maple/honey shack

[maplefarmer]

I would like to build a honey extracting/ maple syrup making shack. Does anybody have floor plans of the way they have one setup? It seems a lot of people who make maple also have honeybees, just trying to get 1 building to do both.

[NhShaun]

I like the idea of this and will be looking forward to seeing some plans as well. What kind of square footage did you have in mind?

[maplefarmer]

Well, I have a 20x30 concrete slab that we took down a barn off of years ago, that is in the right location for a sugar shack, but I also have a 27 ft. diameter grain bin on a circular slab, that I was thinking maybe a 6 sided building resembling a honeycomb shape for a cool honey house, just don't have funds to build them both. Trying to come up with the best layout for both to be effectiant

[western mainer]

We have a kitchen in the sugar house and we do honey and maple and a small bakery in a 9X 20 space we are going to be adding on next year another 8X20 on to it.
Brian

[Schiefe4]

Big. My 20' x 20' is not big enough.

[red maples]

Here's a few ideas anyway no plans but things to think about.

Maybe a rough cut post and beam style are always sexy.

Bees storage area with as much room as possible depending on how many hives you have, the honey supers take up a lot space. in the winter and you won't use them until may so they can just get in the way for maple sesaon.

make sure your honey extracting area is pretty tight those bees can smell that stuff anywhere and will get in through any crack they can find.

make sure you have enough room to display your stuff When folks are visitng they love to see EVERYTHING!!!

room for wood.

and a nice little kitchen to bottle and make maple candy!!!

you want a nice 10ft walls and high ceiling to maybe fit your head tank up in there.

Make sure you have a nice big closet for all you containers, and finished bottle of syrup and honey that stuff is pretty bulky and takes up alot of space as well. maybe you can make that closet a 6 -6.5 foot ceiling and make it a little stronger (2x6) walls and put your head tank on top.

have you wood shed part with a door right next to the feeding section of teh evap. ( if you are intending to use wood) then its right there and there is no need to move wood around the place.

Hope those ideas help.

[Sugarmaker]

I think Brad has some excellent suggestions. We use the kitchen are of the sugarhouse for extracting and canning honey also. Storage of equipment for both maple and honey is always overlooked. We have a 8 x 26 kitchen area behind the evaporator room(20 x 16 and the wood shed 10 x 20. Basic overall foot print is 26 x 32. Need to add on!
Regards,
Chris