair ratio. Thank for any input !!!!!!!!!!!!.

[jfroe939]

Just so I'm clear, are all the trees your trees or are 50 of the trees yours and the rest his? That kinda changes my answer. Collecting and supplying the wood is the main brunt of the actual "work" part of it. Boiling is time intensive. Boiling isn't particularly hard. I'm guessing you are the one with the evaporator and he has nothing, and that's why you're doing the boiling? Or does he have his own evaporator and will also be boiling from his trees, but is simply providing the sap from your 50 trees for you with the idea that you'll split the syrup?
If it's only your 50 trees' sap you are boiling because he has no additional trees, but his effort of collecting and his wood and in return for gathering and supplying wood to you- you are boiling on your evaporator and giving him syrup, I might say give him between 35-55% of the syrup.
If you are boiling your 50 trees' sap plus all trees he has because he has no evaporator, then I would say the number has to be a little higher of the numbers simply because he would be providing more of his own sap - how much additional sap means more syrup for him. I guess it comes down to how you value the duty of boiling vs. the collective duties of tapping/gathering/ and the harvesting/splitting of wood. His part is more labor intensive, but boiling probably takes a smidge longer to do. Don't underestimate the importance of good, dry wood and the time it took to make that. Another way to look at it is the law of supply and demand. If he has no evaporator and is depending on your evaporator or nothing, then you have the upper hand. If he has another option than you for boiling yours and his sap then he's got some leverage. Overall, if it were me, I'd like to give the guy the benefit of the doubt for doing the work end of it. Good help can be hard to find, so you never want to screw your help or you might find next year he doesn't want much to do with you. Depends if you're greedy or if you're a nice guy.

[rinert]

So I am clear he is a friend and that is why I am asking.

1 The trees are his all but the 50 that are mine.

2 He dose have a evaporator only 18"x2.5'

3 He plans on tapping 200 trees any way.

4 The wood is not the issue, I have 20 face cord but I do need to cut some pine to mix in.

5 Last year he called me to take his extra sap and did not want any syrup and did supply wood because I was running low but did have enough to cook mine.

6 I am the NICE guy and I do want to be FAIR.

[jputney]

When I get too much sap I take it over to a buddy and he cooks it for half. I put it in his tank at his shack and we split 50/50.