StewieSugar
04-26-2009, 06:49 PM
On a different thread (http://mapletrader.com/community/showthread.php?t=6583) I mention that my evaporator is on top of the hill where I can drive to. It's working okay for now, but it requires me to lug my sap in small jugs about 150 feet vertical and 1500 feet horizontal.
Looking long term (2-3 years from now?), I'm hoping to expand with a better evaporator at which point I need to either get a better way of getting the sap up hill - or I need to move the evaporator down to where the sap is.
One concern I have about moving the evaporator down hill is that the bottom is a flood plain that generally floods two to three times a year. Most years, the area gets about 2-4 feet of water, but it sometimes will get up to 6 feet. The floods are temporary - lasting just 2-3 days - but I don't want to build a sugar shack at ground level and have dirty water running through it.
Instead, I'm thinking about creating an elevated sugar shack where the floor would be about 6-8 feet above ground level.
Anyone build or see anything like an elevated sugar shack before? Is this a stupid idea, or is it worth trying? Any ideas on construction? Any ideas on how I could get a good fireproof floor?
Looking long term (2-3 years from now?), I'm hoping to expand with a better evaporator at which point I need to either get a better way of getting the sap up hill - or I need to move the evaporator down to where the sap is.
One concern I have about moving the evaporator down hill is that the bottom is a flood plain that generally floods two to three times a year. Most years, the area gets about 2-4 feet of water, but it sometimes will get up to 6 feet. The floods are temporary - lasting just 2-3 days - but I don't want to build a sugar shack at ground level and have dirty water running through it.
Instead, I'm thinking about creating an elevated sugar shack where the floor would be about 6-8 feet above ground level.
Anyone build or see anything like an elevated sugar shack before? Is this a stupid idea, or is it worth trying? Any ideas on construction? Any ideas on how I could get a good fireproof floor?