1 step closer to realizing my dream.

[Shirefisher]

20068

I went with a minimalist design 12.5 x 8 framed up and the sugar rig will be upgraded.

[VTnewguy]

Congrats! you'll love it. Starting early, should be ready fro next year.

[Sugarmaker]

Awesome! Great to be boiling inside!
Good luck next season.
Regards,
Chris

[johnallin]

20068

I went with a minimalist design 12.5 x 8 framed up and the sugar rig will be upgraded.

12.5 x 8...I like the 12.5 that's hitting 100 sq feet right on the money!
Now if the county comes by to check, remember what my mentor, and boat builder friend, Ray McLeod told me back when I was racing the sailboat I'd built:

He said "Johnny - just remember you get to hold one end of the tape... ;)

[red dorakeen]

Congratulations!

Even with our small shacks, it seems luxurious to boil in such comfort.

[Shirefisher]

20089 phase 2 completed today!

[seclark]

you will love boiling out of the weather.my building is only 8 x 10 but what a difference it made. NICE job!

[Shirefisher]

20090 cupola shot.

[Pdiamond]

That really looks sweet. How big is the overhang out front. That give me some ideas for myself.

[Shirefisher]

I put on a 3.5 overhang so we can have a couple chairs and open up double doors as the pad was there and during decent weather we can add some more space to foot print while not being taxed on it. I came up with this after the tax man said I would need a building permit and tax assessment unless I build 100 square foot or less. So I built a separate 60 square foot wood shed and a 100 square foot sugar house with a porch...

[Shirefisher]

20168 It's happening!

[maple flats]

Real nice indeed.

[mol1jb]

That is coming along nicely!

[Shirefisher]

20172 Final touches applied now for an evaporator! 20173
20174

[VTnewguy]

It's looking good. Do you already have a evaporator for it?

[Shirefisher]

It's looking good. Do you already have a evaporator for it?

Not yet. I'm quite close to putting in an order for a Mason 4x2.

[VTnewguy]

Not yet. I'm quite close to putting in an order for a Mason 4x2.
I wouldn't hesitate to look at some used equipment. A lot of people move up in size very quickly.

[Windy Acres]

Great job, you will appreciate it even more the first time you boil!!

[Pdiamond]

You did a beautiful job on your building. your rope set-up for the cupola doors looks just like mine.

[Shirefisher]

And now I have procured this addition for the sugar house!
20221

It was down the road 2 miles and never used. A Mason arch custom 2x4.5 with a 2x3 flat pan with a warming pan and a front finishing pan with floats and all the fixins!

[DrTimPerkins]

Congrats! Enjoy!

[maple flats]

You will really like boiling on that in your new digs.

[Russell Lampron]

Very nice! You're going to like that evaporator.

[TheNamelessPoet]

man. that entire setup makes me jealous lol

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

[Pdiamond]

That is a sweet little evaporator. Man, you are going to love boiling on that and be inside, life will be good for 2020!!! Congrats.

[Shirefisher]

All is Good. What a beaut of a day!
We are getting close to the sugarin season and we piped in the smoke stack, My father in law helped me with the bricking and we put in a head tank and stand. Now sometime this month we'll boil some water and see what happens!
20652 2065120653sweet view from the doors!

[Pdiamond]

That last picture from the open doors is an absolutely gorgeous view.

[Shirefisher]

I tapped a few trees yesterday to see if any sap will start moving...

[Shirefisher]

Today was the first boil. We boiled up to 12 gallons an hour. We collected 55 or so gallons the last few days and now have sweetened the pans. What a great start to the season. We had 3 generations working on the homestead today!
2115921160211612116221158

[Shirefisher]

After 3 boils we have over 2.5 gallons of syrup... I hope the season lasts another couple of weeks. I tested my tress and got sugar % from 2-4% through out. I did get a 3% reading in the tank! So that is good.

[Shirefisher]

We have made 7 ish gallons of maple syrup so far with at least a gallon to boil down left in the evaporator... I tapped 20 or so birch trees on Saturday as the maple is really shutting off for me. We will see how the birch turns out!