English tin?

[MainelyMaple]

Does anyone know if there are any laws or regulations in Maine that say english tin cannot be used to make syrup? we are getting an evaporator with an english tin flue pan and we were hoping we could use it for a season and spend out money on other equipment. i have contacted several people from the department of agriculture including a couple inspectors and no one seems to know. they say they like to see stainless so i should have stainless. well i would like to see a lot of things too but its not all possible right now lol. im curious what the regulations state. thanks

[Revi]

English Tin is what they used for a long time before stainless.

I think it's still legal, but you'll have to talk to the licensing folks.

I'm sure that there are a lot of people still using old evaporators in Maine.

If they only allowed stainless that would put half of the small producers out of business.

[gmcooper]

I have not heard anything that says you can't use tin pans in the 20 years we have been making syrup. I know there are still some in use and not just small ones either. Bascoms still sell used tin pans. Check with Eric Ellis at Maine Maple Products. He has a pretty good handle on rules and regulations.
Mark

[MainelyMaple]

i called Eric Ellis from Maine Maple Products who gave me the number to Hal Prince. i guess he is the head guy for quality control. In short he said english tin "isn't illegal, yet it isnt legal either". im confused.

it seems everyone has different answers on what they want to see.

i dont want to start off on the wrong foot and get shut down.

yet if i dont legally have to spend more money to change anything the first year i will spend my money else where. i dunno......

[WF MASON]

Within the law , that would be called the "Gray Area", I've seen some english tin pans that were kept good and were in new condition. I've seen some that were rusted like a New Hampshire sand truck. If the pan looks OK , you put it up on sawhorses , fill it with water and it doesn't leak and you don't put up a sign in the sap house saying , hey look at the tin pan, I'd throw it on the arch and boil. That size pan is really common , so there is another sitting somewhere waiting for a home.

[PerryW]

Hey! No fair making wisecracks about the disrepair of New Hampshire Dept. of Transportation's Highway Maintenance Equipment.

At least New Hampshire's Syrup doesn't taste like Lobster like Maine's does.

[Haynes Forest Products]

I think PerryW just fires the first shot.....WERE going to need a new thread for this conversation....all in good fun NOW

[PerryW]

Though I prefer Maine's lobster-flavored syrup to Wisconsin's Cheese-flavored Syrup.

[Haynes Forest Products]

Im at a loss as to what to say about NH is so boring I cant even think of a good joke .............sorry

[KenWP]

I only know Little Texas jokes and Kentucky jokes.