This may not have come as a surprise to others, but I was disappointed last week when I showed up at Leader in Rutland and learned that they were closing the location permanently. I know things change, but that location had a pretty good run as a maple equipment company- 120ish years since Grimm opened there.
March 2020- got a Half Pint when the world ended.
12 taps and 3 gallons of syrup later, caught the bug.
July 2020- got a used Leader 3x12 raised flue- go big or go home!
2021- 350 taps on 3/16 gravity. Not much of a year, made maybe 35 gallons.
2022- 450 taps on 3/16, made about 70 gallons.
2023- Life got busy again, only 250ish taps so far.