Wages

[rgmaple]

Anyone want to share what is the going rate for help during sugaring? Want to be fair, but not stupid. Thanks.

[lpakiz]

Got any Amish around you?

[maple flats]

I pay my help $10/hr., 2 are grandsons and one is a friend of theirs and all 3 are in college.

[NhShaun]

I suppose it depends on what type of job they will be doing.

[rgmaple]

I suppose it depends on what type of job they will be doing. Tapping, walking lines, helping boil/filling barrels,etc.

[NhShaun]

I think most kids who have an interest in maple syrup production will work for 8-10$ an hour. And if you throw a bottle of syrup in there, they will be even more happy.

[maple flats]

If you use them for boiling or filling barrels, be absolutely sure they are 100% trained and fully understand every part of it. While I've had help boil with only about an hour of training, I've never had any fill a barrel that I have not personally density checked, and even then they may fill the barrel, but I was right there to be certain everything was right. I even have a 2x6 finisher that holds over a full 40 gal of finished syrup, but temperatures must be kept right and densities can change towards the last portion going into the BBL just from maintaining the temp. needed. I don't want it dense enough to sugar out in the barrel, but I do pack very slightly heavy. There seems to be a fine line between those 2 points.
Even with tapping, take the time to train all help. A refresher for all help is good too. A season can be lost with poor tapping, split bark wobbled drill holes and such, and demo to be sure the help knows the sound change for when the tap is properly seated.