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Dill
04-10-2015, 10:35 AM
Okay this is the year I'll do it. Time to have a sugarhouse again! One issue however not sure where to put it. I see 2 options right now.
Option 1.
I have an old garage located next to the house. Front portion is what used to be a 1 car garage, so 12x20ish? With a shed roofed addition of the same size in the back. Mostly in good shape, needs a new roof and most of wall in the back portion. Cement floor in the front with some heaving, old knob and tube wiring, currently no power. Located steps from my house, but not near most of the trees. Very little parking, heck we currently fill all the parking spaces.
Option 2.
I have a log landing up the street, 3 houses up to be exact. Can't see it from my house there is a big hill in the way. This is the entrance to my woods and most of my property. I've got an acre or so cleared out and flat. Good driveway, could be plenty of parking. And I with a pump I can send all of the sap back up the hill and to the landing. Downside, nothing built there yet. Power lines go by but no drop yet. And like I said not at the house.
I'll grab some pics but which would you do?
I figure somewhere in the neighborhood of 1500 taps on our property that we opened up last year. It breaks away from the landing enough that the releaser will be outback and sap pumped back up regardless. There are another 1k taps on neighbor's property that I'd like to get some time in the next 10 years or so.

mellondome
04-10-2015, 10:49 AM
Use the landing site.. you will be much happier with a new build that you can layout ahead of time with drains and such. Trying to re-purpose a garage will just never be quite how it should be.. uneven floors.. no drains.. electric drapped everywhere.. if you have the time and can afford it,go new..

And you won't be tempted to sneek in the house for dinner and burn up your pans.

optionguru
04-10-2015, 11:44 AM
Completely agree on the new build. I have a couple of barns and outbuildings on my property and every time I thought about retrofitting it made more sense for time and money to start new and make it right.

Dill
04-10-2015, 12:13 PM
Long term I know its the best solution. Just the cash outlay scares me a bit. It'll be the 4th sugarhouse that we know of for the farm. If I build at the landing it'll actually be close to pile of stones that marks the oldest one.
I've got to get used to not being able to see everything from the house.

Sugarmaker
04-10-2015, 12:44 PM
I vote landing. Sounds like the sap is there right?
If you have to move the sap then a new sugarhouse near your house might be a third option?
Regards,
Chris

Dill
04-10-2015, 12:53 PM
Not without some major construction. We have 130 acres but the house and barn are in the very bottom corner of the lot. There is a large hill right next to the house, so I'd have to excavate there. Or knock down that garage and build new.
I've got a few gravity taps by the garage. But most of the trees are behind the landing.

Amber Gold
04-10-2015, 01:16 PM
Build new. Not worth retrofitting an old, worn out building. I did and wish I hadn't...should've torn down/replaced with the amount of work I put into it.

Not expensive to put an electric drop in. I did mine at the woods. Think it was $400 including materials. If worried, put an alarm system in.

Isn't the machinery barn going up there too?