Maple Sugaring Question

[Ct Yankee]

The taps are in around my neighborhood but I've got a question for those with more expertise than me.  I know the effort, process (there are a dozen sugarhouses near me), the fear of burning a pan, and aspects involved.  I was taught how to judge, including viscosity and color/clarity, and have judged syrup at our very large local Fair.  Yesterday, while hiking about a mile away from my home, I saw blue vinyl bags (see photo) used for gathering sap - this was my first ever sighting of these collectors (the farmer also had metal buckets and vacuum tubing in use).  I was hard pressed to think of what the benefit was of using the vinyl bags.  Undoubtedly, less expensive but just the same effort to clean, more susceptible to animal or accidental puncture, not as durable, and a little morse clumsy to handle.  The farmer was not about as we passed, anyone know the reason for using vinyl bags - strictly cost?

https://imgur.com/a/YYYG09G

[Rob.]

We have lots of 200 gallon sized plastic containers around this area connected to networks of plastic tubing coming off each tree.

Metal will decay, is heavy, and probably more expensive than plastic products. There are a lot of advances in maple sap collection in the last few years.

[Ct Yankee]

Thanks, had not seen it around previously.

[redhat]

A friend and I would swap beer for syrup when doing the Dayton hamfest every year.  I would bring up some of the local brew, and he would trade a few quarts of Wisconsin maple.  When they moved the Dayton fest to Greene county several years back, I passed a house on the side of the road one morning selling syrup.  I stopped and picked up a few quarts.  I was surprised, I had no idea such a thing was conducted even in Ohio.

+-RH