MEMBER PROFILE
by Terry Coleman

Rick Peters

Normally, when I think of the syrup making areas of Michigan, the thumb area of our lower peninsula does not jump into my mind. With an abundance of maple forests and light producer activity, it is the land of opportunity for sugar makers. Rick Peters, an MMSA member since 1997, has been making syrup in the Cass City area since 1994.
Five years after high school, Rick purchased a 25 acre wooded parcel complete with house trailer and pole barn. All but 1-1/2 acres of the parcel is wooded, and predominantly maple. Half of the property is high ground and hard maple and half is low with soft maple. Rick had no background or family history in sugaring, but decided to try it when his father looked at the property and threw out the idea. From a greenhorn he's come a long way!

Mr. Peters is a metal fabricator and built a flat pan with trays his first year He made 13 gallons that year in an old shed and was hooked! The next year he bought a used 4'x10' King evaporator and bumped taps to around 600 buckets. He built an authentic looking l6'x20' sugarhouse with cupola back in the woods. He used this set-up for three years.

In 1998 Rick was busy! He purchased a new 4'x15' D&G drop flue with a steam away unit. He wanted better roadside exposure and needed more space so he poured a cement pad on the front of the property near M-53. After moving the sugarhouse to the pad he added tons of space. It ended up a l6'x30' with an extra 20'x20' canning room attached with a 24 'x50' wood canopy to boot! A blind man driving by couldn't miss that!

Rick has become a dealer for D&G USA and also Moreland Auto-drawoff systems, which he uses. Rick's equipment is top notch and he will be an exhibitor at the winter meeting.

Rick has maxed out 836 buckets on his hard maples. Four people gather sap at the bush by tractor/trailer and Rick boils. His production runs over 200 gallons now and he sells all of it at the homestead. It is not uncommon to have 50-visitors per day during boiling. Future plans include candy and cream making and increasing or purchasing sap. He is also currently changing to fuel oil from wood.

To visit Peter's sugarhouse you go north on M-53 from Imlay City for about 45 minutes. When you pass M-8l go another 2-1/2 miles and look for the sugar house. Remember, even a blind man driving at night couldn't miss that!