How do you guys approach landowners about tapping their trees?

[madmapler]

Some guys I've talked to give a gallon of syrup per 100 taps. Others pay by the tap. Whats a good price per tap? What else works for you guys? I'd appreciate your tips. Thanks.

[tuckermtn]

every landowner has a different take. Some want a cord of wood per year, others want some syrup. I have a few who don't want anything as they see how much work is involved. as for price per tap, there are a lot of threads on here that cover that topic- do a search, pop some popcorn, and enjoy. search "price per tap" using the parenthesis to narrow your search.

[sjdoyon]

We pay per tap ($1.00), others in the area are around .50 - .75 cents. I believe the Franklin County sugarmakers might pay more since competition there is stiff for trees. If you do a search on UVM Proctor website, they have a draft copy of a lease agreement for taps. We used it and made some modifications based on the landowners request. If you're talking about a large number of taps and tubing, you want to cover your costs in the event the owner changes their mind or the property is sold. We did a ten year lease for one 70 acre lot which is about 100 feet from the sugarhouse. We're looking at another lot which would be about $15,000 more to pipe so we'd probably ask for a 15 year lease. If you make it a good deal for the landowner and clean up the blow downs and improve the property, they normally are very pleased.

[madmapler]

Thanks to you both. I Found all I need to know.

[michiganfarmer2]

A lot of land owners around here think they have hundreds of thousand dollar veneer trees and wont let anyone tap anything. There is a peice of woods near me that I havent talked to the owner yet. I want to ask him if he will let me walk the woods, and give him a quote for how much I will pay him yearly if he lets me tap, leave the tubing up all year, and 10 year lease. Some land owners get hostile talking about how maplers ruin trees.

[Mark]

It does ruin the veneer trees. Maybe ask if you could tap the pulp trees only, have him mark the ones he does not want tapped. He may be thinking what happens if this guy quits in a couple years.
Other than that I don't know, maybe ask if he would sell the land.

I tap many trees that I know it will take a long time to make the veneer price from syrup but that is the choice I made. I know of a few birds eye trees that I am tapping, they put out good sap also!

[Benson]

where on uvm web site did u find that draft copy?

[red maples]

I usually have my shotgun slung over my back with my dog with me.... :o

just kidding

You always want to go with a pint of syrup in hand. then just talk to them and see what they wanna do. but most important be upfront about what you wanna do, explain about the tubing and even offer then a view at a sugarbush. I have heard stories about people saying yeah OK great then they see the tubing and are NOT HAPPY!!!! It also might be a good idea to bring them to a tubing set up in the summer because its partially hidden by under brush and green summer growth. Some of my tubing is VERY visable around my house but in the summer you can barely see it.