What does it take to maintain a woods?

[jdircksen]

For some crazy reason I have a desire to increase my tap count, perhaps getting big enough to sell syrup at the local farmers market. There is a church with an acre of woods 7 houses away from me and I estimate I could put about 30 taps there (silver maples). I did a walk by today and the woods looks ugly. The trees aren't super healthy. They have broken and rotting limbs. The underbrush is a mess. Fallen branches all through the woods.

I was thinking about asking them if I can tap the trees in exchange for 25% of the syrup and cleaning paths in the woods so I can walk to the trees. I have a chainsaw and a 4x8 trailer but I don't really want to haul anything out. Do you think I can easily clean up some trails or is it more effort than its worth?

[motowbrowne]

That sounds like more effort than it's worth for 30 taps on silver maples. But if you'd like to help out around the church and tidy things up, maybe the equation isn't as simple.

[Galena]

Does the church in question have a youth group? Maybe they can be roped into helping clean up the woods so you don't have to do all the work yourself, cause it does sound like a lot of work for only 30 taps.

[jdircksen]

Good idea. From what I've seen it doesn't look like a really busy church. But they have an Easter egg hunt so I'll try to talk to someone then.

[Daveg]

That acre will double your tap count, so go for it. The church will put your syrup to good use.