Unusual weather forces family of Illinois maple syrup producers to adjust
McLEAN COUNTY, Ill. (CBS) – For generations, the Funks Grove Maple Sirup Farm has been a destination for drivers traveling the historic Route 66.
It's the largest maple syrup farm in the state, and it's getting ready for a busy season. But recent warm weather has spoiled some of the producers' plans, and it's becoming a trend.
"We're approaching my favorite time of the year out here cause all the plants are starting to come up," said Grace Springer, who works at the farm.
Before spring sprouts, the spouts used to collect tree sap come out. Springer recently pried them loose from tree after tree, signaling the end of syrup season near downstate Bloomington, in McLean County and about 120 miles southwest of Chicago.
"We make maple syrup," Springer said. "It's pretty, pretty straightforward."
She's been learning the ropes at the historic Funks Grove Maple Syrip Farm.
"I don't know the trees by name, but close," said Mike Funk.
Funk steers the business that started generations ago when his ancestors began making syrup in the early 1800s. The family still spells the word "syrip" with an "i," following the wishes Hazel Funk Holmes made in her will to use the spelling preferred at the time by Webster's, according to a history of the farm.
Mike Funk hopes to pass down the family tradition.
"It's big shoes to fill though, for sure," Springer said.
There are also big challenges to face.
In years past, the sap would still be flowing through the tap in early March, but not this year.
Springer said it's not their worst year, "but pretty close."
"You do the work to get ready, and you don't know what you're gonna get," Funk said.
Springer added, "It's just disheartening to have kind of the yields we've had this year with the amount of work that was put in up until that point."
It's becoming a familiar feeling.
"Over time, our seasons ... they seem to be getting shorter," she added.
Funk said, "We know we have climate change, and we just don't know down the road how that's going to affect us," said.
Maple trees need temperature swings for the sap to flow, but a warm winter can spoil a season.
"You want that temperature fluctuation, but you don't really want it to get above 50 [degrees]," said Springer.
The Funks anticipated warm temperatures this year, so they tapped trees early.
"We tapped in January this year, which was our earliest ever, and we ended four or five days ago, which was our earliest ever," said Springer. "And we ended four or five days ago, which was our earliest ever."
Like sap, the Funks learn to go with the flow.
"The main thing is to be ready to adjust," Funks said.
Springer said, "We're just going to have to adapt."
No customer will notice the difference. The syrup is just as sweet, no matter how sour the season.
"It's too special of a thing to not fight for moving forward," said Springer.
The Funks have also started experimenting with tapping black walnut trees. The sap is of a similar consistency to maple trees, and they can still use it to make syrup.
The family has far fewer of those trees, but the sap was still flowing despite the recent warm weather.
Learn more about the Funks farm at their website, FunksPureMapleSirup.com.
