Doing some research after coming upon a beautiful stand of white birch about a mile from our sugarhouse. I've got the bug bigtime and birch season would fall right in line after maple season. I am just gauging interest, but would anyone in the area consider setting up tubing to their birches and selling the sap?
-Birch syrup retails for about $80 a quart (better prices for smaller jugs)
-There is lots of demand for birch
-Existing equipment can be used, including RO
-Birch begins about 2 weeks after maple ends (not sure about this exactly, however)
-Birch season lasts about 20 days
-Birch will run even if its below freezing, so it runs continuously for much of the season (also not sure on this)
-Spoilage is less of an issue with birch sap, even despite the warmer temps that it is collected in due to lower sugar content (not sure about this either)
-Vacuum pump may not increase yields according to this study http://www.reeis.usda.gov/web/crispr...rch-trees.html
If i'm correct about the lack of need for a pump, it could be a pretty cheap thing. If you don't need a pump, you don't need to walk lines as much so could just set the taps and collect sap. I'm hoping people will chime in here and offer whatever information they have. I do know that at least one producer in Alaska uses a vacuum pump, and has added new tubing in with that pump, so maybe I'm wrong about the yield thing. I don't know. Also proctor did studies using a pump on some trees. I didn't see anything from them indicating that you shouldn't use a pump. Because of the way the trees run, if vacuum did increase yields and you had slope, you could just use 3/16 and not even need a pump probably because sap flow is near continuous (from what I understand). The woods I was checking out had some WICKED slope. The yield per tap wasn't much and is less than maple, I think it was 18 ounces of syrup per tap. People boil it down to the same density.
I'm just really excited about the potential and am gauging interest from other folks near Westford who might have birch potential. I think it could be profitable for both the sap seller and buyer, especially if the buyer had enough sap coming in. I'm confident the market is there. I would just need enough sap, because we have a 5x14 with steamway and RO and everything.
Sorry if any of my info is wrong, I like to do my research first on everything and I tried to say so when i wasn't sure of facts.
Will