Thinking about retiring, seriously!

[maple flats]

Since my Dr put me on a blood thinner about 5 yrs ago, I get cold far easier than ever before. As a result, I'm thinking very seriously about making this my last season making maple syrup. Another reason, my brother-in-law says this is his last year too. I have two ideas, have not decided which I'll do yet. #1, sell my 3x8 evaporator, my spare 3x3 syrup pan, my auto draw and my RO, my sap tanks (a 415 gal Sunset, A 545 gal Sunset and a 300 +/- gal Mueller all with covers and valves, my 1000 gal SS permeate tank and 3 other tanks, all SS, but homemade covers. Then buy bulk syrup, pack it in retail containers and continue to sell syrup. Or #2, sell also my water jacketed bottler, my foot controlled valve dispenser on the bottler, my 2x6 propane finisher, my 5 bank 7" filter press and all associated equipment and get out of maple completely. Then turn my sugarhouse into a blacksmith shop. I'm tending to lean towards option #1, but not sure yet.
Dave

[NhShaun]

Sorry to hear you aren't dealing with the cold very well these days. When my fingers go numb working on tubing or tapping i just think how much worse it could be if there were mosquitos and black flies all around me. It doesn't help warm me up but it certainly makes the suffering a little more bearable. Option #1 sounds more appropriate to help you ease out of the sugaring if your end goal is option#2. Both options will allow you to stay warm and likely more well rested, that's for sure. I'm sure you won't have a hard time selling your equipment which would help fund whatever path you take.

[mainebackswoodssyrup]

Good luck with whatever you decide Dave. Hopefully you can still stay involved with syrup in some way, shape or form. Find something to keep busy and keep moving, sounds like blacksmithing may be your ticket. I truly believe staying active is key to health in the elder years based on our experiences with my 4 grandparents who all made it to 90+ and my wife's parents who never saw 70. Gotta stay busy!!
If you do sell out and separate stuff, I'd be interested in the RO. We need to do something for next season.

[SeanD]

Hey Dave,

Sorry to hear the news. You definitely have a plan that will allow you to dip your feet in the water - or out of the water. Next year, maybe just do the bulk thing, but keep all your stuff just in case civilian life doesn't agree with you.

No matter what, wait until May before you re-evaluate. Right now, my arms are killing me from pulling icy laterals all morning - and I'm ready to throw it in (or at least take the rest of the day off. In May, I'll still be making my shopping list for Bascom's spring sale!

Sean

[ecp]

I read a lot of your posts and am sorry to hear the news. In the end you have to do what right for you, but personally I like option 1 better than option 2 so that you can still stay involved in a manor that doesn't hurt the body as much. There are other options out there also but out of the 2 you have picked this would help ease the pain of leaving I think. Hopefully the rest of the season goes well for you!!!

[Father & Son]

Dave,
Good luck with whatever makes you happy.
Maybe hang on to the equipment and do the buy bulk and resell option and see how you feel about it after a year or so.
We had one of our association members retire, buy bulk, and resell retail and was very happy with his decision.

Jim

[Robert K]

Dave I am sorry to hear your situation. I have seen a good sugarmaker in my area recently retire and could tell it is a hard decision. I second the hold on to equipment and see how it feels in a year or 2. But as I text this my arthritis bothers me also and I wonder when the day will come for me. I have learned a lot from this site and you sir have been a steady contributor for the good of the industry. For that I say thank you and wish you the best.

[RileySugarbush]

If you do end up retiring this community would certainly miss your participation!

[MISugarDaddy]

Dave,
Good luck with which ever option you end up doing. A friend of ours decided to become a blacksmith in retirement and he really enjoys it.
Gary

[maple flats]

Thanks for the comments, but since my Dr told me I will be on blood thinner for the rest of my life, and ever since I was put on the blood thinner I've had a hard time keeping warm working outside when the temperatures are in the 20's or colder, coupled with the fact that I have no one in the line waiting to take over, I see no reason to keep the evaporator or the RO and all of the tanks. Someone else can put them to good use.
I am leaning heavily toward the option of buying bulk (but only from a few local sources) and packing it for retail sales. I say only from local suppliers because I firmly believe each region has it's own soils and conditions that contribute to the maple taste in that region, and I have a large following who like my syrup. In fact, in the last 5 years I've supplemented my syrup with some bought from others locally. I will just expand that effort.
At 74 years of age, I think this is a good option for me.

[Pdiamond]

Dave,
I guess the time comes when we all will have to make that decision. the big choice will be yours in the long run. Just what you want to do more of syrup or blacksmithing. I believe you also have some acreage of blueberries if memory serves me correctly.

[buckeye gold]

Dave,

We will almost always second guess ourselves and struggle over letting go of things that have structured our lives for so long. If your body and heart are telling you it's time, then cut it loose. Add the spice of doing something new and stay active. Just don't quit on life and waste away in a recliner. I know you won't, but had to say it. Sometimes changing up restores some excitement

[Sugarmaker]

Dave,
Good luck in what ever you take on next in life. Always a great contributor here on maple items, that can be a warmer spot to still provide input to others also.
Regards,
Chris

[maple flats]

No need to worry about me keeping busy, I still do plenty, I just won't be doing things outside when the weather tells me to do something where it's warmer in cold weather nor cooler in the heat of summer. However, I will likely never move south, or at least not to the hot south, neither my wife nor me can stand hot weather either. Another thing I'm considering is selling firewood. If I go that direction I'll look real hard at the Eastonmade Axis splitter with the conveyor The AXIS has a log lift and you stand upright when using it, besides, with a single but wide wedge one can make lots of smaller firewood in a hurry. Then I might buy some bags for firewood, maybe ones that hold about 1/2 face cord and 1 face cord of 16", make a holder to fill them right off the conveyor, and move them with my excavator or tractor. If I go that route I'll sell my Super Split, It's real fast, but lifting heavy blocks off the ground gets to me real fast. This past year I used my excavator with a thumb to lift any blocks that were too big to lift by hand, the year before that my brother in law lifted them because we worked together. He's also calling it quits, and he needs a new knee. Because of Covid I worked alone in the sugarhouse. My BIL did help tap because we were done tapping before the Covid shutdown. He did help pull taps.
Yes, Pdiamond, I still have 4.5 acres of blueberries, which have not gotten enough attention since I became consumed by maple. I'll then be able to devote more time to the blueberries

[buckeye gold]

I sell firewood too, Dave. I just got back from a delivery, people always want it in the middle of a storm. I have backed way off the firewood though as it was a hassle dealing with people that wanted to stiff you. I actually started supplying camp firewood bundles to stores this winter and that is out pacing regular wood sales by a good bit. Heck I get 2.5 times the money out of a load, by selling bundles.

[Super Sapper]

You could also look at doing value added maple products.

[maple flats]

I only do 1 value added product, bourbon barrel aged maple syrup. While we've made some other value added products for home use, I have no interest in doing them on a larger scale.
By the way, I will be listing a whole array of equipment for sale, in the classifieds and in The Maple News.
A quick, partial list here, 415 gal Sunset Tank with valve and lids, 545 gal Sunset tank with valve and lids and a Mueller approximately 300 gal tank with valve and lids, Each of the above will sell without the valve for $1.00 per gal capacity for the first 3. The valves will sell for $100 (valve on the 415, and $50 on the valves a brand unknown approx 200 gal, homemade covers $100, valve $50, a 1000 gal surge non vacuum tank, inner tank is good, outer skin is very rough $700, valve $50, and finally an old outer tank, brand unknown capacity about 800-850 gal, no bottom valve, it has just a small copper drain under the tank at one end $600 with homemade lids covering all except where the BHR double vertical releaser sat. BHR vertical mechanical releaser with new seals kit, rated for 2500 taps $750, BB4 vacuum pump (gives me 27" vacuum on 400 taps) $400, Sobles double horizontal releaser (rated for 1000 taps, can be upgraded to 1500 taps by changing the solid covers for flap valved covers on the second ends of the 2 chambers $500, moisture trap $150, Deer Run 250 gph RO, $2500 with 2 new MES membranes, 3x8 Thor raised flue evaporator with 10" tall flues, copper pre-heater, drip tray in a 3x5 flue pan, full hood over flue pan, raised hood over 3x3 syrup pan boils 75-80 GPH as set up, with HP AOF,AUF when fired using good well split wood, same side draw off, $7,000, auto draw $400 with 2 temp probes, 1 -15 gal CDL SS keg $125 "sold", 16 gal 4 SS barrels $100 ea. "sold", 4 SS barrels 26.5 gal $140 ea., I may in the future also have 2 or 3 more, with "Dave&Joan's Sugarhouse" etched on the top for about $125 ea. "sold" plus other assorted equipment. I almost forgot, I have a SS draw off tank that is on wheels and holds about 26-28 gal of syrup, with an outlet port. Height is adjustable, $300.
When all is available, you must pick it up, I will not deliver it, but I can load it on your trailer or flatbed truck. The 200 gal and the 800+ gal tanks are heavy, my excavator can lift them but you will need to back under them. Must be cash only, sorry, no checks please, unless you pay long enough in advance of pick-up for the check to clear, or bring a bank letter guaranteeing the check for the amount it will be written for, or for a maximum limit which equals or exceeds what you will be buying. When I have things ready for sale I will post pictures both on this site and in The Maple News.

[Bruce L]

Dave,sorry to hear that you’re retiring from sugar making. Like you,sometimes I have to wonder why we are killing ourselves continuing on with no one to take over. I am the 7th generation and probably the last. Both our sons are more interested in gaming than working,hoping someday one of them would grow up to take over,but at 26 and 24 doesn’t look to promising. Sugar making is an art that has to be learned,you can’t jump into it overnight. We are staying at it as long as we can,it’s for the love of it,not the money. Were I able to get over the border I would be interested in your large tank,we throw away 1000’s of gallons of distillate from the steam away every year,that could instead be used for clean up at the end of the year

[On the ledge]

Reading that you are 75 , gives me encouragement that I have at least 9 more years of sugaring.

[maple flats]

Decision updated. Because of the coating of ice we got, then buried under a few inches of snow, my downed lines will be frozen in. I thus cancelled a 3 man team for Saturday, My oldest son, his significant other and his son (now 28) were going to come. I've now moved my retirement to now. I will as a result be selling everything I mentioned above. I will post pictures in the classifieds and in The Maple News as I get them. Everything listed above is now for sale, but much of it will only be ready to go as the temperatures get warm enough to get them cleaned up and presentable. In the next week or 2 I'll start posting pictures, but not everything will be shown in the beginning. The sale starts now, email dave@cnymaple.com with questions or to arrange a pick-up.

[maple flats]

Only 74, don't age me faster. The issue didn't start until I was put on a blood thinner because I got a blood clot in my leg. Before that a few years ago, I was ok working outside until the wind chill or actual temperature without any wind got to about -10F, now +30F can be a problem in relatively short order. Just 5-6 years ago I had planned to continue making syrup for about another 10 years, well, it won't happen.

[maple flats]

Dave,sorry to hear that you’re retiring from sugar making. Like you,sometimes I have to wonder why we are killing ourselves continuing on with no one to take over. I am the 7th generation and probably the last. Both our sons are more interested in gaming than working,hoping someday one of them would grow up to take over,but at 26 and 24 doesn’t look to promising. Sugar making is an art that has to be learned,you can’t jump into it overnight.
I have 4 kids, and 8 grandchildren. My kids are 51, son, 48, daughter, 42 son and 35 daughter, the oldest son helps 1 or 2 weekends a year. Grandkids 28 M, 26 F, 26M, 20 F, 12 M, 9F, 6F and 4F. nobody seems to want to take over, I at one time thought the 26 yr old grandson might, he worked with me from age 7 until he finished college, now the Navy has his full attention The 12 yr old grandson likes working with grandpa but he doesn't seem interested in taking over in a few years. I guess I'm just a 1 generation maple syrup producer, it was fun for about 18 out of the last 19 years.

[On the ledge]

Oops I apologize. I only have 50 trees on buckets and have to trudge thru the snow to collect. if i can do it when I'm 74 I" be happy.

[Pdiamond]

Tough decision to make but I fully understand. At least your going to keep your hands dirty by continuing to process syrup and make your bb aged syrup. I wish you nothing but the best in the future. I know you'll be on the trader.

[maple flats]

Oh yes, I'll be on the trader. There's an old saying "those who can, do, those who can't, teach"
From back when I first started in 2003 I was impressed how so many who were long time maple producers took the time to give me pointers. I made a promise to myself at that time, that I would help others as much as I could once I gained a little knowledge. Now that I have gained the "little" knowledge I'll continue trying to help others learn, as long as I can.

[maple flats]

I sell firewood too, Dave. I just got back from a delivery, people always want it in the middle of a storm. I have backed way off the firewood though as it was a hassle dealing with people that wanted to stiff you. I actually started supplying camp firewood bundles to stores this winter and that is out pacing regular wood sales by a good bit. Heck I get 2.5 times the money out of a load, by selling bundles.
If I go the firewood route it will be just bundled firewood, no home deliveries, I did home deliveries in the 1980's, seldom even got a thank you from about 30%, complained about how the load dumped (from our 1 ton dump truck). Besides lots more money in bundled.

[Hkb82]

Always sad to hear but totally understandable. I wouldn’t count that 26 year old grandson out just yet though. Sounds like helping you for so long he will likely enjoy it in his later years. Prob not worth keeping everything around in hopes but I bet he will tap that bush again. I had no intentions or thoughts of sap/syrup when I was 26 lol now I’m addicted lol. Take care and thanks for sticking around trader to help us noobs.

[raptorfan85]

I didn't start tapping until I was 30. I'm now 35 and I love it. The main reason I started was I remembered doing it with my grandpa when I was youthful. Going out on the old artic cat with the hand drill hanging buckets... sometimes when you get older and settle down things from your youth come back. Hopefully that's the case and your family continues the tradition.

[maineboiler]

Thanks Dave for all your advice over the years. It really has been helpful