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There’s a sweet scent in the air on Montcalm Community College’s Sidney campus.

In its inaugural season, The Sugar Bush at MCC has been boiling down sap tapped from its own maple trees on campus.

Ten trees in Montcalm Heritage Village were tapped on Feb. 7, and the sap is being boiled in The Sap House, also located in Heritage Village on the college’s Sidney campus. Syrup is being bottled to be used to promote The Sugar Bush.

Seth Sutton, MCC Arts and Humanities Instructor and Department Chair, “Sugar Captain” and head of the college’s Sugar Council is thrilled to see this dream come to fruition. Sutton has been a part of sugar bush operations most of his life but hasn’t had the chance to oversee the process from start to finish until now.

Seven MCC faculty and staff members from a variety of departments make up the Sugar Council, including Sutton, Social Sciences Instructor Andrea Martin, Director of Operations Taylor Male, Director of Instructional Innovation Kevin Wagenmaker, Biology Instructor Heather Wesp, MSU-MCC ag program coordinator and Ag Club adviser Brian Gardner and Early College Instructor Dave Pyle. 

“The Sugar Bush really is a multidisciplinary project. Several of the degrees and programs we offer here can utilize the sugar bushin their course work,” said Sutton.

“History, anthropology, chemistry, agriculture, business, marketing and environmental sciences are just a handful of the courses that can take advantage of the sugar bush and related operations in their coursework.” 

Martin, who also serves as advisor of the History & Culture Club and as a member of the sugar council, said students in her classes and the club are assisting in the process this year. 

 “This is a great hands-on learning experience for many students and community members at MCC. The Sugar Bush is yet another way we’re working to restore cultural events and ideas here,” Martin explained.

Male has played a large part in the design and installation process of The Sap House. 

“I’m excited about the opportunities to connect with Heritage Village and grow MCC’s academic partnership with the village,” he said.

MCC is one of four colleges in Michigan and one of just 27 colleges in the U.S. to run a Sugar Bush operation. 

In the future, there are plans to run educational programs for K-12 students, offer noncredit courses, create a syrup making co-op and maybe even have a syrup festival.

“We’re all excited to see what the future holds for The Sugar Bush at MCC,” Sutton said.

Media contact:
Shelly Springborn
Director of Communications and Public Relations
shellys@montcalm.edu
989-560-0833