What do you do with your syrup?

[SapSuckers]

I am a small back yard producer. My first year we made about 1 quart, second year 3 gallons. Each year we get a little bigger, spend more money, tap more trees. My familys land where our taps are hold probably 30,000 taps left empty. This year we will have at least 100 taps and a real syrup pan and arch. I predict at least 10-15 gallons of syrup this year.

Now my question--------

10- 15 gallons is nice. 1 to 2 gallons in plenty for my family for the year. So that leaves 8-13 gallons to give as gifts to friends. Thats all nice, but the more I boil, the more syrup I have, the MORE MONEY I SPEND. I dont feel I could sell what I have, and i am concerned about liablity of selling a food product. ( not that i am concerned to consume any of my syrup, i give it to my 14 month old son).

So what do the "inbetween" producers do. The guys with plenty more then they need for themselves, but not quite enough to stock the shelves at the local farmers market? Do you do anything to support your cost's?

[MaplePancakeMan]

2 years ago i did kinda like you are now. I sold it at a healthfood store people ate it up! they love the LOCAL pesticide free stuff. Can't call it organic even though it is. They literally were praising me and wanted as much as i could give them. A friend of mine in a similar situation just puts a sign on the road that says maple syrup sold here and sells it in quarts for 12 bucks a pop. You could just save it and learn to cook with it you can do tons of things from granola bars to steak marinades. i have a bunch of recipies if you want or you can look on here for them. You don't need a license to sell it if you are call it an agriculture product. Just right a disclaimer on the sign if you feel the need but shouldn't have to worry if you are just boiling sap to syrup with no additives.

[Sugarmaker]

Sap Suckers,
Start think about packaging and marketing in a small way that fits you and the amount of product you have. If you sell it all great. News of good syrup travels fast!

You are about right: the more you make the more you spend. Sales of good surplus syrup can help offset some of those costs.

Regards,
Sugarmaker

[MaplePancakeMan]

could also tap enough to make a bulk sale at about 2 bucks a pound 22 dollars a gallon etc. or sell to local schools as the healthy alternative to that cornsyrup imitations stuff since schools are going green now

[Father & Son]

SS,
Last year was our second year and we made 35.5 gallons. After some was given to family and subtracting what my son ate and what we used for candy, suckers, and everything else we had about 25 gallons to sell. I have maybe 4-5 pints left. Once friends, neighbors, and co-workers find out you make syrup any extra you have will be gone. That little bit of money generated went right back into more equipment and improvements.

Jim

[325abn]

Surgar is money!!!!!!!!! All kinds have been traded for hundreds! Thousands! of years.

Sell what your not going to eat. Your not going to kill anyone wit syrup.

That being said there are plenty of s**tbags that are always looking for someone to sue.

[maplehound]

For me when I first started out, news seemed to travel faster than my production grew. Eventually I put out a sign and then diffrent farmers markets and bulk food stores started to call me asking if I would sell it through them. It has been amazing to me as to how easy it is to sell. Very few question my price and those that do ussually come back and get it eventually. If I had the time to market it better I could sell alot more than I could ever make. However I do also like giving it away, to friends, family, and local charities. The food banks in my area are really appreciative of getting a gollon or 2 put up in pints or 1/2 pints.

[Fred Henderson]

I also started out very small(4 gals per year) , in the last few year I have been doing 80 or 100. When I have all my pre-orders filled I hang my sign up down along the highway. We sell 70 or 80 gals right from our house.

[SapSuckers]

Thanks everyone for the words of encouragement. I am not in this as my primary source of income, however recouping some cost and putting all the profits back into my growing addiction, um, i mean operation will help.

Also, My family has a commercial producer who leases 20,000 taps on the land. He sells much of his syrup as bulk in drums. ( i think 30 or 33 gallons). I thought possibly of tring to fill a drum and ask him to sell it to his wholesaler.

What do you think?

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Might want to bottle in the small 5 gallon plastic drums and wholesale it. The best would be to bottle in quarts and sell them for $ 12 and pints for $ 7 which translates into $ 50 per gallon vs $ 20 wholesale. You will sell all you make without any problem and then some.

[andrew martin]

I do not think many of us are in this hobby/vocation as our primary occupation, but it sure is a good bonus. I am self-employed in the remodeling business, and although we stay real busy, the winter usually tapers off just enough for me to take two weeks off to get a good headstart on the sugaring season. I made 15 gallons last year, sold about 11 gallons to friends and neighbors and it was gone in three months. The more people you get connected to, the faster it goes - a pint here, a quart there and before you know it, you have many in your pocket and you do not have to store the stuff all summer. Heck, I've even sold 4 quarts to the cashier's at our local Lowe's store. They love it. This year we made ~34.5 gallons and it is selling fast, and by the time farmer's market comes along, it will sell even faster. Good luck and have fun with this, you will meet a lot of people especially if you are in a "captive market."

ANdrew

[maple flats]

I sell as much as I can. This year I only have 2 6gal bulk comtainers saved from last season as back up if the weather did not straighten out before our maple weekends, 3/17-18 and 3/24-25. If I was cought without enough to boil I was going to use what little sap I had at the time, start boiling it and fill the bulk tanks with good water to keep boiling. While doing this I would then empty a 6gal jug into the canner and start canning in small containers and for free samples. This way the operation would look right and smell right. Looks like this won't be necessary because this week starting today should be good.
I currently sell in only a few ways. From the sugarhouse, at work (about 50 workers, many of whom buy several jugs/year), and at one store. This year with even a fair season I will expand my selling outlets, because I have almost doubled my taps. I have never sold bulk and ran out or low so I didn't take time to make moulded sugar, cream or butter, cotton candy or any other value added products. This year I hope to start some of these, especially cream and moulded sugar(not candy because candy is taxable while moulded sugar is not even though it is the same product, just the name is changed to save the tax problem)

[3% Solution]

Sap Suckers,
I make an average of 27 to 30 gallons a season, now that would cause some serious dental problems if we consumed all that.
So, what we do is this; hold out 7 gallons for family and gifts.
Sell the rest of it in maple containers (plastic or glass) to friends, they get what they want (maple syrup) at a much lower price than going to the local store. Our customers also know where and how it was made, gives it that personal touch.
We very seldom have more than a gallon left by January.
Hope this helps.

Dave