Michigan Maple Syrup Association
Fall Tour 1999 September 25th

The Fall Tour plans are all set and we will begin the tour at Ron and Debbi Thomas' sugar bush in Rose City. Registration will begin at 8:30am and the tour will start at 9:30am.

Ron & Debbi Thomas- Ron's sugar bush is on his father-in-laws' land where the family has made Maple Syrup since 1873. For about 10 years, no one made syrup here until Ron started it as a hobby in 1974. In 1986, homemade pans were replaced with a commercial evaporator. Since then, more trees were tapped each year reaching the 2000 taps for 1999, which are almost all on tubing. A few buckets are put out each year to show the local school children the difference over the years.

For the past 11 years, Ron has worked with the local K of C Council to host the Annual Maple Syrup Festival. An all you can eat, whole hog sausage and pancakes are served (over 600). Tours are given of the sugar bush. For the past few years Jeremy Wangler, a local man, has provided his wagon and team of draft horses for festival goers to enjoy a ride through the sugar bush.

Sean Delaney started making syrup as a hobby in 1997. His first year, Sean had 50 taps and in 1999 he had 95 taps. His sap is hauled about two miles from his fathers' farm. Sean boils on a 2'x5' homemade pan.

Ike Rosebrough's family are hobby producers. Most of the family gets involved in this all bucket operation, which has been in business for 24 years. They have 200 taps.
The Fritz family has been making syrup for a while now. They use large cast iron kettles over an open fire to boil. A green tree is cut down, braced over the fire and the kettles are chained to it. They make enough for their own family and a few friends.
Bill & Bob Britt formed a syrup making partnership and went from 100 taps on buckets their first year to 1500 taps on tubing their second year. Bill had made syrup for the previous 20 years in a family operation.

Directions to Ron's Pure Maple Syrup Sugar Bush

Traveling north in 1-75- take exit 202 -Alger. Stay on M-33 for approx. 13 miles. Turn left on Peters Rd. Go to stop sign -this is Campbell Rd. Turn right. Go to top of hill and follow signs to woods.

Traveling south in 1-75- take exit 215 -West Branch, M-55 East. Turn left and go through West Branch to the third stop light. Turn left onto M-55 East. Take M-55 to M-33, next stop light (about 6 miles). Turn left (north) on M-33. Turn left on Peters Rd (about 3 miles). Go to stop sign -Campbell Rd. Turn right. Go to top of hill and follow signs to woods.

Traveling south on M-33- Peters Rd is about 6 miles south of stop light in Rose City on M-33. Turn right on Peters Rd., go to stop sign, turn right on Campbell, go to top of hill and follow the signs to the woods.