leasing sugarbush

[sugar high]

I've been reading all the info posted on this site for sometime now, wishing I had an operation of my own and a few days ago, opportunity fell in my lap. Problem is I have no idea on this situation so here it is. It's an old Bush, large dia. Tall trees. 3000 tap estimate. All down hill. Last year tapped the sap was testing 4 percent. No tubing or buckets. Sugar house is there but very old. 5' x 14' wood fired evaporator, all components are in good shape. No power. 2 miles from my house. I want to lease the operation but what do you offer for a set up like that.... The location is in northern VT. Anyone have some info....

[Scribner's Mountain Maple]

That sounds like a great situation to be in. My thought is to work it into a pay based on production. That way on bad years you aren't left holding it so bad. And on good years everyone wins. I am looking to lease a bush and have been told the going rate is between 60-75 cents per tap annually.

[steam maker]

Well r u gonna use sugarhouse or just trees? That would be first varible. I think people r payin around a buck a tap if they r gettin a nice long lease! Maybe see about buyin the whole place ? I would love to be in your shoes !!!! Just be fair explain what u wanna do and make some syrup!!! Goodluck

[maple2]

we just signed a 10yr lease on a 1000+ tap sugarbush for next year. hasnt been tapped in 60 yrs.the land owner was more concerned with with me cleaning up and maintaining their property than the money i was going to pay them. a week later, the neighbor came over and i signed the same lease with them. one of our bushes we pay by the gallon. on a good year, everyone makes out. also makes it easier to talk them in vaccume

[unc23win]

Sounds like a pretty good idea. I would do it on percentage of the take and try to work it out so will end up owning all the equipment and eventually go to paying buy the tap. It would be nice to have a electric. Maybe lease to own the equipment and move it to your place for electric or get electric their somehow? Of course electric depends on how far it is and such. I actually got a real good deal on wire from the Electric Co-Op I bought some wire that they no longer use. My neighbors had a service put it in by the road just to run their vac. Good Luck!

[Bucket Head]

Just tell them your not interested and then send me their contact information in a private message. Thanks.

Seriously, it sounds like it would be a great start! I don't know what you could swing for a deal, but I'd do all I could to nail it down and not let someone else get it. Good luck.

Steve

[maple flats]

Good question. This year my tap lease rate is $.76. It changes each year tied to Social Security inflation rates. However, I only get the trees and I have tanks placed and vacuum set up. I don't get the rest that you are looking at.
How far from power lines is it? Getting grid power is a big plus. I was solar/generator supplimented for 5 years. After spending lots on diesel fuel to run the generator, I finally got grid power this year. I had to go 400' from the road lines. I went 210' overhead to a pole just inside the woods, beside my driveway. Cost $4500 (200A service). Then I went underground, doing the trenching with my excavator, laid the conduit and wired it (used 350 kcmil, 3 sizes larger than 4/0, just to keep the voltage drop reasonable) for another 235' to the sugarhouse. That and the pole meter, main disconnect box for pole (on a pole just 20' outside the sugarhouse) and the main entrance panel in the sugarhouse about another $2000. The disconnect box and entrance box had to be 225A box with a 200A breaker, because I was feeding solar in and I'd be over allowable if I didn't oversize (I have 6350 watts solar, net metered).
Even after all this, the grid power is nice to have. When the solar didn't make enough and I had to run the generator the noise was considerable even though the genny was behind a sound barrier wall 75' away. And having to refuel the genny often was a pain, and expensive, even though I have a farm bulk tank at the sugarhouse. If you can get grid power I highly recommend it, and be sure to plan for the future and get enough power.
I can't even begin to help you with lease rates to include the sugarhouse and evaporator along with other equipment. Just realize that 3000 taps in an average year with gravity can yield about 750 gal and on high vacuum will double that. I think you do need to tie it to production somehow, or better, buy it if you can.

[sugar high]

I would love to run power to the sugar house but the estimate was 10,000 just for the poles and line. Little much when you don't own it.... This fella is way off the grid. The more I talk to him the more I think his mind is off the grid to.... It's startin to get complicated..... I think what I will propose is a lease on the Bush only...... I have a 30 x 8 which is a little small but to make things easier I'll drink more coffee and put in the hours for the first year or two..... I don't need problems, just the sweet taste of Vermont's finest....

[unc23win]

Yea I think thats a tough one without the option of power. It would be nice to use all the equipment, but is it worth it to boil like you are Amish? I think you might be better off as you said leasing the bush and doing what you can. Chances are if you are interested in any of the equipment it won't be going anywhere very soon. Maybe in the future you could do a generator and vacuum or a gas powered vacuum to boost production thats not nearly as bad as a generator for the whole operation.