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Thread: Touring the golden road

  1. #11
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    Quote Originally Posted by gmcooper View Post
    The story is not quite right. The new land owner of Big Six township does not make syrup but there are something like 420,000 taps on it that are leased to 6-8 sugarmakers. The sugarbushes are mostly old growth that have been tapped maybe 100 years. The land owner has been threatening to cut all the maples to make payments on the land. He is a very shrewed businessman. He owns about 25% of taps in Maine on this property. There is a lot more to the real story.
    Chances are he was using the threat to cut all the Maples to get paid not to cut. Most of these investors don't care at all where the money comes from as long as it is in their pockets.
    Sugaring for 45+ years
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  2. #12
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    Wow, one guy now owns 25% of the taps in Maine and now he wants a ransom? That's not a very good situation.

    I hope this turns out better than the way it appears to be heading.
    2014 Upgrades!: 24x40 sugarhouse & 30"x10' Lapierre welded pans, wood fired w/ forced draft, homemade hood & preheater
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  3. #13
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    Dec 2015
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    Old Lyme, CT
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    If his trees are worth more for lumber than for maple syrup production, he should cut them down and sell them.

    By his logic, every maple tree of similar size would be worth more for lumber than for syrup production. So maybe I should contact the government to pay me not to cut down my maple trees.

    Seems like an extortion plot to steal money from the government (and a government to which he has make significant campaign contributions, according to the article).

    Mark
    Last edited by mspina14; 05-12-2017 at 12:23 PM.
    Mason 2x4 w/raised flue pan, 240 gal. sap tank, 80 Reds on 5/16 tubing and Lunchbox releaser/pump, 20 sugars on buckets

  4. #14
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    Apr 2016
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    Rutland, Vermont
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    I like maple as much as the next guy but these seems like it's a sweetheart deal for the Canadians that run the leases. They are close to the border and don't have to abide the quota in the states. With that said if they want to contact me and I will gladly go setup shop up there. lol In my opinion market forces should play out. If the lumber is worth more log it. Seems doubtful if this has been sugared for a long time. If the leases generate enough revenue to pay for the land so be it. Seems wrong to ask taxpayers for money for something like this.
    Last edited by VTnewguy; 05-12-2017 at 12:32 PM.
    CDL 2.5*8 Venturi with all the bells
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  5. #15
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    In the long run it's better to have the leases. You cut the timber and it's not ready to cut for another 40 years or so. What usually happens is it gets cut then put back on the market. And the owner uses the profits to buy the next piece.
    " A man who carries a cat by the tail learns something he can learn in no other way."
    Mark Twain
    900 plus taps , 435 vacuum, 565 gravity
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  6. #16
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    Most of the woodlands in Maine are owned by timber companies and the roads are only plowed in the areas where they're harvesting. These huge sugar bushes are only accessible to Canadians which seems like a shame to me.

  7. #17
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    Sunapee, NH
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    So Maine state generated money to purchase easements on timber land that will benefit one individual significantly and then benefit Canadian producers who compete directly with the Maine maple guys? Maybe I'm missing something here but seems like a ransom that does not benefit the local tax payers.
    Leader 3x8 Patriot raised flue
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  8. #18
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    Aug 2004
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    Windham, Maine
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    Many of the smaller more southern producers do in fact buy syrup for the bulk producers in that region. We have customers and retail sales and not enough trees. They have trees and good conditions but no customers other than large bulk buyers or the smaller guys in state. Most of the Canadians are members of Maine Maple producers association. They are good people who take pride in making good syrup and do support the maple industry.

    There are Maine and US sugarmakers in that area and could be more. There are a few leases available however putting together a 20-50,000 tap operation get expensive there. One lease required proof of financial backing somewhere around $2.5-3,000,000 before being considered for the lease.
    1700 Taps /1600 on Vac. 3x10 King evaporator
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  9. #19
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    Mar 2006
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    west virginia
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    23600 acres! Poor old Paul Fortin. He is to big to fail, We bail out banks that are too big to fail in the US of A. Hey Paul sell a few acres of your 23 thousand, make a payment. I have a soft spot for a guy who can buy 23600 acres in the first place! Wonder what he paid per acre, at 50 dollars an acres that is 1.180000 dollars? Poor Paul?

    Mark 220 Maple
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  10. #20
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    Apr 2016
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    Rutland, Vermont
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    Does anyone know what happened to this story? Did the state of Maine end buying the property?
    CDL 2.5*8 Venturi with all the bells
    Leader Clear 5 bank filter press
    Memprotec 350H RO
    600ish taps and looking for more.

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