You raised the question yourself: how many trees is too many. Here is a mental exercise: Do you really want to tackle every single issue in maple sugaring on your first season? What do you want all that syrup for anyway? If you could tap half the number of trees, not have to deal with an RO, running lines, swimming in sap, finding and splitting more wood, etc, you could focus better on the important things: the boil and the bottle. And dare I say, you might do a better job of it.
Up to you.
GO
2016: Homemade arch from old wood stove; 2 steam tray pans; 6 taps; 1.1 gal
2017: 15 taps; 4.5 gal
2018: 12 taps and short season; 2.2 gal
2019: 7 taps and a short season; 1.8 gals
2020: New Mason 2x3 XL evaporator halfway through season; 9 taps 2 gals
2021: Same Mason 2x3, 18 taps, 4.5 gals
2022: 23 taps, 5.9 gals
2023: 23 taps. Added AUF, 13.2 gals (too much sap!)
2024: 17 taps, 5.3 gall
2025: 17 taps, 4-5 gall
All on buckets