Here is a brief rundown of how the process goes. The sap that is gathered from the trees is collected once a day and dumped into the bulk tank (usually stores milk in a milkhouse). Once enough gallons are gathered it is poured in the pan that has a wood fire built under it. The 300 gallons is boiled down for 27hours approximately. It takes about 40 gallons collected from the trees to make one gallon of table syrup that you put on your pancakes. Now you know why it is so expensive. The round barrel is where he pours the cold sap into first. It is heated by woodfire and the spickot is open just a bit so it drips into the large 8'x4' stainless pan also heated by wood fire. It is boiled down to the correct sugar content and then removed and taken home to be strained, strained again, and then canned into jars. Please take note of the whiskey bottle behind Shane. I believe this is a very important item to the process. It is used to keep the sap monkeys warm while stoking the fire around the clock. 
Shane tells me that this season they are done. The trees taps are pulled and another season is under his belt. Perhaps he will sell a few jars at the retreat and I may have some out for you to try over your french toast.
Good job! Lots of work! Patsy
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