• Home
  • News
    • UP 200
    • Local
    • Lansing Bureau
    • Washington D.C. Bureau
    • National
    • Insights
    • Watch 19 News Live
    • CBS News Live
    • Report News
  • Weather
    • Forecast + Conditions
    • Current Alerts
    • Interactive Radar
    • Cameras
    • Share Photos/Videos
    • Closings and Delays
  • Sports
  • Features
    • Life in the 906
    • The Yooper Goddess
WZMQ 19 News | CBS | MeTV Marquette
Clear

Marquette
Clear 59°

Clear

Escanaba
Clear 61°

Partly Cloudy

Houghton
Partly Cloudy 62°

Mostly Cloudy

Iron Mountain
Mostly Cloudy 68°

Watch
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
    • UP 200
    • Local
    • Lansing Bureau
    • Washington D.C. Bureau
    • National
    • Insights
    • Watch 19 News Live
    • CBS News Live
    • Report News
  • Weather
    • Forecast + Conditions
    • Current Alerts
    • Interactive Radar
    • Cameras
    • Share Photos/Videos
    • Closings and Delays
  • Sports
  • Features
    • Life in the 906
    • The Yooper Goddess
WZMQ 19 News | CBS | MeTV Marquette
No Result
View All Result
WZMQ 19 News | CBS | MeTV Marquette
No Result
View All Result

Mild winter slows maple syrup production

by Lily Simmons
March 25, 2024 - Updated on March 26, 2024
A A

BARK RIVER, Mich. (WZMQ) – The unseasonably warm winter has made business harder across many industries, including maple syrup production.

“Coming off a very mild winter, a lot of maple farmers tapped early,” said Jeff Olson, co-owner of Olson Bros. Sugarbush. “We held off until February 23rd.”

On average, the Olson Bros. Sugarbush produces approximately 3,500 gallons of syrup each year. Due to the less-than-favorable conditions, that number currently sits around 2,600.

“The weather is what drives our yield,” Olson explained. “The freezing and thawing of the tree, the ground is what causes sap to run, so when you start having the budding process start early and when you start having those sap runs early, it’s definitely going to affect it.”

It takes a lot of work to get the sap from the tree to the table. Traditional tapping involves finding a healthy spot in each tree, drilling a 1.5″ hole, hammering the tap in, and waiting for the sap to drip into the bucket. From there, the sap goes to the evaporator.

“The preheater preheats the sap and obviously we get water as a byproduct out of that,” Olson said. “The sap works its way through our food pans, getting closer and closer to being syrup.”

Rather than tapping, the Olson brothers have largely converted to tubing over the years. Olson says tubing is healthier for the trees and allows him to get the most sap for his buck, even during a season like this.

“[Tubing is] going to use ground slope and it’s going to use vacuum to assist you in getting the sap from the tree,” he said. “As it sucks the sap, it’s sucking the bacteria out of the tree. If you want to think of a tap hole as a wound in the tree, what causes that to heal is bacteria. That’s why you get typically double the yield, having a sealed system, that you would get out of a pail.”

Because the Olson Bros. Sugardbush waited to tap this season’s sap, Olson is optimistic about the next few weeks of maple syrup production.

“We’re going to run until Mother Nature tells us that we can’t,” he said. “When you have this type of investment—literally, we have several hundred thousand dollars tied up in tubing—I want to harvest as much sap as I can out of it. I do think that when things start to come around, it’s going to make up for lost time. We’re still making good, table-grade syrup at this point.”

For more information about the Olson Bros. Sugarbush, call (906) 553-3636 or email olsonmaplesyrup@hotmail.com.

Get WZMQ 19 anytime, anywhere

Download the app

AppleAndroid

Watch on TV

RokuFire TVZeam

Connect on social media

FacebookTwitterInstagram

More

News

Busy Wednesday Night Market ahead of Fourth of July weekend

July 2, 2025
News

New Delta County Parks manager discusses recent developments and potential plans

July 2, 2025
News

Former NMU Administrator Files Notice of Intent to Sue, Alleging Age and Gender Discrimination

July 2, 2025
News

Democrats Warn Trump Budget Bill Could Undermine Rural Health Care in Michigan

July 2, 2025
The Michigan State Police are hitting the road this summer with a statewide tour of Michigan communities, including the UP.
News

MSP seeks public’s help in locating missing Rock River Township teen

July 2, 2025
These 72 Large-scale black-and-white portraits line the rear facade of the Delft Theatre — everyday people who’ve worked, lived, and given back to the community, but whose contributions often go unrecognized.
News

The faces of our community

July 1, 2025 - Updated on July 2, 2025
Next Post

Kognisjon Brewery prepares new brew for Habitat for Humanity

Partridge Creek Farms

A statewide grant allows for Partridge Creek Farms to continue educational food programs

  • Home
  • News
  • Weather
  • Sports
  • Features
  • Events
  • Programming
  • Station
WZMQ CBS | 19 News

© 2025 WZMQ, LLC | FCC Public File | EEO Report

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
    • UP 200
    • Local
    • Lansing Bureau
    • Washington D.C. Bureau
    • National
    • Insights
    • Watch 19 News Live
    • CBS News Live
    • Report News
  • Weather
    • Forecast + Conditions
    • Current Alerts
    • Interactive Radar
    • Cameras
    • Share Photos/Videos
    • Closings and Delays
  • Sports
  • Features
    • Life in the 906
    • The Yooper Goddess
  • Events
  • Programming
    • Programming Guide
    • CBS
    • MeTV
    • Start TV
    • Heroes & Icons
    • Court TV
    • ION
  • Station
    • About Us
    • Community Involvement
    • Mobile App
    • Meet the Team
    • Contact
    • Careers
    • Advertising
    • Request Copy of Story
    • FCC Public File
    • EEO Report
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
    • UP 200
    • Local
    • Lansing Bureau
    • Washington D.C. Bureau
    • National
    • Insights
    • Watch 19 News Live
    • CBS News Live
    • Report News
  • Weather
    • Forecast + Conditions
    • Current Alerts
    • Interactive Radar
    • Cameras
    • Share Photos/Videos
    • Closings and Delays
  • Sports
  • Features
    • Life in the 906
    • The Yooper Goddess
  • Events
  • Programming
    • Programming Guide
    • CBS
    • MeTV
    • Start TV
    • Heroes & Icons
    • Court TV
    • ION
  • Station
    • About Us
    • Community Involvement
    • Mobile App
    • Meet the Team
    • Contact
    • Careers
    • Advertising
    • Request Copy of Story
    • FCC Public File
    • EEO Report
This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used. Visit our privacy policy.