Most Taps?

[220 maple]

Just curious if we know who has the largest operations based only on tap count per state?
For example in my home state of WV the largest is a 16000 tap operation in Preston County.
The Patterson Farm web site claims 83000 taps in Pa.
Branons West View Maples in Fairfield, Vt. had 92000 taps last year.
Crown Maple in NY claim 60000 taps on their web site.
I heard that Jean Claude Pare has 135000 tap operation on the Golden Road in Somerset County Maine?
I'm guessing Bruce Bascom has the most taps in NH, 60000 plus?
I suspect they maybe other producers in these states that have more taps?
I have never heard of any large tap count operations in Michigan, or Wisconsin? Surely some exsist?

Would make a great top Ten List
Mark 220 Maple

[red maples]

There are a few in NY with what 50-60K taps
this is going by memory so I could be wrong but Lappierre in Canada has 150,000 taps or something like that thats the biggest one I know of.
there are some bigguns out there thats for sure!!!

[team40]

Goodrich sugar house in vt is the biggst that i know of i might be wrong?

[GeneralStark]

Goodrich sugar house in vt is the biggst that i know of i might be wrong?

When I was at Goodrich's two weeks ago they claimed they were the largest at @40,000taps, but there are larger operations. One in Cambridge/Underhill area that claims @70,000 and Branon's in Franklin County claims over 90,000 I believe. I think the Branons but a lot of sap from other producers and only have about 40,000 on their own land.

In terms of the largest in North America, I have been told by someone who works in the industry for large operations in Quebec and New Brunswick that 450,000 is the largest and it is in New Brunswick. There was a video posted here from a large operation in New Brunswick. Here it is: http://mapletrader.com/community/showthread.php?17143-Humungous-Maple-syrup-operation-in-New-Brunswick/page2

[DrTimPerkins]

Goodrich sugar house in vt is the biggst that i know of i might be wrong?

Goodrich is around 40k taps I believe, which is quite large. However there are a fair number that are bigger than that in Vermont.

[spud]

I was told there's an operation up the road from Proctor that has 60,000-75,000. I was told all the sap runs right into their sugarhouse. A few of my friends from Underhill told me about this place.

Spud

[GeneralStark]

I was told there's an operation up the road from Proctor that has 60,000-75,000. I was told all the sap runs right into their sugarhouse. A few of my friends from Underhill told me about this place.

Spud

This is the operation I was referring to in my earlier post. My friend designed their steam system and says it is an impressive setup. I believe they can make 300 gallons of syrup per hour.

[sjdoyon]

I was told there's an operation up the road from Proctor that has 60,000-75,000. I was told all the sap runs right into their sugarhouse. A few of my friends from Underhill told me about this place.

Spud

I believe I saw a video of the operation on Youtube. The owner talked about his first spring starting up all his equipment and blowing the transformer in town. Had quite the generators going for power and surprisingly a few homemade pieces of equipment. A few hundred barrels stacked in his garage was impressive.

[DrTimPerkins]

I was told there's an operation up the road from Proctor that has 60,000-75,000.

Yes there is. We've purchased concentrate from them for our experiments -- really nice folks and terrific operation. They are growing each year I think. More amazingly....there was nothing there about 5-6 years ago.

[Brian Ryther]

I spoke to someone who works for Crown Maple today and they "hope to have 40K" for this season.

[Amber Gold]

Isn't that less than 60k...just checking. It's one thing when you sell yourself short, quite another when you "embellish". There's another producer I know of that tells everyone they have 7k taps, but they have less than 1k.

[delivron]

Joe Russo’s sugarbush in Belvidere, Vermont: The Green Mountain Maple Sugar Refining Company Claims 70,000 taps.
http://http://www.vermontpuremaplesyrup.com/category/in-the-news/

Ben Shepard might be in this same range in 2013.

[gmcooper]

In talking with Jean Claude Pare last spring they were at 37,000 taps and were limited in adding more as woods around them have been cut. There are some appearently that are over 70,000 North of the Golden Road.

[220 maple]

When you refer to north of the golden road, I guess you are refering to Canada?
Two Springs ago I was talking with the President of the Somerset County Maine Assoc.
He said at that time there was 1 million taps in production in that county alone, most of them if not all was on the Golden Road.
He did mention the logging companys was starting to intrude on some of the lands that was leased for syrup production, to clarify when the leases ran out the landowners were selling to the loggers instead of releasing to the sugaring companies.
So I guess the most taps used by any American Syrup Producer would be Branon WestView Maples of Fairfield Vermont (90 to 95 Thousand)?


Mark 220 Maple

[red maples]

There is still quite a bit of land north of the golden road before you get to Canada. Speaking of the golden road..not to get off topic but ....I was up there many years ago, stayed on north side of moosehead lake. anyway we drove on that....holy cow I was never so scared in my life those logging trucks some running quite fast don't care they just run you right off the road!!!!

@ AmberGold..... yes there does seem to be an exageration of taps by some producers. ;)

[mc-vi]

There is 2-3 business around 80 000taps in northen maine. More on the baker lake rd. then on the golden. I can't say exactly who is the biggest since I never saw their lease. Around there, there is a **** load of maple trees that have been cutted by loggers, but i never heard of anybody who had lost there lease for logging in this area. The lease are either 10 years long or years to years and always have been renewed for now. The logging truck are quite crazy ;). 2 times I saw a truck who almost rolled-over, with log everywhere. In canada, I think the biggest one is lapierre, last time I heard was 160 000 taps.

[bees1st]

As you start off on the Golden Road, there is a sign that states "logging trucks have the right of way". And they mean it.

[rchase]

When you refer to north of the golden road, I guess you are refering to Canada?
Two Springs ago I was talking with the President of the Somerset County Maine Assoc.
He said at that time there was 1 million taps in production in that county alone, most of them if not all was on the Golden Road.
He did mention the logging companys was starting to intrude on some of the lands that was leased for syrup production, to clarify when the leases ran out the landowners were selling to the loggers instead of releasing to the sugaring companies.
So I guess the most taps used by any American Syrup Producer would be Branon WestView Maples of Fairfield Vermont (90 to 95 Thousand)?


Mark 220 Maple i was there in april and they said that they had like 67000.

[220 maple]

rchase,
When you say 67000 are you talking about Branon's WestView Maples or Branon Family Maple Orchard? When I visited them Danny Branon owner of WestView Maples had 92 or 94 thousand taps, Tom Branon owner of Branon's Family Maple Orchard had 72000 taps. It could be that WestView Maples have 67000 taps of their own and lease or buy sap from the other 25000 taps?

Mark 220 Maple

[rchase]

brandon family. tom brandon.

[sjdoyon]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5BD3QiedrRA&feature=related

Here's a well documented video "three mile journey" for an outfit in New Brunswick with 120,000 taps.

[madmapler]

Goodrich's website says they tap 40,000 trees. He also said in his class at maple school that they made 20,000 gallons of syrup last year. Thats got to be more than 40,000 taps.

[Homestead Maple]

Ya, I caught that too when I was in his class. He must buy in some sap.

[spud]

It would be very possible that Glenn does make that much syrup on 40,000 taps. From what I have heard about Glenn he is a very smart sugar maker and does everything right. Getting .5 GPT is very likely. There are people in our industry that make .6-.7 GPT.
Spud

[madmapler]

You've got to respect his knowledge of the business. I'll be attending his tubing seminar this weekend because I want to learn how he does things. Regarding my previous post, the point I wanted to make was that he taps 40,000 trees not 40,000 taps. Its easy to misread.

[VTMaple10486]

Was Shepard's operation on the Callery farm? I think i heard it was in that range too

[GeneralStark]

Was Shepard's operation on the Callery farm? I think i heard it was in that range too

When I got the tour at Shepard's this spring they said they were tapping about 26,000 at Callary's and another 8,000 in S. Lincoln. They are shooting for higher, possibly 70,000 I hear.

[Randy Brutkoski]

I heard he lost the big bush where he built his sugarhouse. That's the downfall of leasing land. I ran into the same problem last year.

[GeneralStark]

Technically he is not actually leasing the land as the owners are partners in the operation. Not sure who is starting these rumors but they may be just that.

[Randy Brutkoski]

The usda told me and more reliable sources that are friends with Ben S.

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Glenn is one of the most intelligent guys in the industry and if anyone can average .5 gallons per tap, he can.

[Thad Blaisdell]

Actually the dilemma that he would have is hired help. I am not sure that he has ever averaged .5 per tap. And yes Glenn is one of the most knowledgeable people in the industry, and if he was running less taps by himself I believe he would easily reach that goal.

[maple flats]

That is my dilemma too. My biggest issue this past season was 5 out of 7 mail line valves were closed on one bush, even after paying to have the help walk looking for leaks. Finally on about the 10th day, I walked it and found the closed valves. Lesson learned, I walk them the 1st day after they tap. They were given specific instructions to open the valve before tapping the laterals coning off each main, I demonstrated the 1st 2, then sent them in to do the rest. My sap and thus syrup/tap would have been better. As I stood this season I only hit .337 GPT. Based on performance before and after compared to my bigger bush, it calculates that this hired hand mistake likely cost me between 1500-2000 gal of sap. That would have raised my GPT number.

[220 maple]

I had started this thread back in October, I had just looked at sugar bush that might finish out when totally tapped at 100000 plus. I was curious where it would rank in the US? Being it is located in a Non-Maple producing state I guess it wouldn't count?

Mark 220 Maple

[Dave Y]

If it has 100000 taps its in a maple producing state!

[220 maple]

Dave Y,
Crazy as it might be! This sugar bush most likely would be in the top 10 in the US. And because it is located in WV, that would put it in a Non-Maple producing state.

Mark 220 Maple

[Dave Y]

Mark, I disagree West Virgina Is a maple producing state. It may not be a large one, but a maple producing state non the less.