Years of sugaring experience?

[Maple Hill Sugarhouse]

I would like to take a little survey----I was just curious on how many years experience that the board members have had in sugaring? Me 26yrs. I'v been at it since i was 12.Kevin

[mapleman3]

Lets see... going on my 6th season(second season with a real evap) from 2 taps to over 300 now

[brookledge]

Started making syrup with my friend when I was 10 years old my friend was 11. After a couple of years I began doing it all by my self. Started with an open pan,then a 55 gal drum evaporator with a 3'X4' pan, then a 2'X6', then a 3'X8' and finally a 3'X12'. I got the bug at an early age. All total 30 years.

[ontario guy]

Well i have pictures of me in my dads sugarbush from around age 2. I moved away from home to go to school when i was 17. We bought our house 5 years ago when i started my own operation... so realistically about 10 to 15 years.

My dad still boils at 72 years old with his 2 by 4 pan and finishes off with a big black cauldrin on an open fire with a piece of pork fat to keep the foam down.... and he has people that only want his syrup. It does has a distinct smokey flavour that you don't get with an evaporator.

Mark

[michaelh05478]

I've got 3 yrs and my first year I had a 2x6 wood fired which (mapleman3) Jim now owns and ive moved up to a 3x10 oil fired with a preheater hood.........Started out with buckets and am now on pipe line. Had an old case 2 wheel drive tractor for hauling and now use a 75 hp 4x4 international which if any one's interested is for sale..... Hope to retire in 3 years and do sugaring for a little extra retirement money......Just wish i had started 25 yrs ago............. :D

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

I started about 14 years ago when I was a teenager but I took a four year break from 1999 to 2002, so 10 years total. :D :D

[powerdub]

I started pretty young with my grandfather but I won't count those years. All told on my own about 25 years or so. It's hard to believe, seems like 50 sometimes.

[themapleking]

I've been at it steady for 6 yrs now. A few off and on yrs before that.
So I knew it was a no win no profit project. So why did I spend all this time and money for ? It's fun and something to do. And I meet a lot new people and get to shoot the **** with you guys.
6 more mounths til we tap
:lol: :roll:

Joe

3x8 algier with hood and pre heater
7" cdl filter press
2 16x16 finishers
700 + taps on tubing and vacume
2870 gals of sap storage
more wood than I can burn who needs some

[sugarbearT]

I am a 4th generation producer.I was probably about 10 or 12 before I was able to help much.My first job was pill poker(remember them?).We didnt sugar for about ten years when we moved to a new farm.In 1999 we started up again.I am 48 so that would make it about 28 years for me.My dad is 83 and boils for me so it would be over 60 years for him.

[sugaring42long]

First made syrup on my own in 1976 at nine years old with 15 taps and a propane fired 2x2 aluminum pan. Have not missed a year since -- 28 years and counting.

[JohnM]

Two years for me.

Never knew how much fun I was missing.

Looking forward to many more! :)

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

John,

I can't wait to see how next season goes for you and how the new pan works for you. You won't know what to do with all the extra time.

Brandon

[mapleman3]

Oh and John..... the chickens come next !!! :wink: :lol: :lol:

[steveJ]

I started 3 years ago with two turkey boilers then added a double burner propane stove. Originally 25 taps up to 50 this past season. Last week I bought a WF mason 2x3 evaporator and will tap 75 to 85 trees this winter

[Brad W Wi]

I've been doing it for 5 years. I started out with 7 pails and now I'm up to 51. I plan on another 12 more this year. I'm retiring a year from Jan and going to sell my home made flat pan and fire box and get a new evaporator for 150 to 200 pails. I hope it'll satisfy me, maybe I'll go a bit bigger. I've got the land I just don't want to over do it. I'm going to build a new shack, so if any of you out there can help I'm looking for some plans and pictures of some sugar shacks. If any of you out there have any ideas let me know.

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Brad,

If you have that many trees, you may want to use tubing and pipe it all together. Sure would give you a lot more time that you could use for boiling and save buying more buckets.


Good luck with whatever you plan! :D :D

[mapleman3]

But Jeremy, the funny thing on the top is the best part of the Shack!!!!

[Brad W Wi]

Thanks for the suggestions but I'm going to get off this topic line and put a few questions out there for all you on a new topic line

[oldemaple]

I've been sugaring since 1973. I guess that makes it about 31 years now. I started with 6 buckets and it just kept growing. Being a one man opperation, I think that I've reached my limit with 850 taps now. Plus, I'm not getting any younger.

[Brad W Wi]

I started 5 years ago with 5 pails I'm up to 51 and plan on the next year or two to go to 150 to 200

[Seibold's Sugarhouse]

This will be my third season coming up. I'm 26 now and always wanted to try boiling but it's not to commom around here (CT) and I never and still don't have any trees of my own. I drive about 45 min. to collect the sap and boil. It makes for extra work but its fun and thats all that matters. My first year I used a leader half pint pan on cinderblocks. Now I have graduated to a 2x3 drop flue connected to the 24x33 half pint on a 2x6 arch. I'm looking to change my setup again before this season. It seems I'm never happy. Anyone interested in a 2x3 ss flue pan?
Here's a question that has somewhat perplexed me, For those of you who use pipeline (which I am thinking about switching too). Early in the season I have alot of sap ice in my buckets and containers, What happens when you have a large tank that completely freezes around the outside and you need to boil that day? I had a 45 gallon garbage can full of sap that froze on top about 4 inches deep. What would you do if this happened in a tank?? I'm confused.

Thanks to all the experts, You have answered just about every question I've had so far.

Jason

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Jason,

Normally, the more liquid you have, the less it will freeze. I have 6 galvanized stock tanks and they normally freeze a thin skim on top, but that is about it.

Sounds like you are moving up fast and tubing would definitely help the gathering time tremendously. :D

[Maple Hill Sugarhouse]

I go on the theory of boiling everything too-Throw in some hot sap to melt the ice if you need to.I've tested the ice quite a few times in my tank by taking a chunk of ice out and letting it melt and then testing the sap sugar% and still puzzle myself to find out that sometimes i get a higher sugar % in the ice then in the sap(I've seen it jump anywhere between .2% up to .7% higher and sometimes .1-.3% lower).Why? I still have not figured this out 100%. You would think the sugar molecues would settle to the Bottom of the tank.BUT thinking back most of the times i tested it it was after the tank was empty(Figuring on if i should throw the ice out or not..Maybe it is the ice from the bottom that i obtained the sample from? Sounds like i'm gonna have to pay attention on the next time i test it to see where it came from the top or sides or bottom...Kevin

[Race]

For whatever it is worth , I tap on buckets and have tested ( refractometer ) melted ice many times. It is always higher in sugar content than the unfrozen sap in the bucket. I do not know why and it is contrary to what is commonly written.

Race in Wisconsin----- 544 buckets

[mapleman3]

Boil it all, cuz it's sure boring when there'r nothing left to boil :wink:

[Maple Hill Sugarhouse]

Looks like a pretty good number of years of sugaring experience for the board members=Avg. 14.5 Yrs...Kevin

[Newguy]

This will be my 2nd year. Made a mess on the first year, but also made some great syrup, as i was told by some users. Buckets, 30X18X1 SS with a ball valve sitting atop a cinder block fire pit I built up. finishing in the kichen with saucepans. I need a better system next year for my 35 taps, maybe a used evaporator.

Got an inspiration about two weeks prior to sugaring season in '04 and got all geared up in record time. Liked it so much that I've scheduled my vacation from my full time job to land on sugaring season in '05.

How many of you all actually do the sugaring outside in the elements without sugar house??

[mapleman3]

Newguy, I used to boil in the elements, but sure makes for a long day, I had a tarp over the top to keep the rain off, then the wind came up and knocked one of the 2x4's that was holding the tarp up, right upside the head, threw me on the ground in pain!! sure like sitting in my sugarhouse now!!

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: That sure makes for a good laugh. Never heard someone get hit in the head with a 2x4 while he was boiling. I am still laughing. :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

[mapleman3]

:? wasn't funny at the time :evil: :wink: :wink: ok I guess it is funny now though :wink: 8)

[JohnM]

I do my syrup outdoors. Last year was three serving line pans on blocks. This year a bigger flat pan.

Some type of canopy over the pan and some windbreaks facing northwest work for me.

[backyardsugarer]

If you count tapping trees in my yard and boiing in a pot on my fathers wood stove, I would say about 22 years. With a real set up five years and will do it until I can't move anymore :wink:

Chris

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

I started out boiling outside about 15 years ago. I can't remember if I boiled the first year outside or not. For quite a few years, I always made a makeshift sugarshack each year with 3 sides and a 4/12 pitch roof and it worked good. The outside was all plastic including the roof and it had two end trusses and four white oak poles for corner supports. I always built the firebox every year out of cinderblock and boiled like this for quite a few years. Sure was extra work every year taking everything down and putting it back up then next year, but I was young as I started when I was around 13 years old. The pan I used for the first 4 or 5 years was a 2' x 3' stainless flat pan. :D

I have never had a real sugarhouse, but the last several years I have used my dad's 30x60 building for my boiling area. One side of it is open and I close off the open end of the building I use for syrup side. I don't have any property in that area and my dad loves to help. He is planning on selling and I am in the process of trying to get aprox 3/4 of an acre off of another family member to build a sugarhouse on. It is in an awesome location and is right on the main road and more centrally located in reference to my 3 sugarbushes. I have always wanted a sugarhouse, so hopefully by this time next year I can have it finished. :D :D

[latewood]

I started in 1965 in an old copper washtub with 15 taps burning wood in a cinderblock arch. Been doing maple every year but 3 since then and still learning and enjoying.

[Maple Flats]

Started with 2 or 3 years as a kid with 3-6 taps, then when my kids were growing up we made syrup again probably 4 or 5 times with up to 10 taps. In 2003 I got the bug, put up 60 taps and used a half pint evap., 2004 I had 105 taps on a Leader 2 x 6 and built a sugarhouse 16 x 24, in 2005 I have 160 taps. Plans for next year go up to 300 or more, either a bigger evap or a used RO. I figure with enhancements I could make 2.5 gal syrup an hour putting in 8% sap. May do it fine. Then if I want to grow I still can do the evaporator upsize. This really gets in your blood, it's a disease for sure!

[Sugarmaker]

Folks,
Found this string while browsing around the site.
By the way this is a great site and probably is driving my wife, Cheryl, nuts as much time as I have been on it in the last several months.

I have been making syrup just about every year since 1963 so I guess 42 years give or take a few. My dad Earl Casbohm got me started and I cant seem to shake it. After he passed away I built my own sugar house started in 2000 (fall) and made syrup in it in the spring of 2001. We try to get the kids and grand kids involved but I guess I have the sugaring problem the worst.

Went muzzle loader hunting with Jim (Father and son) Tuesday and I think we talked maple as much as we were hunting.

Our web site is up and running! Can you tell I'm just a little excited about it??

Looking forward to year 43. I would like to keep making maple after I retire too, right now a 8 to 5 job is really cutting in to my playing time. But with 6 weeks vacation, and the wood all cut, and the good Lord willing we will make some syrup again this year.
Got to keep moving.

Less Talk More Action!

[maplwrks]

HOLY CRAP!!
I never thought about it but I guess I caught the bug when I was 11 years old. I've been doing this for 33 years! (you do the math)
I started with a cement block arch and a small syrup pan my grandfather gave me. Had approx. 50 taps back then and have grown slowly ever since.

[Daren]

This will be year number three for me. The second with my homemade rig and first since finishing my new shack. Funnything on top and all! started with 8 taps and buckets, 27 last year, 50 this year! added a preheater too....built it two weeks ago. Did a test and WOW cant wait!

[lharris1]

Sounds like you are ready to go. :lol:

I'd like to see your setup. You can setup a photo site at: http://photos.yahoo.com/, and include a link in your profile.

[MaineMapleDave]

Started in 1996, so this will be my 11th season.

Started with 4 taps, boiling in a roasting pan on 2 burners on the stove--made about 3 quarts that first year.

Currently about 35 taps and a Leader Half Pint set up in an old horse stall in the barn--I aspire to more, though!!

[Daren]

Hey lharris

I have some pics in yahoo photo, but I have not been able to get the link to show up in my profile. I think I might have figured it out though. (I had the feature turned off .... i think). Is it on the bottom of this post? If it is, does it work? I used to be much more proficient at this computer stuff.....course I used to be able to play video games too....and now I don't even know how to turn the playstation on!

[Parker]

That link is working,,,I like the set up! Do you ladel the sap from one pan to the next? or do you even move the sap between pans? how many gph do you get out of that rig? some pretty clever work the way you have it set up!!

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Daren,

Works great and nice looking setup! :D

[lharris1]

Daren:

I enjoyed looking through the pictures. Someone must be artistic. I liked the one with the syrup, lantern and snowshoes on a mantle. Good luck with the season.

Now, this is a little embarrassing but I am being strongly encouraged to post a picture. In my photos is an example of what can happen when:

o You are tired
o Your are baby sitting your four year old creative granddaughter while your wife makes a quick run to the grocery store.
o The granddaughter get a pack of purple postit notes and proceeds to stick them on anything not moving.
o Your, wife with a twisted sense of humor, decides to document the occasion with a picture from the digital camera. :oops: :cry: :lol:

I also posted a picture of the little trouble making granddaughter. :evil: :D

[Daren]

hey Parker....Yes I do ladel from one to the other to keep the levels up. The preheater only flows into the rearmost pan this year. I will probably add two more ball valves and route the preheater along the opposite side of the rig from where I tend it so I can replace each without using the ladel. Thanks for the positive words all! The addiction continues.

Hey lharris, did the post-its have anything written on them? :lol: Gotta love the little ones!

[maplecrest]

i am the 8th generation to make sugar on this farm. my son the 9th generation drew off his first last year. we were talking about trees and age and health yesterday with the forest catterpillers hatched and too rainy to spray. i am tapping trees that were tapped in 1860. my heart does not pump blood but sap. jeff