Maple syrup

Locations: Southern, Mid-Michigan

Hungry? Try: Caleb's Cider Mill (Vermontville), The Country Mill (Potterville), Papa's Pumpkin Patch and Country Farm Market (Mt. Pleasant)

About: (History of Maple Syrup in Michigan) Native Americans have been using the sap from maple trees to flavor their food for centuries. The Ojibways of the Great Lakes, the Wyandots of the Detroit River, and the Indians at Pidgeon Lake were similar in how they processed the maple sap: they prepared troughs, collected the sap, and brought it to the fire, while the most experienced women regulated the heat. Sometimes the sap was made to boil by placing hot stones in the mixture. Some tribes celebrated the return of spring with a “maple moon” festival which is known today as “sugar-off time.” Early settlers observed the Native Americans and imitated their methods, and would boil 40 gallons of sap for one gallon of syrup. During the Civil War, tin was found to be a useful way to decrease the boiling time. But, it was still a labor-intensive effort. The energy crunch of the 1970s led to technological breakthroughs, including tubing, vacuum pumps, and reverse osmosis filters. Vermontville is home to the original maple syrup festival in Michigan. In 1940, during a conversation at the local barber shop, the Vermontville Maple Syrup Festival was proposed. Currently, all young women in their junior (grade 11) year at Maple Valley Schools are eligible to compete for the title of Vermontville Maple Syrup Festival Queen. Shepherd, near Mount Pleasant, also hosts an annual Maple Syrup Festival, since 1958.

Nearest KIMF Location: Frankenmuth, Chelsea, Dundee

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