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Thread: New Sugar House build!

  1. #11
    Join Date
    Mar 2013
    Location
    Thetford, VT
    Posts
    450

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    Quote Originally Posted by maple flats View Post
    For sure. The old rule of thumb when building is: Decide how much you will need, then double it. You will then have half enough.
    I should have used that wisdom when I built my sugarhouse.
    So true.

    We did not quite double it, but added about 8 or so feet in each direction. The evaporator's actual space is designed to accommodate a larger unit if ever needed. However a larger RO would be the first step and the room can handle that.
    Tapping since 1985 (four generations back to early to mid 1900s). 200-250 taps on buckets and then tubing in the mid 90s. 2013- 275 taps w/sap puller 25 gal. 2014-295 taps w/sap puller 55 ga. (re-tapped to vacuum theory) 2015-330 taps full vac. 65 gal, 2016-400 taps 105 gal, 2017-400 taps 95 gal. 2018-additional 800' mainline and maybe 400 new taps for a total near 800 taps. 2x6 Leader WSE (last year on it) supported by a 250 gph RO.

  2. #12
    Join Date
    Nov 2009
    Location
    Sunapee, NH
    Posts
    155

    Default Things are going up!

    So the dirt work is completed and we have a finished driveway, all the edges have been seeded and actually have a pretty good grass growing already. It makes it look much more finished than just dirt. Gives it some definition. Builder showed up last week and has started punching away at getting the posts up. The rain will slow him down this week, and next week he takes the week off for bird hunting in Maine. We're excited to say the least and hopeful we'll be finished by the time the season comes!IMG_1416.jpg
    Harding Hill Farm
    2650 taps
    3rd Generation Sugar Maker with a Chocolate Lab named Acer

    http://www.hardinghillfarm.com
    www.facebook.com/hardinghillfarmnh

  3. #13
    Join Date
    Nov 2009
    Location
    Sunapee, NH
    Posts
    155

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    Guess its times for an update after 3 months. Life gets in the way and we were a little busy everywhere. Last post was about putting up the main posts for the main building. Well we're now about to get the metal roof on. Its been one hell of a ride and we're excited about the building but it certainly has had its ups and downs. We fired our contractor cause he was dragging his feet and costing us money. Probably put us a month or two behind. We've taken over the build and are moving much faster than he was. Sucks when you realize a couple of dumb tree guys are moving faster and doing a better job than a guy with 30 years experience. We won't have concrete poured this year in our side shed, got frost in the ground and won't pour over frost. Which also means we won't have a bathroom this year.

    We've got the the whole building up, roof sheathed with wide pine under and advantac plywood on top of that. Paper/tarp underlayment for the standing seam roof is on and also provides us with a dry building. Never knew how much a dry building meant! Roof guy is showing up end of this week or the beginning of next week to make it truly water tight. Will be happy when we don't have to shovel/roof rake that roof. We've got one side of the building sided and should move fairly fast on the rest. We did under the side shed first as we wanted to get our firewood stacked before our college kid went back to school. Cutting siding around every rafter slowed us down immensely. Hope to have the chimney for the wood stove in place for the roofer as well. Last minute decision but think it will be a welcome addition to the retail room.

    The season is knocking at the door and hope to have a functional building for it. We should be close!
    IMG_1542.jpgIMG_1521.jpgIMG_1519.jpgIMG_1495.jpgIMG_2167.jpg
    Harding Hill Farm
    2650 taps
    3rd Generation Sugar Maker with a Chocolate Lab named Acer

    http://www.hardinghillfarm.com
    www.facebook.com/hardinghillfarmnh

  4. #14
    Join Date
    Nov 2009
    Location
    Sunapee, NH
    Posts
    155

    Default

    Guess I can only do 5 pictures at a timeIMG_2249.jpgIMG_2243.jpgIMG_2229.jpg
    Harding Hill Farm
    2650 taps
    3rd Generation Sugar Maker with a Chocolate Lab named Acer

    http://www.hardinghillfarm.com
    www.facebook.com/hardinghillfarmnh

  5. #15
    Join Date
    Mar 2012
    Location
    Walpole, NH
    Posts
    1,363

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    Looks great. Lots of pressure building a new sugar house this time of the year and hoping you make it in time, but in the end it will be well worth it. You still have time to get it functional enough to boil this year.
    Sugaring for 45+ years
    New Sugarhouse 14'x32'
    New to Me Algier 2'x8' wood fired evaporator
    2022 added a used RB25 RO Bucket
    250 mostly Sugar Maples, 15% Soft Maples. Currently,(110on 3/16" and 125 on Shurflo 4008 vacuum, 15 gravity), (16,000 before being disabled)
    1947 Farmall H and Wagon with gathering tank
    2012 Kubota with forks to move wood around

  6. #16
    Join Date
    Apr 2019
    Location
    Nashville, MI
    Posts
    939

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    Looks like your coming along just fine. Its to bad about the contractor dragging his feet. You appear to have moved the process along very well. You will like the addition of the wood burner keeping things warm. Keep plugging away and before you know you'll be looking at your completed building, saying, wow, We did this. That will be awesome.
    2004 - 2012 2x3 flat pan 25 to 60 taps
    2012 2x3 new divided pan w/draw off 55 taps
    2018 - didn't boil surgery - bought new evaporator
    2019 new SML 2x4 raised flue high output evap. 65 taps
    made 17 gal. syrup
    2020 - only put out 53 taps - made 16.25 ga.l syrup
    2021 - Didn't work out
    2022 - 25 taps on bags / 8 taps on 3/16's line - late start

  7. #17
    Join Date
    Nov 2009
    Location
    Sunapee, NH
    Posts
    155

    Default Lights!!

    We spent MLK weekend with my cousin installing almost all of our electrical work. We have lights on switches and no more temp panel! Its was an awesome and very cold weekend working with friends and family to get the whole place wired in 3 days essentially. All the outlets, lights and additional electrical work has been done except for the woodshed. Worked late into the night and got things done. So happy that we got the woodstove functional before the weekend started as it was our only source of heat. To cold even for the propane heater to work, the propane froze up and blew more cold air than it was worth. No door yet so we improvised with plywood doors and tarps to keep the wind and "some" heat in. Brought the temps up from single digits with negative windchills up to manageable temps to keep working. Roofer showed up yesterday to start in on drip edge and hope to see the roof on by the end of the week with any luck!
    Harding Hill Farm
    2650 taps
    3rd Generation Sugar Maker with a Chocolate Lab named Acer

    http://www.hardinghillfarm.com
    www.facebook.com/hardinghillfarmnh

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