1% is it worth it?

[Flatpan1]

Is it worth all the time , wood to process 1% sap?

[Haynes Forest Products]

Well when I first got started in this sport I would have boiled water because it was fun standing around like a dern fool drinking beer with friends telling lies staring into a pot of boiling liquid till all hours of the night. Now if your trying to sell it retail to pay the bills I would get a job at Starbucks they have benefits. If your goal is to have fun and make syrup and build your hobby I would keep boiling because it could change tomorrow. Its seasons like this that make 3.5% seem like a banner year. Boil on Son

[Mille705]

We make 40-60 a year. If we had 1% I would get enough for personal use for the year and see what happens. If everything is taped you are not out much, but I don't like cutting wood that much.

[n8hutch]

I boiled 1% last year, I made syrup til I was satisfied with what I had and then I dumped the rest on the ground, easily 1500 gallons, i bought an RO this year and I'll never boil 1% again.

[maple flats]

Last year I got the lowest sugar percent I've had since starting in 2003. Usually I average about 2% +/- .2%, last year I averaged 1.25%. I kept processing until I got a load that tested just 1%, that was where I stopped. If I didn't have the RO I'd have likely quit much sooner.

[Sugarmaker]

Just takes a little longer but still tastes real good on pancakes. I did 1% from reds for about 1 or 2 years then went and rented a mature sugarbush giving 2%+ sap. But I have to travel 30 miles to haul sap. I am still boiling raw sap where a lot of folks have moved to r.o.'s to get the sugar content improved prior to boiling.
Regards,
Chris