I'm beginning to think you start making a profit when you stop growing and get everything paid for. Now, mind you paid for to me is when I pay myself back for everything I bought. I have never borrowed from any instatution for mapling except for a month or 2 leading up to any season using my credit card and paying off during the season. I limit that too. Thinking about it, making money at maple might be the same as any other farming, when you retire or die and everything is sold off.
Maple is just in our blood and way too enjoyable to worry about making money. Think of it, you don't need to pay a health club dues for a stair climber, just walk your lines. No sleep doctor bills, just go to bed when you can't stay awake anymore. You don't need to buy a vacation home with all of the relates expenses, because you don't have time nor do you feel a need to get away from everything, just work in the sugarhouse or in the woods. All of your worries evaporate (pun intended)
Dave Klish, I recently ordered a 2x6 wood fired evaporator from A&A Sheet Metal which I will be converting to oil fired
Now have solar, 2x6 finish pan, 5 bank 7x7 filter press, large water jacketed bottler, and tankless water heater.
Recently bought another Gingerich RO, this one was a 125, but a second membrane was added thus is a 250, like I had.
After running a 2x3, a 2x6, 3x8 tapping from 79 taps up to 1320 all woodfired, now I'm going to a 2x6 oil fired and a 200-425 taps.