Looking to start from scratch in quebec

[soloman]

Hi folks. I'm looking to start from the beginning or as far down the line as I can afford. Anyone know how to go about things on this side of the border. I know about all the regs what I can't seem to find Is a way to connect with a property owner who would be open to a long term lease aND allow me to build a sugar shack and set up an operation. Sounds like a deal for someone just sitting on a parcel of land.
Any suggestions?

[tuckermtn]

what part of quebec are you in? my connections are around Sherbrooke and The Beauce region.

[sjdoyon]

All my relatives in Quebec are involved with the Federation.
http://www.siropderable.ca/home.aspx

[BreezyHill]

Land owners in my area are usually looking to have little or no permanent changes to their property.

So a sugur house out of a temporary building would be a good spot to start. Depending on what you & your friends have for equipment it could be loaded on a truck/trailer and set on a site; with the option of removal to a new site in the future. Another option is the metal storage containers. I have seen them made into nice camps, pumping stations, display storage for farm stores, etc. Not table down here in NY like most everything else is. Thimble the stacks and you will have warm air into the building.

I like to show a land owner what is in it for them...the benefits I can provide when I rent farm land. Some places I bushog off an area annually, cut down dead trees, open up the fields, in all just treat the land if it were mine and they are usually the happiest people around. One place had horses and bought all their hay elsewhere. So one year I did enough square bales to feed the horses and put it in the barn. They came home from vacation and we never paid rent again.

I would just start looking around and talking to people...you may be very surprised when people start calling you. I know a guy that happened to. He looked at a couple properties and then he had people calling him offering property.

Just start looking.

[soloman]

I'm in southern quebec. I'd be looking to start something in the Pontiac region but I'd consider going anywhere within 4 hours of the laurentians. I'm a carpenter by trade. I like the mobile idea. Building a 8x20 shack on a trailer and putING myself out there as a travelling sugar circus. At least until I find the place I want to stay. There's more security in that idea.

OK. How would you guys rig something like that up to be able to cruise in, set up, install 500 to 1000 taps and operate in a spit that might be less than ideally located?
This could be a pretty awesome design challenge.

[Michael Greer]

Another avenue for getting started is to team up with another small producer on his way up. The practical knowledge that can't be gotten any other way is priceless. The initial investment is very low, and you not only gain experience, but get some syrup for your time. Until you've spent time doing the thing, it's hard to know where you'll want to end up.