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Thread: With great reluctance it's time to sell our sugaring operation.

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Feb 2006
    Location
    Skowhegan, Maine
    Posts
    1,299

    Default With great reluctance it's time to sell our sugaring operation.

    We have decided (our wives have decided) that we are going to have to sell our sugaring operation. It's perfect for someone with a full time job, because it has the sap coming right into the sugarhouse and you can start boiling when you get there. It is about 20.1 acres which all slant towards the sugarhouse. Check out the vid below for more about it. We are going to list with a realtor, and get advice as to how to price it. My buddy is a professional forester so it's very well managed and there could be a cut done, since we did one about 10 years ago with growth of value trees in mind. It has the potential of more than 500 taps, and if vacuum was installed it would produce much more. We went with just gravity to be able to boil it all down on our schedule. The place is really charming, with a "warm room" in front and 30 trees near the sugarhouse for buckets. Kids love the place. With my kiddos gone now, it's time for others to enjoy it. Feel free to check it out. 1 Burrill Hill Road, Skowhegan. ( right at the Norridgewock line) There are Access With Permission Only signs, but if you are on Maple Trader you have my permission. There's a trail to the top of the hill, a woodyard and windows you can peek in. We'll be listing it soon, so we'll have a price figured out soon.
    325 taps
    2x6 Phaneuf
    Illegitimati non carborundum

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ISbkO-NKA9o

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Feb 2006
    Location
    Skowhegan, Maine
    Posts
    1,299

    Default

    The sugarhouse is 12x28 with a 12 x 12 foot woodshed on the back. There is a mainline with 2 spur lines that goes to the top of the hill. It's about 1/3 of a mile long by 600 feet wide or so. The sugarhouse has metal roof, board and batten siding and a cupola.
    325 taps
    2x6 Phaneuf
    Illegitimati non carborundum

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ISbkO-NKA9o

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Feb 2010
    Location
    Exeter, Maine
    Posts
    124

    Default

    Revi,

    I've always enjoyed reading your posts, and for the first time, putting a face to your name at Maple Mania. I'm sorry to here you will be moving on, away from the business, but I can also understand. A bunch of time, and hard work spent away from the family, can be frustrating for them. Especially during the cold months, when they want to escape to somewhere warm for a spell. Maybe now, you can venture out on Maple Sunday and enjoy other sugarhouses.

    Best to you Sir.

    Shawn
    Three Generation Operation
    18' x 40' sugar-shack
    3' x 12' oil fired Small Brothers Raised flue
    10" full bank filter press
    1,700 on Vacuum
    500 gravity.
    Custom RO


    One great family!!!!

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Feb 2006
    Location
    Skowhegan, Maine
    Posts
    1,299

    Default

    Thanks! I think I'll tap about 20 trees behind my house and boil them in a small rig. I am a bit sad about it, but it's time to get ready for retirement now. I'm going to try to do that in 2 years, and it will be a process to sell things and get ready for another way of living. I plan on spending some time in Latin America, and it might be during the sugaring months when I am retired.
    325 taps
    2x6 Phaneuf
    Illegitimati non carborundum

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ISbkO-NKA9o

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Mar 2009
    Location
    Ashtabula County, Ohio
    Posts
    1,792

    Default

    Revi I have watched your you tube video many times over the past several years. Its one of my favorites. I believe you are a teacher like myself, from reading past posts. Good luck
    1000 taps on vac down to 100+ buckets 99% sugars
    2x5 SL Hi-Output Raised Flue Corsair evaporator
    SL Short bank press with CDL diaphragm pump
    Leader Micro 1 RO for 2024
    Constantly changing
    2010:36 gal 2011:126 gal 2012:81 gal 2013:248 gal 2014: 329.5 gal 2015:305 gal 2016:316 gal 2017:258 gal 2018:147 gal 2019:91 gal 2020:30 gal 2021:30 gal 2023:50 gal Total since 2010: 2047.5 gal
    Tapping the same trees my great, great and great grandfathers tapped.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Mar 2009
    Location
    Millmont,Pa
    Posts
    563

    Default

    Sorry to hear you are moving on from syrup. Where in Lain America are you going? I've been going to Honduras for awhile and will be heading down this April for a week.
    I've always enjoyed your posts!
    115 red maples on vacuum
    100 taps on 5/16 gravity
    35 taps on 3/16 gravity
    50 taps on shurflo vacuum
    about 60 buckets on giant roadside sugars
    neighbor bringing from 45 taps
    30'x 8' Aof/Auf Evaporator
    Homemade 125gph Ro
    Lots of Homemade Equipment!

    http://s848.photobucket.com/albums/a...%20Sugarshack/

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Feb 2013
    Location
    Sebago, Maine
    Posts
    217

    Default

    Sorry to hear. Wish you were closer, I'd like to expand a little.
    Greene Maple Farm Sebago, Maine
    7 Generations of Maple Syrup
    http://www.facebook.com/?ref=logo#!/...01122259971904

    Phillip View Farm
    Sebago, Maine
    30 Highland Cattle
    2 Alpacas, numerous pigs
    Chickens, lots of chickens
    http://www.facebook.com/atgreenetrac...hillipViewFarm

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Sep 2010
    Location
    Vermont
    Posts
    2,222

    Default

    I wish you the best. If I could give you a little advise it would be to NOT use a realtor. I have sold two homes and a few building lots just using Craigslist. The home I am in now and the lot I bought beside me were all bought direct from the owner. Attorney fees were about $1000. A realtor will be 7-10% on the sale price. Why give them your hard earned money? I have saved about $75,000 in the last 6 years using Craiglist. Craigslist is free. Good luck.

    Spud

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Mar 2005
    Location
    Albion PA
    Posts
    5,099

    Default

    Revi,
    Good luck as you move on with other things in life. You can check in here and get some of your maple fix.
    Regards,
    Chris
    Casbohm Maple and Honey
    625 roadside taps + Neighbors bring some sap too!
    3x10 King, WRU, AOF and AUF
    12" SIRO Filter Press.
    2015 Ford F250 PSD sap hauler
    One Golden named Maggie, Norwegian Forest Cat named Lucy
    Too many Cub Cadets
    Ford Jubilee and several Allis WD's, and IH tractors
    1932 Ford AAB ton and a half, dump truck

    www.mapleandhoney.com

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Feb 2006
    Location
    Skowhegan, Maine
    Posts
    1,299

    Default

    Thanks! It is a hard decision to make, but it's time to move on. I think I might spend some time in Guatemala, as I used to live there in the Peace Corps back in the 80's. We are going to miss the sugaring a lot. It's so absorbing and I call it an adventure in your home town. I hope just boiling down 20 taps will do it for me...
    325 taps
    2x6 Phaneuf
    Illegitimati non carborundum

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ISbkO-NKA9o

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