New guy

[Buffalo Plaid]

Hey everyone, I just joined this forum and just boiled my first sap! I'm hooked. I limited myself to five buckets to start out with, but I'm already planning to expand. I'm boiling on a cinder block arch with two ss buffet pans.

[Galena]

Hey Buffalo, welcome to the madness! Your setup sounds like just what you need at this stage...lots of homemade setups here. I'm only on 6 trees so will never have a huge setup, buffet pans are all I need.

[lords sugaring]

Hey everyone, I just joined this forum and just boiled my first sap! I'm hooked. I limited myself to five buckets to start out with, but I'm already planning to expand. I'm boiling on a cinder block arch with two ss buffet pans.

Welcome from your northern neighbour. I started on the ole block arch with ss trays. Following year I upgraded to a flat pan on the blocks, then built a barrel evaporator to put the pan on, finally this year moved up to a manufactured rig with raised flues. Once you've been bit by the maple bug there's no turning back. There's always something else to purchase, more trees to tap and it never seems to end but we all love to do it. I know it'll be many years before i see a return on investment but it's not all about the money. My son loves to get out there with me to tap, check buckets and hangs around a little during the boil. Can't wait till he wants to go collect everything himself lol. It's a great hobby to get into that can lead to getting paid depending how much and how fast you want you want to make it back. Good luck with the season and I'm sure we'll hear from you soon !

[bigschuss]

Hey everyone, I just joined this forum and just boiled my first sap! I'm hooked. I limited myself to five buckets to start out with, but I'm already planning to expand. I'm boiling on a cinder block arch with two ss buffet pans.

Welcome. I'm also in Mass. I started 15 years ago just as you did on cement blocks.

[maple flats]

Welcome aboard Buffalo. I started back in the 70's, small time for family use only. Then in 2003 I decided to do it "for real". That year I bought a used Half Pint and made 10.5 gal and I actually sold about 7 gal of that. You can't escape the addiction once you get started. It is great family fun and the exercise is really good this time of year especially.