Today we’d like to introduce you to Steven Hart.
Hi Steven , please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I began making maple syrup 25 years ago with my grandpa. I spent my childhood making memories with him, alongside my dad, cousins, aunts and uncles in the sugar shack. As I grew older, I knew I wanted to honor my grandpa’s legacy by continuing this tradition with my own family. When my wife and I first married, we tapped 5 maple trees in our front yard. As our family grew, so did our syrup operation. This year, we tapped 307 maple trees and made 50 gallons of maple syrup. It is a joy and a privilege to now share these memories with my 2 young sons. We hope to keep expanding, and show our children how gratifying it can be to spend so much time outdoors creating such a sweet product.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
25 years has brought along many changes. My family has experienced losses, growth, moves, new careers, and new roles. But through all of that, this has remained a hobby that I am passionate about, and I have been able to dedicate myself to learning and working in this craft. I am grateful that I am able to now grow this tradition again with my wife and kids, and I have been blessed with some wonderful mentors along the way.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
By trade, I am an electrician. I also am a member of my city’s fire department. I make syrup and own Hart’s Maple Acres.
I am proud of my roots, and that Hart’s Maple Acres is truly a family run business. We pride ourselves in our flat pan boiled syrup, made over a wood fire just like my grandpa did. I am also incredibly proud of how much my sons have learned and their passion for helping my wife and I. Every bottle of syrup is packed by hand.
Harts Maple Acres is also a member of the Michigan Maple Syrup Association, which is a group that we love getting to be a part of.
Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?
This year, our syrup won second place at the Michigan Maple Syrup Association’s annual conference!
Contact Info:
- Facebook: Harts Maple Acres
