Plan for 2025 season and beyond

[ProBoot]

So I finished my first season of production, made enough to feed my personal cravings and some family. Total produced was about 28l(7Gal)

My limits were time, it took forever for my sap to boil down, I managed 4 batch boils and finished on my propane stove in my house(not ideal), this was all done on buckets(48 total) over a collection span of a month.

I have easily 400 sugar maples on my property, what would you do?

Current evaporator = flat pan, 24" x 48" ish on a oil barrel arch, patio stones as fire brick. Nothing sealed up and lots of smoke escaping around the pan etc.
Building is purpose built sugar shape with pergola openings and space for a 6'X4' likely bigger evaporator if needed.
I have 300gal milk tank for sap storage and drop line that can be plumped into the evaporator if I can figure it out.

Transport is by 2 70gal storage totes on the back of my SXS.

for 2025 I want:
1. Better transport, looking for a single trailer based transport system, likely a plastic tank like a IBC tote for water etc.
2. Taps/lines upgrade, looking to do lines to storage containers to limit the amount of walking/movement I have to make and streamline the process as much as possible. my property naturally slopes so gravity feed would work well I think.
3. RO - If I can take my sap from 2% to 4% it means less boiling = less time.....ideal.
4. Upgrade the Evaporator to be a complete system with auto draw and auto leveler.
5. upgrade(as in add something) to better filter my finished product.
6. Better bottling system, right now it's a funnel and laddel/measuring cup, slooooooow.

So with all that said, money isn't exactly growing on trees here(haha) and I need to focus on something there, I'd like to increase to about 100-125 taps to hopefully produce upwards of 30gal of finished product for the season.

I need some focus on what is the best investment for the money of the above....

[Vtmaple2]

Adding more taps you mentioned and sell the additional sap that you can not boil/use to a local sap buyer. Take your new sap money keep investing in your operation. Money is made in the woods and spent in the sugarhouse.

[Pdiamond]

It really depends on how much you want to grow and how much you are willing to spend to do it. You'll definitely want to upgrade your evaporator to something larger and that will be more efficient. Look on the trader facebbok ads or classified ads you may find something there. If you have a local sugar bush nearby visit them, get some ideas, most people in the maple world love to talk. Check out your local maple supply store they may be able to give you suggestions. You didn't say where in Canada you are so that doesn't provide us any information for us to send you any where.

[BAP]

Look for used equipment. Let someone else take the initial depreciation on a new piece. Buying a better evaporator would be a good place to start, especially where you don’t have one currently that allows for constant flow of taking off finished syrup. If you are going to plan on 100-125 taps, then a 2x6 evaporator is a good size.

[aamyotte]

If you don't already have a blower, adding a blower drastically increases the boil rate. I use a 12V fan since I don't have power at the shack. Preheating the sap helps as well.

[ProBoot]

Thanks all,

Investment wise I could likely sell some of the stuff I currently have and replace it with stuff I would be able to build on.

My pan is essentially a finishing pan from a LARGE evaporator system I think, it has a left/right side draw off ability and is a divided pan inside but is flat. the problem I had was pulling the product off drained the pan and would scorch the bottom as I didn't have a quick way to flood the pan when the product was nearing completion. Hard to turn the fire off.

I was thinking on keeping most things the same this coming season but adding in an RO system built from amazon parts etc and using that. Hoping it cuts the boil time done enough to make it cover it's cost etc. Thoughts?

My evaporator is adequate for what my current production would be up to about 100taps I think. Would love to find a nice decked out evaporator for under 10gs, but seems they are all HUGE(4X12) or expensive, 20k+

This "hobby" is more expensive then being into motorcycles. lol

I'd like thoughts on running lines and such too, how to run them for gravity, how to store the sap, etc. I'd likely be able to run about 50 trees on a main line if possible? 2-3 collection points would be ideal and a pump to connect all to and move the syrup to my main holding tank.

[ProBoot]

I'll state, I'm in Ontario Canada, Will also be looking for a funding source possibly to expand operations, anyone aware of any type of funding source beyond a bank loan/credit card for Agriculture business in the maple industry?

Hoping for an interest free loan type deal over a number of year to repay, push myself to produce more and more and make the payments for something I can't get enough of. I think I drank a few gallons of the product as it was boiling, such an amazing drink at around 20%+ sugar content

[maple flats]

You need to improve your efficiency. Decide how much you want to grow, then do 2 things. Look for a wood fired evaporator (and have dry wood to fire it) to increase your evaporation rate. Also look at The Bucket RO. He offers many options for starting size RO's, (reverse Osmosis). That will remove lots of water, generallt his units remove about half of the water, thus if you start with 2% sugar in your sap, it will get you to about 4% sugar. That will cut the amount of boiling needed in half. Ask Carl for recomendations on which is best for you. He's very helpful and an honest man to deal with.
Then try it for 1 season and go from there,
I fought getting an RO for about 8 years, now I won't do any maple without an RO.

[Pdiamond]

North Star Leasing is a company in Vermont at does a monthly payment leasing program for maple equipment. I have used them several times over the years to get additional equipment and you basically own it from the start, unless you don't make the payments. If you call them ask for Jason Butkis, he is really a good guy to work with and will help you out. I am sure they do business in Canada.

[Pdiamond]

right now there is a set of pans on mapletrader - facebook for sale that might fit your needs. You would have to buy or build an airtight arch for the pans This would definitely get you into a better position than where you are at now.

[mainebackswoodssyrup]

Start with an RO and evaporator. For this year if you want to keep your old evaporator then look into different options at RO Bucket or a used set up from them on one of the Maple Facebook sites. Go with a 2x6 evaporator when you upgrade, that will be one and done. Your RO will need to be upgraded and grow with you but generally hold their resale better than evaporators. I would get everything together and sized for what you need for the 400 taps and go from 100 to 400 all at once when you are ready for it.

[ecp]

Thanks all,

This "hobby" is more expensive then being into motorcycles. lol

I'd like thoughts on running lines and such too, how to run them for gravity, how to store the sap, etc. I'd likely be able to run about 50 trees on a main line if possible? 2-3 collection points would be ideal and a pump to connect all to and move the syrup to my main holding tank.

Maple is not a cheap hobby.

You ask about running lines. I think the big thing it to try and think out 10 years from now (yes, it is hard). If you will only ever want gravity than you have lots of options. If you are going to be going to a vacuum system, try to reference the maple producer's manual for vacuum set ups. Most of all have fun.

As others have stated get an RO if you are looking to cut time, and if you are looking for payback put your money in the woods and sell sap. All that shiny crap in the sugarhouse is a liability (depreciating asset, overhead call it whatever you would like). The trees in the woods are the asset if you are looking at it from a numbers game (then again if you were into number games you wouldn't tap tree haha).

[Andy VT]

Discussions about taking a small, inexpensive hobby to a large, expensive hobby are some of my favorite! I agree with everything said so far; just 3 things to add.

Something doesn't seem right about your draw-offs. I have not yet used a divided pan but it seems like with a 2x4 divided pan the draw-off of finished syrup should be something like a cup or a pint; not something that requires flooding to avoid scorching. Sounds like you might not have a gradient. It would help to have an experienced guy see what you're doing and give pointers. If for some reason a gradient is not achievable on your setup, or a manageable draw-off of syrup, I would recommend finishing on something else. Don't empty your pan no matter how you're doing it. Just keep the concentrate in there between boils. No reason to scorch any setup. Just draw off whatever gets you or keeps you down to the desired liquid level.

My other thought is that if you added RO, tuned up your current evaporator, and maybe did your finishing in a stock pot over an induction burner or propane burner, you could handle 125 or more taps while saving up for your ultimate evaporator. An oil tank arch will probably never be the most efficient thing but there's no particular reason it couldn't be the hottest thing. An experienced builder of homemade arches might be able to come over and help you tune it up.

Finally, you say "forever", but you need to keep track of numbers. What was the evaporation rate of your setup? You can compare this to what a 2x4 flat pan should do, and get a feel for what you could get if you can get more heat to the bottom of your pan.

Good luck! Make sure its fun because otherwise there are easier and cheaper things to be doing. :D

[maple flats]

Andy, is right on a 2x4 divided pan your draws will be about a cup or 2 at a time, there will be no need to flood the pan. Get away from the large flat pan without dividers. That will reduce the chance of scorching the pan. If you keep the same pan, make a side support so as the syrup is ready you can safely remove the whole pan from the fire. While I've never used a flat pan, even my first pan was a 24x33" divided pan with 4 chanels, I've read where others have removed a hot pan safely from the fire. To do that the side support must be very sturdy and perfectly level with the boiling level of the pan being moved. Read back thru the old posts to learn how others have done it.
But, the better approach is to get a divided pan and have a float to regulate the depth from a dependable source. Look for a 2x4, 2x5 or 2x6 used evaporator, but don't accept a soldered pan with lead solder. Lead free solder is fine, in fact my new 2x6 is lead soldered, as was my first pan, my second an my third evaporator. Then I bought a 3x8 welded pan which I then sold as I cut back on my number of taps, that's when I bought a new 2x6 lead free soldered pan.
As far as auto draw off, I boiled for 14 years without an auto draw, you just need to keep a close watch on the boil. Then on years 15-20 I had an auto draw, which made it easier, but I encourage you you to boil at least a year or 2 before getting an auto draw. It will help you better understand the whole process better.

[DRoseum]

Lots of great advice from everyone!

#1 make sure you keep it fun, and don't scale too big too quickly where it stresses you or takes away from the great joy of this unique hobby.

I do like the advice that was given regarding making the most of your current pan and investing in an RO first. RO is a total game changer and you can make one (or buy one) very economically. I have built multiple, and if done right you can scale it up over time to keep pace with your expansion.

Also, cannot overstate the importance of mastering finishing/filtering/bottling. Make sure you have all the right tools, such as hydrometer, thermometer, murphy compensation cup / chart and know how to use them.

Filtering is painful for everyone at first. Multiple options to improve that ranging from something like the cone "optomizer", to vacuum filters, and filter presses. Vacuum filters are easy/cheap to build, give pretty good results, but many people eventually move to filter presses as their operation grows.

Lastly, tubing (and simple diaphragm pump vacuum systems) can be a big time saver during the season and increase your sap yield per tap. However they do come with their own maintenance (cleaning, repairing, hanging up, taking down).

This forum has tons of info on how to do/build all of these things and tons of people here to help share their experiences. I also have a bunch of videos on topics for the hobby producer and building ROs, vacuum systems, tubing setups, and hope they are of some benefit to you

[Andy VT]

I forgot to mention filtering and bottling.
You can get quite fancy and good stuff, and eventually you probably should, but while saving up:

Cone filtering at $30 per setup is way underrated. For my 30 taps one cone has at least 4 times the capacity I need. If I had 125 taps I would still use it, but perhaps I'd have two cones for more capacity. Just make a stand from 1x3's or 2x4's or whatever you've got.

Canning is my bugaboo for sure. I use a stockpot with a lid and a good pouring rim and pour directly into jars (no ladle) and juggle a BBQ thermometer in it between pours. This would be an upgrade from your ladle, but I think a brewing stockpot (stainless steel stockpot with spigot) would be a pretty good interim canner. One of these days I might get one (would be a long term solution for me).

[ProBoot]

Finishing wise, I finished the first "batch" in teh evaporator and it was beyond stressful, trying to draw off finished product was a heck of a feat and I ended up with a scorched spot on the pan.....learned to not do that.
Next batch was much better, draw off when it was close through the filters and into a stock pot. Stock pot then into the house to finish on the propane stove(benefit was a external fan drawing out any stickiness). This made a much more consistent heat and product. Filtered again through a cone filter and into another pot to bring to 180F for bottling.

The pan I have seems to work better for batch making than continuous flow/draw, but that also may be my lack of understanding on how to set it up to allow raw sap ibn one end while drawing off finished syrup on the other.

Right now I'm seriously lacking funds to expand in any form beyond adding maybe some more buckets(have 100's of taps already), and maybe a larger transport storage trailer/tote, etc. Want to get away from it being in the back of my SXS since spills are inevitable.

So fixing up existing Evaporator, an RO system and developing the bush is the key areas to focus on for season 25 I think from what's stated here. I may be able to come up with the cash this fall to run about 50 taps on drop lines possibly along with 100 buckets(maybe) but that time to collect becomes the issue. Much easier to collect from 1-3 points then stopping at 100 buckets.

Thanks all for the grand suggestions! Appreciate all the information.

I think to start I may go through what I have, decide what I'll use and then look to sell off the rest, Like I have easily 100 old galvanized buckets, 100's of old taps, old sap storage tanks etc on the property. I know they can't be used for Syrup production/sale but someone could use them for planting, decoration, family set ups, agriculture, etc. I'm sure.

[ProBoot]

Looking into things more and more, trying to figure out the most cost effective way to reduce my time in production and increase my overall output without costing me a fortune.
Lines in the woods are something I'll be doing if I find the $500 to run 100 taps/lines etc to a collection point. I'm fortunate to have gravity to my advantage other than my shack being at the top of a hill and the collection point would need to be at the bottom, moving the sap from bottom to top will likely just happen via barrels.

Cant afford any other upgrades this year, still will be on the old oil barrel set up, no RO system, just collect and boil in batches.

[Pdiamond]

it will work as long as you have plenty of time, plenty of wood and don't get to overzealous withe the number of taps. Remember on a good run day it is not uncommon to obtain 2-3 gallons of sap per tap. then you need short term storage and collection barrels. Just make sure to keep it fun and not overwhelming.

[Pdiamond]

Your best bet for a future upgrade will be to get a small raised flue or drop flue evaporator. then worry about increasing tap count ad maybe an Ro in the future. For me personally I have a woods full of timber and a machine that will process it into cut and split wood. All I have to do is haul logs. To me the RO seems like a whole lot more work that I don't want to mess with.

[Z/MAN]

You have been misinformed. A RO system is not a lot of work. It is the easiest and best thing you can add to your setup. I admit it sounds complicated, but it is simple and the best thing you could add to your setup!

[DRoseum]

You have been misinformed. A RO system is not a lot of work. It is the easiest and best thing you can add to your setup. I admit it sounds complicated, but it is simple and the best thing you could add to your setup!

Cannot agree more! Building or buying a RO is by far the best investment you can make! They are simple to build, operate and maintain ...and will save you an unbelievable amount of time and fuel!

[maple flats]

Unless I missed it, you need to learn how to develope a gradient. Start with about 1.5-2" deep in the pan. As it boils down, very slowly add more sap or if you have an RO, more concentrate, to maintain depth. Keep as steady of adding flow as possible. Maintain the depth, but add very slowly so as not to get mixing from surging into the pan, a steady drip or very slow flow, to just make up for what has boiled out.. Add always at the opposite end from where you will be drawing off.
Then read the temperature near the draw off, in the pan, not in the draw off box or port. When you get to 219 open the valve to a very slow trickle. If the temperature raises more open a little more. Ideal is if you can draw at a steady flow while maintaining temperature but in reality a rather small pan will not be able to keep it going, but try.
On my first 2x6 I did a constant draw and at a very small flow was able to keep it going from about 10-15 minutes on the early tries up to a few of 30-40 minutes before I lost the temperature, but keep trying.
If you do this you will develope a gradient. It's easiest if you get a preheating pan to rest on top of the boiling pan with a small valve and a SS tube to drain into the boiling pan as far from the drawoff as possible. As the sap boils it gets thicker and is pushed towards the drawoff. Thus a gradient in density.
Then after you draw off, test it using a Hydrometer (with a Murphy cup if possible) . It will most likely be close but still need more boiling. Do that as a batch, in a SS pot. Either on a turkey frier or if necessary in the house but do not boil in aluminum. Walmart, big lots and others offer low cost SS pots.
When the density tests good, bottle it after filtering it. Bottle at 185+/- 2 degrees F. once bottled, lay it on it;s side for 30 seconds as soon as you cap it. Then you can stand the bottle or jug upright.

[ProBoot]

Thanks everyone, even now I'm struggling to comprehend the how to proceed.
I'd love lots of upgrades, but currently only have a 300gal milk tank as short term storage and nothing in the woods other than buckets for storage

I planned on running lines into those Water Totes, in 2-3 locations on my property. I have a natural slope of about 50ft over the property and feel this would be good for gravity feed. I'd still need a process to move the sap from below to the 300gal tank in my sugar shack.

I may build an RO, can I run the RO system to just dump the concentrate BACK into the tank it's hauling from? or will that be a nono? It would save me buying another tank of some sort to hold the concentrate etc.

Estimate 100 taps on lines, with 50 buckets in a less than friendly line area for a total of 150 taps this season, over my 48 last season.
End results My goal would be about 80l of quality syrup and maybe 10 liters of cooking product(ie the pan left overs that is not ideal for pancakes)

Thoughts on if that is reasonable? I figure using existing stuff with some updates would work this pretty well. I'd like to brick my oil tank a bit more and maybe even add some forced air via some form of quiet fan.

[DRoseum]

Yep you can recirculate back into the main tank. Might not be the most preferred (due to putting concentrated bacteria back into your main sap), but definitely done by lots of people and ok if that's what works best for you. Alternatively you could run concentrate into 5 gallon buckets amd dump into your evaporator, not being sure how you plan to feed into your pan.

[Pdiamond]

What are you planning to do with your permeate?

[ProBoot]

I guess I could run the system into 55 gal drums before boiling, my system only boils at about 10-15 GPH I think, so it's going to be a long boil. I can plumb in my main tank to feed my evaporator but currently I was feeding it via 5gal buckets into 2x 4" warming pans before dumping that into the main pans to boil. I think last year my first batch I got about 10l of syrup from about 300l of sap which was running about 4-4.5% sugar content. The sap was collected over a week on 48 taps(yeah I had 50 taps in and 2 produced no sap at all, turns out I tapped non maples haha)

As for the permeate, if it's pure water, I can just drain it out the door of the sugar shack, or possibly store it in 55 gallon drums for cleaning purposes, although my shack isn't heated other than the evaporator running so frozen water would be hard to use for cleaning. But honestly I didn't clean things between batches last year....just left the bottom layer of sap/syrup in there and flooded the pan with fresh sap when boil time came.

[DRoseum]

You will need to keep the permeate to do a RO system flush after each RO use (and end of season cleaning and flush).

[ProBoot]

I could save it, but my shack is 30' from my house and I use a exterior hose for cleaning things up mainly run off my house water. I have full power/water in the sugar shack now.

[DRoseum]

Permeate works far better than well or tap water to flush membranes. The lack or minerals and bacteria in permeate help strip residual sugar molecules off membranes and keep things more sanitary. If treated tap water, you may need to use an acti e carbon block filter to remove chlorine and prevent membrane damage.