CENTENNIAL MAPLES

Michael and Dawn Meade have been members of the MMSA since 1998. The 120-acre centennial farm near Nashville, where Mike built his house, has been in the family since his great-great-grandfather's time! Mike's father gave him 10 acres to build on, and they also live on the farm in a beautiful old stone house.

The wooded area of the farm was a Sugarbush from around 1930 until 1950 when Mike's great granddad quit tapping. Sometime in the 1980's Mike's father bought a bunch of sap buckets at an auction. After looking over the woods, which had been select cut a couple of times, Mike noticed a section of very large trees on a nice stop all planted in rows by his ancestors.

In 1990, a hundred buckets were hung and gradually increased to around 400 in 1998. The original sap shanty was demolished, but Mike found the pans and arch front, which are now keepsakes. He took his sap for those eight years to the Nashville Association to be boiled on shares and then gave them away! By the way, Mike is now Vice President of the Nashville Association. From 1999 until now, his sap has gone to Brian Moore's sugarhouse to be boiled on shares along with two other producers’ sap. The Moore's and Mead's are close friends and tap, gather and boil together.

Last fall Mike bought a 40"x 12' King copper evaporator in excellent shape, along with other equipment and more buckets from a local producer who quit. They will break ground soon on a new sap house with all stainless counters in the finishing area.

Sugaring is a family affair for the Meades. Mike's son, daughter and wife all gather sap. Mike's wife and her friend were even wearing miner’s hats and gathering in the dark last season. The tradition of tapping the same trees their ancestors did is what the Meades really love. They are making enough syrup now that they even get to sell it and not give it away!

To visit Centennial Maples, take M-66 north from Nashville 3 miles to State Rd. Turn left and go 2 miles to Eaton Rd. Turn right and go 1/2 mile to house and sugar bush on your left. Their address is 490 Eaton Rd.

Written by Profile Editor, Terry Coleman