sugar bush leases

[andrew martin]

A friend of mine offered to lease his maple trees to me for next year's season. What is the going rate per tap? As well, how many good sap days do you folks up North get? Here in central KY, we might get 14-18 good sap days from February 1 - March 15th. Info is greatly appreciated.

AKM

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Andrew,

About 35 cents per tap seems to be the going rate. I sorta lease all my trees, but I give syrup to the owner's in exchange. Might want to try to trade syrup for leasing the trees. 4 or 5 quarts of syrup for 100 taps is a good deal to me. I usually pay a little higher than that with syrup, but whatever works for you.

As far as good running days, sounds like you have as many or more than anyone else. It is never the same year by year and each year normally presents a different challenge with the weather, at least most years. :D

[brookledge]

If you intend on installing a pipeline system you may want to have a written agreement between both parties. Probably from a legal stand point it might not mean squatt. Where as if you only put up buckets, after the season you take them down and have nothing to lose if they say no the next year. I don't tap anyones trees but my own but if I did and took the time to put in a nice pipeline system I would want atleast 5 yr. or longer agreement. Once you take tubing down it is a pain in the butt to reuse in another location, you end up with all kinds of pieces. Also its nice to know if there is a possibility of the land being sold in a year after you put up tubing. Probably isn't a big deal if only 100 or so taps but if you take the time and put out a few thousand its nice to know you are going to have them for a while. Other than that i'd agree .25 to .35 per tap.
Keith

[andrew martin]

Thanks guys, that info is helpful. He has already indicated that he would like to be paid with syrup. I can't blame him, it is good stuff. I've thought about tubing, but since we are only doing about 150 taps, and we are leaving KY for Western Pennsylvania in three years, it wouldn't be worth it. Thanks again for the info.

Andrew

[MaineMapleDave]

The real sugarhouse down the road from me leases most of their trees, and they have told me in the past that they pay in syrup. Seems people just love the idea that they are getting syrup from their trees without the work.

[dads hobby]

I must be one of the lucky ones, all my trees belong to someone else and they all insist on buying the sirup from me. At one point the one person thretend to not let me tap if i gave him some sirup. He said "your dooing all the work so he had to pay." go figure.

[VA maple guy]

Hi Andrew, I have three neighbors that allow me to tap there trees. I give them one or two quarts of syrup each. They all seem verry happy with that.
To the east of you, here Virginia, I only had about three or four days of good sap flow this year.
Gerry