My Great Grandfather Ira Halsey bought his farm on Santee Hwy. here in Charlotte, MI in 1921 where he and my Great Grandmother Vera Halsey raised their 18 children. Yes, that's correct 18 children!
Ira started making Maple syrup the first year they were on the farm. My Grandpa Bud (Floyd) worked alongside Ira until 1962 when he and my Grandmother Shirley took over the operation and the farm from Ira and Vera.
I was born in 1965 and started carrying sap in little sand buckets when I was about 3 years old going to the Sugar Bush as my Dad Gary would be back there helping. I worked back there every spring until I was 15 when my Grandpa couldn't make Syrup any longer due to his health. None of his kids wanted to take it over. I made it until I was about 25 and had bought my own place that I started tapping the trees out in the front yard because I wanted some syrup.
I started with 13 taps and boiled it on the stove, then 4 evaporators, 2 Sugar Shacks, 2 farms, 2 daughters later, here I am having this website set up to help spread this delicious all natural product!
I absolutely love making Maple syrup! I have been helping make or have been making it for over 40 years. I started boiling and bottling at my grand parent's when I was 12, and my youngest daughter Gracelyn started out when she was about 2.
Gracelyn is now 17 and boils / bottles on her own. She knows every step including the tapping and line repairs. When it's time, she wants take over the family tradition.
Hopefully, in another 102 years, her great grandkids will take over the operation... just as I did for my Great Grandfather!
-Ryan Halsey, Pleasant Meadows Farms
Copyright © 2020 Pleasant Meadows Farms - All Rights Reserved.
Designed by Gregory Em Graphics & Design