Setting up a new bush?

[MainelyMaple]

Im going to be setting up a sugarbush this year for my first time and i really have no idea how to go about doing it. ive got an idea how im going to run some of it but i want to try to avoid as many mistakes as possible to save on time and money.

Are there any good books out there or does anyone have any tips on what to look for when planning how to run the tubing?

Im going to have 500 taps next year and add 500 each year until the woods are tapped out ( about 2000 i believe)

thanks for any tips

[mapleack]

Find someone with a tubing set up of that size or larger in your area that will let you do a walk through in their woods. If they'll will give you a tour with tips, even better. Be sure it's a fairly new set up as well, things have changed for the better in the last 5 years. Also, even if you're not going to have vacuum right away, size lines as if you were so you're ready when you do add vacuum. Good luck!

[MainelyMaple]

Also there is some old black maineline (about 10 years old) left in the woods, can this be cleaned and used? or should it be replaced? thanks

[KenWP]

First thing I found out is to maybe cut all the dead fall. I put my buckets out the first part of March and apparantly I was walking over a lot of snow because I am haveing a hard time waling around in there now. I have piles of dead trees that were not there a month ago. Also I have buckets that I can't see over the top to look in now.

[TapME]

Scott, the Maple syrup producers Manual will help you with that. Give me a call and I will let you borrow mine. Sounds like an interesting project. good luck

[220 maple]

Mainelymaple,
Mapleack said it best, fine someone in your area that has a good size tubing system in place and make friends with them before you do anything. You want to set it up right from the start. Call Leader Evaporator Co. they should be able to tell you of any tubing systems in your area that was recently installed, and set-up for maximum production. I posted just the other day on a different thread that anyone putting in a tubing system should attend a tubing seminar. The tubing manufacturers have them all the time. If your planning on purchasing tubing from one of them sometimes they will send a rep. to your location to get you started or help you layout the system etc...

Mark 220 Maple