What should I ask about a sugarbush’s number of taps and tap density history?
Ask how many taps there are and how that count was checked, then ask how the number and spacing have changed over the seasons. Walk the lines, compare what you see with the seller’s map, and ask how tree health, access and any tapping rights shape what the bush can handle.
Start with the count itself. Ask who counted, when, and how: a walk of the lines, a map, or an estimate. Then walk some of the lines yourself and compare them with the seller’s records. Ask for yearly tap numbers, plus notes on why they rose or fell. A bush that was cut back or rested may tell you something about tree health.
Next, ask about density. How are taps spaced, how many per tree, and how do older holes factor in? Ask whether the seller changed tapping practice and what happened to the trees afterward. Look at crowns and trunks for stress, and ask a forestry adviser what they see.
Then check the ground under the trees. Are the taps on land the seller owns, or on land used by agreement with someone else? Ask how the lines run, what access roads are used and who maintains them. Have your lawyer confirm that any agreement continues for you, and ask your accountant how past yields compare with the tap counts you are given. Ask to see tubing and collection equipment on the lines as well, since worn lines can make a tap count look better than the bush really performs.
Key takeaways
- Walk the lines and compare them with the seller’s map and yearly counts.
- Ask why tap numbers rose or fell in past seasons.
- Have your lawyer confirm any land or access agreement continues.
Related reading
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Due diligence
Selling
Sources
This answer is checked against primary sources. Links were last confirmed on the dates shown.
- 01Business Development Bank of CanadaGovernmentWhat are the steps to buying a business?
- 02Business Development Bank of CanadaGovernmentHow to conduct due diligence when buying a business
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