Anyone having the Health Department inspect?

[DougM]

Any of you Indiana guys on here at the point where you're having the county health department come in & inspect?

Over the past couple of years we have made enough syrup that we've had some interest from a few local shops about selling it, so we had them come out & take a look around just to see what changes we might need to make but there are no other inspected producers in Hendricks County so they aren't quite sure what to do with us. Just wondering if anyone nearby is being inspected so we could direct our inspector to someone in another county for additional input.

If nothing else I may ask her to call the Parke Co. health department, they are surely doing some.

[The Birdman]

I think all you need is to label it, I don't think you need to be inspected. May have to have a commercial kitchen would be something to check on.

[DougM]

It depends on where you want to sell. If it's just at farm markets and face-to-face then you're right, you don't need inspection; just label that you're NOT inspected, the date it was produced and your contact info.

But if you want to sell any retail where you are not the direct seller then a yearly inspection is required by the county health department using the state guidelines. Of course we had to go & ask about being first.

The state health department guidelines are here: https://secure.in.gov/isdh/files/map...ance_final.pdf in case you are interested.

We have most the points covered, or can without a lot of trouble. Aside from probably needing to connect our sink drain to the septic system the biggest issue is that the inspector doesn't like that we have a large wood pile in the building near our bottling/finishing area. We keep a smaller pile next to the evaporator, but she's OK with that one. Unfortunately we don't have much room to move the big one, and we definitely don't want to move it outside.

[The Birdman]

Thanks for the info, I have a hard time keeping up with the regular customers to worry about retail.

[DougM]

We usually sell out or close to it. but we do have the trees and the evaporator capacity to make more than we do right now, so we're just exploring the options since we've had a couple of local retail places who stock local products interested in selling it

[Gandolf]

If you are having problems with your inspection, you could possibly refer the inspector to the Indiana Maple Syrup Association. Some of the members of the association worked with the state getting reasonable guidelines setup for us producers. Of course, you may be requested to join association first. I think membership is currently $15 per year.

Phil...

[DougM]

Thanks for the suggestion Phil, we may do that. We were talking this weekend about recommending that she talk the the Parke Co. sanitarian, with as many sugar camps as they have surely someone is being inspected.

We are IMSA members, and the guidelines the health department uses are basically what the IMSA came up with. We are mostly trying to find out if anyone else who is being inspected is allowed to store several hours worth of wood in the sugaring area like we are now, or if they have to keep it outside. That's probably our biggest hurdle, as we would just about have to make a new door in order for that to be practical, and we don't really have a good place to do that.

[The Birdman]

We drill a hole in a tree and get sap, and they are worried about a wood pile next to your evaporator. Better not have a pile of dirt next to your potatoes.

[DougM]

LOL!
True. I guess that's the joy of going first. Like I told my partner, if we get approved our new marketing slogan can be "Hendricks County's first licensed maple syrup producer"

[The Birdman]

Good luck Doug,