Wow I just did some Math!

[DonMcJr]

Last year I only had 5 really good taps and made 2.5 Gallons of Liquid Gold...

This year I have 8 times the taps... which should be 20 gallons of Liquid gold!

BUT...last year was a bad season and I only got sap for like 3 weeks tops...so if this year is a good year man am I gonna have alot of Syrup!!!

Bring it on! I can't wait!

[MapleLady]

The math looks promising, doesn't it! :)

[rayi]

I once did the math about how much money I made boiling on a 2 x 2 flat pan. I made less money than a parking meter in a bad section of detroit

[Run Forest Run!]

Don, people like you and I who chose last year to start sugaring (how dumb was that?) are hopefully in for a BIIIIIIG surprise! We were overjoyed with our results from last year, so anything from here on in is bound to put us into a rubber room and requiring sedation.

[Ausable]

Making Maple Syrup - on a small scale is - like buying scratch offs at a Gas Station - You are going to loose money. I can think of many reasons why I make maple syrup ------But-------It is not for Fame or Fortune. I think a Parking Meter in a bad section of Detroit - would be a better investment if it was just the money thing. LOL - I just like doing it - Making Maple is part of my life and another reason for living. ------For Money? Too much work. ----Have a great Sugarin Season - whether You do it for Fun or Profit or Both. -----------------Hmmmmmm! Wonder where I could find some old parking meters --naahhh-someone would just sell them for scrap. ------Mike-----

[TerryEspo]

This is my first year being home for the full season, whatever that is.

Usually gone away for a family vacation for Canadian March Break. I put lotsa taps cause I miss part of the season, now thinking if I,m here for the full season, maybe more taps than I need !!

I wanna see if I can say I have too much sap,,,,doubt it !!

Terry

[DonMcJr]

I do it mostly for the enjoyment too and probally will never make more money than I have spent, lol! But it's another Hobby that keeps me going and alive a enjoying life!

[Schiefe4]

I once did the math about how much money I made boiling on a 2 x 2 flat pan. I made less money than a parking meter in a bad section of detroit

Haha now that's hilarious!

[Fishgill]

The math doesn't work for a hobby guy. It's definitely a labor of love. Not to mention a great way to meat the neighbors.

[325abn]

What AUSBLE said is dead on! :) Except for me I try to make the hobby pay for itself and my profit is the smiles on my kids, family and friends face. Also the 5 gal a year the wife, kids and I go though every year.

[Adk sugar bush]

It's not that bad. I figure if I can just get about $300 per gallon I'll just about break even. Until then, I'll just keep family and friends in syrup.

[not_for_sale]

You'll notice that 20 hr boils even with a half pint may not be out of the question.....

If it had 8 times the boiling footage than a turkey fryer. But it doesn't.

So continuous boils may be required... ;-))) or a home made RO.

[newman_maple]

Definately not a profitable venture for us little producers. I did some figuring for some scouts and 4H groups and I have at least 10 hours per gallon in making it. Some years it would be higher when I am cutting wood, etc... I have never broke even, but I make sure each year I am buying something new to make it easier on me. I keep my local customers happy. If I looked at it as work, I would find something else to do.

[backyard sugaring]

My wife says I make the most expensive syrup in the world. She might be right, but we have a lot of fun doing it. Good Luck. Lee

[DonMcJr]

More Math...

20 gallons = 165 16 Oz bottles of Syrup. at $10 a bottle thats $1650.... Half Pint will be paid for with a $200 Profit!

LOL! But the Hose and the Bottles and the Taps and fittings.... Next Year they will be paid for!

But most of all, I am looking forward to the 20 hour Boils on my Half Pint!:cool:

[Starting Small]

Not that I am trying to be a downer on this but isn't a half gallon per tap on gravity overestimating? I just read this study today and it said that the average production per tap on gravity tubing was .17 gallons (top of page 2). I would just hate to have you buy extra bottles or promise sales to people in case you are overestimating. Keep us posted! I have enjoyed watching your progress over the past two years. Good luck everyone!
-Dave

http://www.uvm.edu/~pmrc/vacsap.pdf

[DonMcJr]

I'm just going by last year... 5 taps and I made 2.5 Gallons of Syrup. With 40 taps this year that's 8 times last year. 8x2.5= 20 gallons of Syrup.

My current Bottle Order is only for half of that. If I get into the Boiling and need more I'll order more.

I'm no expert on guessing what I'll end up with.

According to this:

How much sap does a single tree produce in one year, on average?
The volume of sap produced during one season varies from 10-20 gallons per tap, depending on the tree, weather conditions, length of the sap season, and method of collecting sap. Producers using gravity lines or buckets generally get 10-14 gallons of sap per forest-grown tree. Using buckets on roadside trees or using vacuum tubing yields 15-20 gallons per tap. A single tree can have one, two, or three taps, depending on size and health.

I'll use 12 Gallons of Sap per tap... 12 x 40 = 480 Gallons of Sap...

480 Gallons of Sap divided by 43 Gallons (1 Gallon of Syrup) = 11.16 Gallons of Syrup.

So... My prediction is I'll make 17 Gallons because I think the run is gonna last longer this year...

Lets see if I am right!

[Flat Lander Sugaring]

i say its 10 gal. 1qt per tap is avg.

43:1 is ok to guestimate
take your sugar content and divide it into 86, that will give you how much sap you are going to boil off per gal.
86/2.5%=34.4 to 1
86/2=43

[jmayerl]

Well I hope you can manage to do that exceptionally great. If my trees made me that much syrup I would be a rich man. I'm just praying for a quart per tap, that wild be a great year.

[Flat Lander Sugaring]

maybe im lucky but last 7 years I hit the 1qt per tap avg or darn close +/- that a 3 generation sugar maker told me is avg.

[MapleLady]

Over here, I'm making syrup because I think it's a great way to spend those last few winter days outdoors! I don't think I'm ready to add up the $ I have spent on this hobby and my hubby hasn't asked. (I like to think of it as 'couture' syrup) The enjoyment we get as a family from the process of making the syrup and the smiles on friends/family's faces when they receive a nice jar of it is all I need. :)

[sweeteffinsyrup]

Well said MapleLady, it's a great way to get outside with not a whole lot going on this time of year anyway. The conversation that it strikes up with curious friends, family, and anyone else... not to mention the happiness it brings to the people who receive the fruits of our labor and the pride and satisfaction of using our hands and brains to produce something from mother nature from start to finish on our own...no boss

[DonMcJr]

You know...when I started and now I never really wanted to sell it. BUT when you start letting your friends, Family and Co workers try it you almost have to sell it. So many people are standing in line for my Syrup and I just can't give it all away!

[Cake O' Maple]

I decided to start selling it because I can't afford this hobby. I'm sure I'll never break even, but offsetting some costs lets me make syrup.

I give to family, and give as gifts, and sell anything else going out the door.

[hitnspit]

I do it mostly for the enjoyment too and probally will never make more money than I have spent, lol! But it's another Hobby that keeps me going and alive a enjoying life!
I feel the same way. Hell it keeps me out of trouble. Spent hours in the woods today with the family. Fun times........

[bowtie]

i would like to get "big" enough to start making money but it is not really about that for me.like most said it is a great pastime, hobby or whatever you want to call it. i use the tax write offs and enjoy myself what more can you ask for. it can be pretty scarier to run the numbers for a small scale operation, a quick look makes it seem very good profit wise but if you really crunch the numbers it will take a gravity producer at least 5 years to profit (500-750 taps),thats from scratch, 10k evap, and no r/o or vaccum, no land taxes or payments, assuming you have a tractor or utv to haul sap. i really do not care about the numbers it is more of lifestyle for me and something i enjoy doing and if in 10 years i can start to make something off from so be it, if not oh well.

[FDA]

You know...when I started and now I never really wanted to sell it. BUT when you start letting your friends, Family and Co workers try it you almost have to sell it. So many people are standing in line for my Syrup and I just can't give it all away!

2.5 gallons off 5 taps = 20 gallons off 40 taps. Man you put those trees on vac and you wont have enough friends to sell it to. You will have to sell bulk syrup.:D

[jblaker]

SugarShackJack here. I do it for the love of sugaring. Any money I get goes to mission work, of all kinds. Once it's in your blood I don't know how you quit?

[jputney]

Well.... If I do the math for last year, I put out 200 taps..... I ended up with 7 quarts of syrup. Thats .035 quarts per tap. I would love to get back to 1qt. per tap. Only ran 1 good day here last year so I guess this year has to improve... I hope!

[bees1st]

" Farming looks mighty easy when your plow is a pencil "
Dwight D Eisenhower

[Cabinet man]

Boy isn't that the truth Bees!

We had 175 taps and got 2 gallons of poor quality last year. I think we had 2-3 days of slow run last year. I hope we see 1 qt per tap, but haven't seen it yet. We try to make enough to pay for our hobby as well as upgrade slightly each year.

[spud]

SugarShackJack here. I do it for the love of sugaring. Any money I get goes to mission work, of all kinds. Once it's in your blood I don't know how you quit?

AMEN to that.

Spud

[bowtie]

bees, that says it well, some of those presidents can be pretty smart!
bees now that may be my next "hobby" it seems to go hand in hand with this lifestyle.

[Ed R]

Don Last year was not a poor year for our latitude in Mi just a short year. Our bush is about 100 miles west of your location and a little north. We made 446 gallons of syrup off of 1400 buckets. My family has owned and made syrup in the same bush since 1930. The most syrup we've ever made is just over 700 gallon the least we've made is just under 300 gallon. 500 gallon is our benchmark, anything over that is a good year, anything over 600 gallon is an exceptional year especially with out the use of paraformaldehyde pills. Anything between 375-500 gallons is an average year, below 375 poor. Sap came fast and furious last year, it ran as good as Iv've ever seen it , sugar content was good, then the warm up came and it was done. Maybee this year will be a half gallon per tap plus year, but everthing has to line up perfectly for that to happen, especially on buckets or gravity.

[DonMcJr]

" Farming looks mighty easy when your plow is a pencil "
Dwight D Eisenhower

I like that Bees! I was just guessing and Dreaming til I see what happens for sure. I should know better than to give numbers... for some reason someone always wants to mess with ya when you do! LOL

Bowtie, if you get into bees check out http://www.beekeepingforums.com/forum.php great people and info over there just like this site!

Ed R. Thanks for the info! I appreciate!

[sg5054]

bees, that says it well, some of those presidents can be pretty smart!
bees now that may be my next "hobby" it seems to go hand in hand with this lifestyle.

Bowtie, Why are all the smart presidents from a looong time ago..?

[maplehillbros7179]

we definitely dont do it for the money guys.

[Tweegs]

I figure I might break even on the evaporator this year, 3rd year with it.

Then there is the shack, buckets, tubing, vacuum next year, etc, etc, etc. :lol:

[Burnt sap]

Knock'em dead Don.

[mike z]

Hey Don, I'm doing bees this year, thanks for the tip on the forum.

[DonMcJr]

That's actually an International Bee Forum and they are all the most helpful people from all over the world! Alot of US folks too. I have a few Bee Videos and Pics on there if you look me up...Same name as here...DonMcJr.