What’s the best piece of advice you were given when you started?

[LMP Maple]

If you build a sugar house, I should say when, pour a concrete floor. I’ve done it both ways and crushed stone is hard to level etc. it’s cheaper but I will echo the others and say it’s cheaper to spend more today and do it right.
I don’t make a ton of syrup maybe six gallons last year, I look at sugaring at the hobby level like craft beer. This is the largest growing segment of the industry and the manufacturers have noticed. From the small hobby RO to the mini rigs with all the bells and whistles. Don’t focus on production but quality. Also if you find a number of taps you like no matter how low stick with that. I have 50 taps in Hudson and 1200 in Vermont I bet u can guess which one is more fun in my opinion. I have yet to meet a producer that didn’t love to talk about sugaring be it July or February.

[n8hutch]

Don't buy or build anything that you won't be able to Resell, don't buy anything Galvanized, or with lead solder, or leaded Brass. Stick with Food Grade Plastics and stainless steel. I would even be weary of stainless steel that you can't say for certain was never used for anything non food related.

[Loon Lake Louie]

I have a very small operation. I have about 12 to 15 taps and make about 4 liters of syrup on a 18" X 18" stainless steel flat pan over a cast iron propane fired burner. I have been making syrup more or less like this for 20+ years and I still love it.
My best advice is don't kill the boil when adding sap to the pan and watch the boil when it gets close to syrup, because it can burn off in an instant.
Great idea for the forum and I loved reading all the responses!!! I hope everyone has a great season!!!

[juglone]

I'm new to the forum. And will be my first year sugaring now that I have some land. Glad to see this thread! Thanks for all the advice,

-Juglone

[Pdiamond]

Juglone, Welcome and good luck. Have lots of fun. if you have any questions feel free, we are all here to help.

[82cabby]

I’m going to add when you cross over the 100 tap threshold, add a float leveling set up to you pan. Greatest thing since RO.

[RC Maple]

So to help kick off this area of the forum, what piece of advice were you given when you started that turned out to be really valuable? I’ve learned so much from this forum and from experts around my area it’s hard to narrow it down, but a couple that stand out:

Base all your decisions on the assumption you will have more taps next year.

Buy a hydrometer

Keep a bucket of sap next to the evaporator just in case the pan goes too low. (This one saved me more than once)

A little Homemade syrup makes bourbon taste even better!

All of the above is certainly wisdom. The best advice I was personally told was to "cover your wood in November". The other wisdom was gathered from multiple sources and also listed above is to get a hydrometer.

[Pdiamond]

One piece of advice I was given was to never, ever leave the evaporator unattended once it is started. Things can go from running smoothly to disaster in a flash.

[Brian]

One thing that I was told that was hard to do was switch to oil. Oil I said, you make syrup with oil. The guy said it is just a heat source, sell the wood and buy oil. That was a game changer, boiled faster, easier to maintain boil and syrup flow and if anything happened you could turn it off!! Yes I keep a oh $hit bucket of water there for Justin Case, he has not visited in a long time, but if he does I hope I will be ready. If he don't show, I use it to rinse the floor.