According to the scanning feedback from the Gathering Module in the system panel, these birch trees located in high-latitude cold regions have extremely strong vitality, and the mineral content and flow rate of their sap are rated as excellent.
The system predicts that the sap yield per plant will be higher than the average level.
Assuming each tree can yield 2 gallons of sap per day, and based on 50 harvestable mature trees per acre, 40 acres would require 2000 trees.
4,000 gallons of raw tree sap per day.
Su Wei paused for a moment, the ink spreading into a small black dot on the paper. The number was enormous.
Even if you dismantled his wooden house and burned it for firewood, relying solely on old-fashioned iron buckets hung on trees and earthen stoves to cook the food, you still wouldn't be able to process even a tenth of the amount.
Industrialization is essential.
He clicked on the pages of several professional agricultural equipment suppliers on the webpage, his eyes scanning over the expensive specifications.
The first is the collection system.
Traditional hanging buckets must be phased out because they are too inefficient and easily introduce impurities.
The current standard practice is a vacuum piping system.
Holes are drilled in the tree trunks, medical-grade plastic sap tubes are inserted, and the entire forest is connected by thin tubes. The negative pressure generated by a vacuum pump draws the sap directly into a huge collection tank.
Su Wei's pen flew across the page as he jotted down the list: [High-power vacuum pump unit, approximately 5000 meters of food-grade tubing, various T-fittings, two 2000-gallon stainless steel insulated storage tanks.]
Next comes the core processing stage.
If you were to directly burn 4,000 gallons of water, the fuel cost would be astronomical. The industry's method for reducing costs and increasing efficiency is to use reverse osmosis (RO) membrane machines.
It can use high pressure to remove more than 70% of the water from the sap, pre-concentrating the sugar content from 1% to 4% or even higher.
This step can reduce the subsequent cooking time by three-quarters.
Su Wei found the price and frowned slightly.
A brand new mid-sized commercial RO machine that processes 500 gallons of sap per hour costs around $8,500.
Finally, there's the evaporator.
The stainless steel fuel evaporator with automatic temperature control and gravity tilting system can precisely control the Brix content of the syrup when it comes out of the pot, ensuring that every drop is amber in color, not burnt black charcoal.
Price: US$16,000.
Su Wei looked at the total displayed on the calculator: the total investment in the equipment was approximately $35,000. This did not include fuel costs, packaging bottles, and labor costs.
The honey flow period lasts only three weeks, or 21 days.
If the system operates at full capacity, it could theoretically produce nearly 700 gallons of finished syrup.
Based on the current wholesale price of organic birch syrup at around $350 per gallon, this season's production value could reach $240,000.
This rate of return is practically like picking up free money.
But the prerequisite is that he first has to pay the $35,000 entrance fee and find at least four skilled workers to help him lay pipelines and monitor the machines in the freezing cold.
Su Wei closed his notebook, picked up his now-cold coffee, took a sip, and the bitter taste woke him up.
He can produce the money right now.
But construction of the manor is about to begin, and it will require a lot of funds.
It seems like it's possible, but it's also not. Investing tens of thousands of dollars of cash flow in a device that's only used three weeks a year seems like a good idea, but it's also not.
He was just trying it out this year, and after buying the equipment, he only used it for three weeks before leaving it unused for a year.
That seems a bit wasteful.
He wasn't a professional farmer who made birch syrup.
From this perspective, it doesn't seem like a particularly good deal.
Perhaps we don't need to buy a new one.
Renting or buying a used item is a better option.
He stood up and grabbed the windproof jacket from the back of the chair.
" Cotton Candy, stay home and be a good girl, I'll be back in a bit."
The little white fox lazily raised its eyelids and flicked its tail to indicate that it understood.
Su Wei pushed open the door and went out, deciding to try his luck in town.
At 10:00 AM, the labor market in the Kodiak Town.
This is an open space enclosed by rusty wire mesh, the ground covered with black oil stains, cigarette butts, and filth.
Although it was daytime, a sense of decadence pervaded the place.
Su Wei parked the Raptor on the side of the road and made a point of checking the sound of the lock.
Dozens of men in worn-out overalls squatted in groups of three or five in the corner.
They tucked their hands into their sleeves or stomped their feet to ward off the cold wind, their breath a mixture of cheap tobacco and a sour smell.
When Su Wei's brand-new Raptor stopped, several slightly muscular-looking men looked up and their eyes swept over him.
"Boss, are you hiring?"
A middle-aged man wearing a dirty baseball cap and missing a front tooth approached.
He was wearing a military green overcoat two sizes too big, and nervously twirling a lighter in his hand.
"Road construction? Logging? Or going to sea?"
The middle-aged man grinned, revealing a set of yellowed, rotten teeth.
"I'll do anything for money. I have over a dozen people working for me, all of them skilled."
Su Wei subtly glanced at the people behind the man.
Some people have unfocused eyes and constantly sniffle, which are characteristics of drug abuse.
Some were so thin they were bony, their hands trembling so much they could barely hold a cigarette. With hands like that, they couldn't even hold a pipe wrench, let alone operate any instruments.
There were also a few burly men with menacing faces, their eyes constantly darting greedily at the watch on Su Wei's wrist and the car keys at his waist.
This is what Old Kash meant by "utterly rotten".
Su Wei had made up his mind, but he only asked a question calmly on the surface.
Do you know how to lay vacuum pipelines? Do you understand how to operate the pressure valves on an RO machine?
The middle-aged man with the missing tooth paused for a moment, a hint of confusion flashing in his eyes, then waved his hand dismissively, trying to cover up his ignorance with his loud voice.
"What's so difficult about that thing? You'll learn it after a while! As long as the pay is right, $25 an hour, including room and board, I'll have them memorize the instruction manual."
"25 US dollars?"
Su Wei raised an eyebrow, a half-smile playing on his lips.
The normal rate for a skilled worker here is around $18.
"Boss, it's cold now, and it's not easy for the brothers to be out here risking their lives."
The middle-aged man spat a mouthful of phlegm onto the ground and tried to get closer to Su Wei by putting his greasy hand on Su Wei's shoulder, his tone carrying a hint of roguishness.
"Besides, the place you're going to is probably in a remote area, right? We also need to bring our own equipment..."
Su Wei stepped aside, avoiding the hand.
These people are not only technically incompetent, but they also have terrible habits.
If we were to bring them back to our territory and have them live next to our cabins, that wouldn't be hiring them; it would be inviting wolves into our house.
The hunting rifles, Starlink equipment, and even Cotton Candy in his room were all things that could be exchanged for money in the eyes of these people.
Even if he installs surveillance cameras, it will probably be of no use.
He didn't want to make a mess of his house.
This group of people is exactly as Old Kash predicted.
Dirty, with bad habits, abusive drug use, and unclean hands and feet.
"No."
Su Wei turned and left without any hesitation.
"Hey? Boss! Don't go! The price is negotiable! 20 is fine! 18 is fine too!"
An anxious shout came from behind, followed by a low curse.
Without turning his head, Su Wei opened the car door, got into the driver's seat, locked the door, and drove away.
Through the car window, I left the chaotic market behind.
Old Kash was right; this place isn't worth staying even a second longer.
The wheels crunched as they rolled over the icy road.
Su Wei drove to the " Kodiak Industrial Rental Center," which was two kilometers away.
The art style here is completely different from before.
Inside the massive steel-structured factory building, the air was filled with the smell of machine oil and the cool scent of metal.