We built this 10' x 16' sugar house in the summer of 2011, in memory of Myrl and June Phelps. Since then the sugar house has had three additions.
We started with about 100 taps and have expanded to 270 taps. The taps are connected to a network of tubing to supply the sap. The sap flows by gravity into a 225 gallon holding tank behind the sugar house. It is then pumped into a holding tank in the wood shed high in the rafters of the roof. From there it flows into a float box on the evaporator by gravity. This float box keeps a consistant level in the evaporator during the boiling process.
Originally, all sap was collected in buckets by hand. We have about 70 buckets which are hung around the sugar house. We love to listen to the newly emptied pales fill with sap.
The original evaporator was a stainless steel 2' x 4', 3 section flat pan with a wood burning arch which has a blower to increase the evaporation rate. The old evaporator boiled off about 9-12 gallons an hour. This unit was built in Porter, ME, by W.F. Mason Evaporator Co.
2012 we bought a gas finisher so we can finish and bottle the syrup in the sugar house.
We belong to the New Hampshire Producers Association.
We started with about 100 taps and have expanded to 270 taps. The taps are connected to a network of tubing to supply the sap. The sap flows by gravity into a 225 gallon holding tank behind the sugar house. It is then pumped into a holding tank in the wood shed high in the rafters of the roof. From there it flows into a float box on the evaporator by gravity. This float box keeps a consistant level in the evaporator during the boiling process.
Originally, all sap was collected in buckets by hand. We have about 70 buckets which are hung around the sugar house. We love to listen to the newly emptied pales fill with sap.
The original evaporator was a stainless steel 2' x 4', 3 section flat pan with a wood burning arch which has a blower to increase the evaporation rate. The old evaporator boiled off about 9-12 gallons an hour. This unit was built in Porter, ME, by W.F. Mason Evaporator Co.
2012 we bought a gas finisher so we can finish and bottle the syrup in the sugar house.
We belong to the New Hampshire Producers Association.
