Duddles Sugarbush
 *Member Profile by Becky Thomas*

Robert & Pamela Duddles
21598 Sylvan Road
Reed City, MI 49677
231-832-2357

The woods that Robert Duddles taps each year are used to the annual spring ritual. After all, the property in Reed City has been used by his family for over 100 years of syrup making. And his operation is one of a kind in the area — there aren’t many producers nearby.

Robert describes his operation as “a couple thousand taps” currently, but he has tapped up to 4,000. Due to squirrel destruction, he has been forced lately to cut back. “I’d have a guy running around patching lines all day long,” he said. “The vacuum would be going and we’d get no sap in the holding tanks.” Yet he still averages 200-250 gallons of syrup a year, with the assistance of some nephews and hired help.

When thinking about his days growing up around the business of syrup making, Robert shares a story from a time when horses and wagons were used: “I remember walking behind the wagon when we were gathering sap. I saw the big tank with the plug in it and pulled it out. Ya know, it was just a plug stuck in there. Boy, did I get in trouble! They were not happy with me.” Obviously, the lesson learned that day has continued the syrup-making tradition.