Big changes

We have had lots going on this summer at the sugarhouse.  We have decided it is time to upgrade the sugarhouse and make it bigger and more functional. We started with adding a 30x44 tank room and finishing off a 20x28 room that once had stone floor and housed storage tanks.  It will now be home to our Reverse osmosis machines,  releasers, filters, and a bathroom.  We have ordered a second RO that will process an additional 2100 GPH in one 16" membrane and new releasers electric releasers with 2 submersible pumps and VFD's.  I am hoping this will help decrease the stress level during the season and allow us to handle much more sap. We have also ordered a new evaporator that is oil fired and much more efficient.  We are keeping our steam pan and having it put on the new rig.  We should go from making 70-80 GPH of Syrup to 120 while also saving hours on start up and shut down.  We had simply outgrown wood. The summer had been very busy with building and has taken longer than expected.  We hired my friend and fellow sugar maker Matt Gillilan to do all of our site work, and hired Paul's Concrete to pour and finish the slabs.  I also hired my good friend Griffyn Koski from Landmark Builders to frame things up for us.  His guys along with our help did all the framing in 4 days.  It would have taken dad and I a month and wouldn't have been nearly done nearly as well. Currently we are finishing off the RO room with white AG panel that loos really nice.  Depending on time and money we may do the boiling room walls as well.  We have are also putting new lighting in the boiling room along with the new additions.  We are going to have a ton of plumbing to do.  Actually the entire sugarhouse will be re plumbed, which is a pretty big job. If we get time, we will add some taps this winter.  I am not sure how many we will get up.  We have had Rex Gillilan logging all summer a portion of our new 137 acre lot up on the mountain above the sugarhouse. As always we are bottling syrup and delivering weekly.  Thanks again to all of our customers who have purchased from us! Additionally, we are looking for someone to tap and walk lines with us this season.  If you are, or know someone who has experience that may be interested please let us know. I will post some good pics of the sugarhouse once we get things wrapped up.