500,000 taps: Georgia Mountain & JR Sloan ep 181

Ralph and Nate return a load of empty drums to Georgia Mountain Maples in Milton VT. Take a look at the MES 6x10 paired with a Cleaver Brooks boiler. This system is the standard for maple syrup production with large producers. Then tour a "Vermont Refinery" at Green Mountain Mainlines with JR Sloan and his crew. Follow 285,000 taps down a river of sap over the falls to a new world of maple syrup. The most efficient sap hauling and delivery process in the maple belt.
Thank you to Kevin Harrison and his team for being a great partner for a decade. Thank you to JR Sloan and his team for being a great host and tour guide!

[@Wtz-jx3wh]

Another great video, love the rainbow going up the falls 😂

[@09DUKE690]

One of your best interviews/vids yet. Thanks!!!

[@kellieking7353]

Love the info given by JR. David and I have watch it twice! You’re a keeper JR…Just look at the way your Sugar Mama ADORES YOU! ❤ it!!!! Wonderfull success awaits you and your family. Stay happy and give your family and love time when Eve you possibly can!

[@BissellMapleFarm]

Thank you for watching it a couple of times! Ha! (I have watched it a few times, too!!) We really enjoyed making this episode!

[@davecarlin6335]

The videos are awesome Nate!!!

[@BissellMapleFarm]

Thanks for watching!

[@tripledfarmsmaple]

Great Video Nate, I visited Branon’s a few years ago and had the opportunity to talk with Kyle for about an hour just the of us and my wife. The wealth of knowledge was amazing. He was so willing to share. Thanks for sharing your video!

[@jaredwalker3305]

Dude your videos are awesome. The content and the editing

[@BissellMapleFarm]

Thanks for watching! We appreciate the support! It's an overnight success story 20 years in the making!

[@terrybrown9206]

Big Evaporaters and good amount of syrup produced. Definitely a money maker.

[@Bladesofglorylandscapeing]

One of your best tours yet

[@sammyhill93]

Amazing operation up there! Franklin county Vermont sounds like the Maple Mecca 🍁

[@BissellMapleFarm]

They make a little syrup there.

[@robertfortier9394]

Thanks Nate for putting together a great video and it's always nice to see Ralph, JR a down to earth person who you can tell started in the woods and can talk about all phases of the sugaring business, thanks for the link to the sap calculator. Maine Coast Maple Bob

[@BissellMapleFarm]

Thanks for watching, Bob!

[@rpalmer274]

Still got nothing on us but great set up 🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦

[@BissellMapleFarm]

Where are you at? I'm always interested in making more maple videos!!

[@Bigbass1ful]

Greetings from Northern Michigan. Are there documents available for agreements to buy sap and sugar bush leases? this video was amazing. Thank you for sharing the knowledge!

[@BissellMapleFarm]

Here you go. Plug in the numbers! www.ohiomaple.org/sap-app.html

[@bioniclife]

Wow! What else can I say?

[@BissellMapleFarm]

You can say I'm like a Maple Mike Rowe?

[@bioniclife]

@BissellMapleFarm Include a little more Shakespeare, and you have a deal!

[@toddbigley7180]

62% I wouldn't waste time boiling

[@BissellMapleFarm]

Exactly.

[@vinceportelli7531]

Excellent interview Nate. I would be panning for gold in those massive sap sluices, 😂

[@BissellMapleFarm]

I'm pretty sure this is going to create some discussions with sap sellers across the maple belt. This information has been readily available for years. A couple things: 1) large syrup makers may not be efficient enough to provide 62% to sap sellers. That's why competition for processing is good. It pushes processors for efficiency. 2) sap sellers may not have options other than a single processor in their region. If there is one processor, then there isn't room to negotiate.... but it could, and should, create a competitor. 3) free markets wins. If your deal with sap sellers relies on their ignorance of the existence of 62% sap buying.... well, you may need to think about upgrading and look at how you can do better. 4) If you are a sap seller and do not have options, maybe you should think about helping another producer grow to create additional processing competition? 5) If a processor is upset that this information is now readily available to sap sellers - and you are mad about it - good. This was always going to happen. 6) sap sellers - the more producers available to you, the better. Competition is healthy for sap values! Ask around if you still have the old 50/50 split. 62% plus the producer handles hauling!!!! 7) volume matters. Both for sap selling and processing. If you only make 20,000 gallons of sap per season, you don't have more leverage than a 200,000 gallon producer. If you have a woodfired 2x6 with no RO, you won't compete very well against a steam rig concentrating up to 22%. It's a multivariate equation. There are a lot of variables for both parties to consider. Don't fixate on one variable unless it is grossly abused by either party.

[@toddbigley7180]

Then there still is the question is it worth it to make syrup. You can buy bulk package it and still make a large return. That would remove 100k minimum worth of equipment that only gets used 8 weeks a year could get a smaller building saving even more money.

[@BissellMapleFarm]

@toddbigley7180 you aren't wrong. If I was asked the best way to start a maple syrup business, I would say: get yourself a canner, a filter press, something to heat syrup with, and go find a syrup farmer to partner with! That is truly the easiest and fastest way to build a maple syrup company.

[@Acerthomas]

I gotchA

[@finallyfriday.]

As a typycal 300+ tap operation I found nothing here I can use or relate to. Industrial operation.

[@BissellMapleFarm]

That's the great thing about KZbin. You can watch what you want. You don't have to watch the video. As much as I appreciate the income you are generating by making comments. It all helps the channel. Even negative interactions help the channel. Try Hughes Family Farm's channel. Or Dunn Family Farm.

[@finallyfriday.]

@@BissellMapleFarm Sorry you took this negatively. You do you. I was, to repeat, saying how none of this applies to my 300 tap operation.

[@BissellMapleFarm]

@finallyfriday. oh no. The interactions help the algorithm. It boosts the search results.

[@finallyfriday.]

@@BissellMapleFarm Glad to help you and our maple industry. (I hope it's not just about money for you, though)

[@BissellMapleFarm]

@finallyfriday. I care zero about $. Only the game. But I do like that the channel generates enough $ to replace gopro's and stuff when they break. Epidemic sound is quite an investment. Editing software. I still have another 4 hours riding in the truck. This has been entertaining. You?

[@canUfeelMYface]

Thanks for paying to get views. For that reason. I'm not watching

[@BissellMapleFarm]

That's fair.

[@canUfeelMYface]

@BissellMapleFarm You only needed 2 words to turn that one around in your favor. Maybe I should have watched for at least ten seconds before I decided to pop off in your comments.

[@BissellMapleFarm]

@canUfeelMYface no worries, man. I'm experimenting with it, and I share the data with youtubers and our audience. We try different things and then share information so we learn faster as a team. There is not really consistency in the results. I try it here and there with different videos, different times, and different investment amounts - and I share the data. I can't recommend it or not recommend promotions at this point.