After recent ice storms toppled trees and made some northern Michigan roads and trails impassable, they also made maple sap collection for some local syrup producers impossible.
Multiple acres of tapped trees were snapped in the aftermath of the storm. Harwood Gold Store and Cafe in Charlevoix was one northwest Michigan syrup business affected. Owner Amanda Parsons said they were not able to even get into the woods until this week to assess the damage.
"We have two different sugar bushes, each are about a half mile from our central location on the farm where we collect and boil," she said. "But one sugarbush seems to be in pretty good shape and the other one is not looking so good at this point. So we're still determining how much damage, but it's more than we thought, unfortunately."
Parsons said their operation has about 1,500 taps and are smaller than some sugar makers around them.
"They have a lot more destruction and damage so, it's just, it's a sad situation," she added.
And it's not only the trees falling that has caused devastation. Miles of tubing also came down with the trees in the wake of the storm.
Christi Petersen, along with her husband Todd, co-own Maple Moon Sugarbush and Winery in Petoskey. She said their business is facing much more loss than just syrup.
"We got an estimate from a supplier to redo all these lines and it's probably going to cost a quarter million [dollars] and literally right now the sap is like raining from the top of the trees," she explained.
Petersen said when adding in the loss of their production and time, it'll actually cost closer to a half million dollars to recoup.
However, she did add that their store is America's first maple winery and wine reserves they stored will help them stay afloat for at least two years.
"For us, I guess minimizing the damage is where we're focused right now. For other people in the business, that might look like buying or leasing other properties in the area...which we have that option too...so we can tap trees," Petersen said.
As recovery efforts continue, maple producers are asking for volunteers to help with clean up.
