MEMBER PROFILE
by Terry Coleman

Mike and Theresa Werp

As seasoned members of the MMSA, Mike and Theresa Werp of Buckley MI share a love for sugaring that many of us die-hards understand. Mike has been involved with farming for many years. Their farm consists of 80 acres with the back 40 in hard woods and the front 40 in tillable fields with one small lot of maples near the house and farm buildings. The back 40 has the potential for about 5000 taps, and the small woodlot near the front has 400 taps in it..

Mike's first year of sugaring was in 1983. He used tubing for about 25 taps and ran them into six collection barrels. To evaporate he used a large kettle over an outdoor fire. In 1984, he bought a copy of "Backyard Sugarin" and used their idea for a cement block arch with fireplace grates. On top, he added a 2'x6' flat pan and had a blast.

This portable outfit was put inside one of the farm buildings and then torn apart each year for storage space. About ten gallons of syrup was produced then. In 1985, when Mike and his wife were dating, they made syrup together and still do today.

In 1986, they put 1200 taps on tubing in the back 40. The sap was collected and hauled twelve miles to be sold to a large sugarhouse. This was done for four years until the large buyer shut down his operation. Mike said that he didn't miss getting stuck all the time with his large farm tractor while gathering sap.

1990 brought a 2'x6' drop flue evaporator to the Werps’ farm. They are still using it today. About 350 taps on tubing in the small woodlot are pumped to the farm building where they evaporate. Both Mike and his wife share in the boiling time with some help from a son and a daughter. Current production is around 70 gallons. All of the syrup is used at home or given as Christmas gifts to family, friends, and business associates.

Recently, the Werps abandoned traditional farming to grow specialty vegetables and flowers. Their largest customer is the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island. Their success has been awesome and Mike plans to use some of the profits to build a state-of-the-art sugarhouse in the next year or so. He would like to run about 2500 taps in this operation.

As busy as their new farming venture keeps them, sugaring will always be a part of this family's life. Being in the woods when everything is coming to life and feeling a kinship with the woods is what keeps this couple tapping. To locate the Werps farm, take M37 North from Mesick to county road 633 north. Turn left on 633 and go two miles to Zue Rd. Go left on Zue Rd one mile to Wilson Rd. Turn Right on Wilson and go two miles to Davis Rd. Turn left at Davis and it's the second farm on the left. Just look for the greenhouses (7625 Davis Rd.).