The Sweet Science: Making maple syrup in Michigan [Video]

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich — It’s as much a Michigan tradition as playing euchre or using your hand as a map. We make maple syrup here, and this time of the year is typically the sweet spot for making the sweet stuff.

According to the United States Department of Agriculture, Michigan is fifth in maple syrup production in the country for 2023, producing an estimated 195,000 gallons. That is up 7,000 gallons from the previous year.

Now, I am far from a classically trained expert on this topic – but my family has been making maple syrup in this undisclosed, top-secret location at this time of the year, for over 30 years. And before us, this Sugar Shack we use has been the home base for maple syrup production for over 100 years.

When the days start getting warmer, but the nights are still below freezing – usually around February and March – that daily …