Does this look familiar?

I was going through some old photos today and came across these maple sugaring photos that I thought might look like all junior sugar makers.

After getting kicked out of the kitchen for putting too much steam into the house, I headed for the driveway.

On this "barrel stove and canner" rig, fired with dripping wet wood I could boil sap at the rate of about 1 gallon per hour.  The last year with this setup in the muddy, rainy and cold driveway we made just 4 gallons of "very dark, almost burnt" syrup and managed to avoid getting pneumonia.

In 2010 we moved indoors and up to the Mason 2'x4' Hobby evaporator.  Now with bone dry wood we can boil sap away at a rate of 10 gallons per hour, still a far cry from the big sugar houses. 

Almost every sugar maker has wrangled with the idea of moving up in size and production, but it takes lots of money to make the jump.  I've talked to some of Maine's bigger sugar makers and it seems like their sugaring operation is an arrangement between them and their bank.  Well, at Juniper Hill Sugar, our only partnership is with our trees! 

I hope to see you all at our Annual Open Sugar House on Sunday March 24th, Noon to 5 PM.
693 West Road, Bowdoin, Maine.  Reuben & Angela Wheeler & family.