My Visit To JR Sloan's Sugarhouse In Fletcher

[Henry]

vtgrandpa standing in front of one of the two huge rigs where the boiling is done


Sap is measured for sugar content from the center of the load of sap brought in to determine price paid


JR tells me that he is going to let me fire up this rig


Rick Nye from Georgia is checking out a few things before it is ready for me to fire up


OK to turn on the switch, Rick tells me


Rick points out the fire, now on low to me


Rick makes a lot of checks as the boiling of sap has started


Things have come a long ways from 50 gallons of sap to make a gallon with this new high tech equipment


Meanwhile JR Sloan & Shad Minor go on with a tour of the operation


I did not time how long it took for the syrup to start coming out, but seemed to take a very short time

[Rev. Elizabeth]

Well, is that an impressive, high tech operation.  Thank you, Henry for showing us what a modern state of the art sugar house is like.  The level of sophistication of that equipment is impressive.

[Scott]

Wow... like a laboratory! Does he have one of the reverse osmosis gizmo's?

[Henry]

Yes he has Scott.  I did not take notes, but I know he takes a lot of water out with the RO Equipment.  Also I think I heard him say that they use the water they remove from the sap to wash the equipment.

[Suzy]

That was awesome!  Thanks for the tour!  Where are the donuts?