Whether you find yourself in a family tree of Maple Syrup makers or you were just bitten by the Maple Syrup bug, the best place to gain experience and information is through your Michigan Maple Syrup Association (MMSA). With a growing membership over the years, the MMSA offers the experienced as well as the back yard syrup producer an abundance of resources and networking that is immeasurable in picking up new ideas, products and know-how in just about any area of the maple syrup process, marketing and sales.

During the MMSA Fall Tour in the Thumb this year, Stephen Childs from Cornell University provided a day of “Confectionery School” which illustrated a variety of maple syrup uses such as making Maple cotton candy, Maple peanuts, Maple marshmallow Cream, Maple candy, Maple Rice Crispy bars, producing Maple sugar and much more. These products can all be used to expand your Maple Syrup use and sales in the aftermarket. Cornell University publishes the “Maple Confections Notebook” which is comprised of numerous products, information and instructions on making a variety of marketable products.

The Fall tour also included a tour of five “Thumb of Michigan” Sugar Bush’s ranging from large to small providing the participants with the opportunity to see other producers sugar houses and how they make their Maple syrup.

In March 2020, the MMSA will host Maple Weekend around the state so that local community members can visit Maple Sugar Houses in the areas that they reside. This weekend opportunity provides and opportunity for the local residents to visit and see a Maple Syrup operation and learn more about the value of the Maple Syrup industry in Michigan agriculture economy.

The association has an annual MMSA meeting which takes place in Mt Pleasant each January and provides both vendors and members the opportunity to see the latest products, (Leader, La Pierre, CDL, and Sunrise Metal etc) while vendors answer innumerable questions and share ideas. Best of all, the members participate in various topic presentations all related to Maple Syrup production and marketing and sales.

Whether your are an just interested, a hobbyist or a large producer, the MMSA offers the resources and colleagues as community of Maple Syrup people who love what they do and learning and sharing new and better ways to make Maple Syrup. Your involvement is easy, just visit the Michigan Maple Syrup Association web page at https://www.michiganmaple.org/ and click the link to become a member. It’s an opportunity that you shouldn’t miss and joining the MMSA Maple Syrup family is just that easy!