5 gallon buckets???

[maplekid]

i was planning on selling bulk this year and was wandering if i could use 5 gallon buckets with lids. they are icing buckets from the local bakery. any help would be appreciated.
thanks in advance,nate

[Clan Delaney]

I can't speak to whether or not 5 gal buckets are "approved containers", but that's how I moved all my syrup around last year. Did you know that your standard Wal-Mart 5 gallon bucket can withstand 219 degree syrup right off the burner? I didn't till I tried it. Just barely, though. :D

I think that whatever you are able to use would be okay as long as it's clean and sterile.

[Thompson's Tree Farm]

They should be fine. Might be difficult to "hot pack" and seal but if you sell your bulk at the end of the season, it won't matter. Another alternative is to freeze the pails of syrup to wait for the higher Fall prices.

[Russell Lampron]

Check with the packer that you are planning to sell it to. They will tell you what they will accept for containers.

[Dennis H.]

When I was looking for buckets a few months ago I found some that are food grade and are listed as safe for hot packing, now they didn't say what that temp was but from what Clan said I would think that you would not have a problem with hot packing syrup in one. Just be sure to get lids with rubber seals in them.

If I can find where I found that says they are safe for hot packing I will post a link.

[Haynes Forest Products]

I got about 50 of the square juice concentrate buckets and they were free but the broblem was that the cherry juce was frozen concentrate. The buckets are a harder plastic than your typical round 5 gallon pale. I started to wash them and over 1/2 leaked in the little circle on the bottom at the plastic injection site. Was told that with frozen foods in the buckets they dont withstand the rough treatment in the moving prosses. As Clan D said Walmart buckets work great hot packed for the money. What I do is after filling out side in the snow bank or into the trash can full of water they go to cool them down ASAP. Dont stack if possible and when you seal the lids try and get all the air out. I stored 150 gallons in buckets ans 2 1/2 jugs and after I sold it all it dawned on me that I filled them up as much as possible so I have this feeling I gave alot of syrup away like the Coke cup reads full serving to this line OOPS.

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

I draw off the evaporator in 5 gallon pickle buckets that I have used for years. I fill them full which takes 4 to 5 hours and then seal the lid tight and start on another one. When I get ready to can, I reheat 10 to 15 gallon and adjust density with condensate as I always draw off too heavy and then run thru filter press and bottle. I have no problem due to the long time it takes to fill the buckets, but it may be different if I was putting 5 gallon of 219 degree syrup in them in 5 minutes.

[Haynes Forest Products]

I wait till the finish pan is full and I get it to the right density and out of the filter press into the 5 gallon buckets it goes. I do not pick up with the handles the plastic gets hot and had one let go one time. Im leary with $125 hanging by a wire I only stack after there cool.

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

And that 5 gallon that used to be $ 125 is now $ 200 to $ 300 depending on how you sell it, so I am real careful even when it is not very hot.

[NH Maplemaker]

Haynes, Just wondering why you are not selling your bulk by the pound. That way it doesn't matter how much you fill your five gallon pails!! You work to hard to give it away!! Jim L.


NH Maplemaker

[lpakiz]

Haynes,
I second that. Dawn at Roth's weighed mine--wouldn't matter then how full they were...

[Dennis H.]

These buckets are rated at 180 degrees and I have to imagine they can handle higher temps without a problem
USplastic 5 gal Buckets (http://http://www.usplastic.com/catalog/product.asp?catalog%5Fname=USPlastic&category%5Fname=20327&product%5Fid=26588)

Here are the buckets that I got They are rated for 190 degrees2 Gal bucket (http://http://www.usplastic.com/catalog/product.asp?catalog%5Fname=USPlastic&category%5Fname=20327&product%5Fid=9742)

[Haynes Forest Products]

I didnt weigh it this year I was running late and had to get back to Denver so I sold it all bulk to a fellow producer in the county. I would rather sell to Roth Sugar Bush but it adds 150 miles to the trip. I do like spending time with Dawn shes a hoot plus better pay. Ipakiz about 5 years ago my 3 year old got out of the truck when I was inside the store and the boarder collie from across ther street came over and was hearding him towards the truck and woulnt let him leave the area. Did Dawn ever tell you how she forgot she turned the steam boiler on the 500 gallon finish tank in the basement and went up staires to help a customer and kept hearing a funny splashing noise down staires.....................YIKES

[lpakiz]

No, She never got that far!! There's a person you could talk to for hours and leave with more subjects untouched than covered. (Like I was gonna check out your new releaser but never got around to that either)
Yes, she is a great person. She told me she loves the maple people and the maple business but is not "passionate" or "addicted" to this syrup thing like most of us poor souls.... You'd never guess that by talking to her, tho.

[Haynes Forest Products]

I think it gets to a point when you do it full time from tap to grocery store and you dont start the evaporator till the sap tank has 10,000 gallons in it. Peter owns the lumber yard in town and the kids are out of thre house and granny is still doing the cooking Yea the passion can wain a little.

[Jeff E]

Have just met the Roth's this season, and got my RO and some other equipment from them. They are great people. You guys going to be to the open house in Feb?

[lpakiz]

Jeff,
Yes, I have gone for the last 2 years and will go again, unless the weather is too lousy--like today. About -8F (Yes, eight below) and the wind blowing about 20MPH. Just got back home from my County Snowplowing job. Boy, the wing comes up SSSLLLOOOWW on days like this. Gotta really plan ahead for the mailboxes. Glad I have a newer truck. The heater works GREAT!!
How would I know you at Roths? We need Maple Trader caps or somthin..
Larry

[Haynes Forest Products]

Nice little drums for the small producer and cheap item no 220331700841

[Dill]

Are the blue 5 gallon jugs that the maple houses sell the same as the blue water storage jugs that you can pick up anywhere? Would a bulk buyer take syurp in these?

[DaveB]

Not sure, but I would verify that you can hot pack in them.

My local dealer has the 5 gallon containers for $8 which is only a few more dollars than a new white bucket with sealable lid that you can hot pack in so I use those. These are the same containers that other dealers sell for $13-15!!

Dave

[KenWP]

I went looking for buckets today and never found anything. new buckets here are 8 bucks a peice at Rona . I have checked bakery's and such with no luck so far. I will have to keep checking some place.

[Dill]

I can get all the free 5 gallon buckets I want from a neighbor. They are food grade and clean, they are from Stonyfield yogurt the problem is that they have a bright hunter orange label that says "NOT FIT FOR HUMAN COMSUMPTION" probably not what I want on a bucket when I go to sell.


Try the grocery store bakery section.

[OGDENS SUGAR BUSH]

check out all restaurants, bakeries, big grocery stores that have deli's somebody will fess up and give you some

RICH

[briduhunt]

I get between 5-10 every other day from my local Wegmans (large supermarket with bakery) The trick is to go often as then the bakery people realize you are looking for them and then tend to save them for you. I have several other people doing the same thing at the same store and I still get buckets every other day. Best days are Monday,Friday and Sat. This works for me.

[michiganfarmer]

Ive never made more than 80 gallons of syrup yet. I draw off into 5 gallon buckets that have lids with seals. My current evaporator will fill a 5 gallon bucket in a couple hours. I put the lid on, and set it aside for a few weeks till I have time to filter it. I have seen buckets that werent filled completely with collapsed sides from the cooling. I have stored syrup that way for 3 months, and not had a problem.

[KenWP]

I can get little buckets but so far no luck with 5 gallon ones. The lady at the one place said they do have them when they fill the deep fryer and such. I will try again one of these days and see if I have better luck. I have to ask for a seau as the word pail or bucket is unheard of around here.