Whether he’s tapping trees, chopping firewood, or cooking syrup to rich perfection, Wayne Zimmerman is meticulous in crafting maple syrup down to the very last drop.
Four years ago, Wayne retired from his job as a state employee and turned to a family tradition and passion that promised to keep him busy: tapping homemade maple syrup at his family farm.
Growing up on the family farm in Rudolph, Wisconsin, Wayne spent his childhood watching his father harvest maple syrup. After receiving a degree in Dairy Sciences at UW-Madison and then spending years working for the state in health services, Wayne and his sister JoAnn returned to their roots and started Tower Hill Maple Syrup.
Photo courtesy of Julie Zimmerman
Now four years in the making, Tower Hill Maple Syrup is a family affair managed by Wayne, his wife Julie, and sister JoAnn.
The season begins every March when Wayne makes the commute up to Rudolph from his home in Madison. The tapping process is very precise, requiring perfect temperatures and mornings that begin 3 a.m.
Photo courtesy of Julie Zimmerman
A few hours and 200 gallons of sap later, Wayne boils it over a fire made from the very same woods where the sap is tapped.
“I must cook slower than other people because I get a lot of very dark syrup. And that’s what my customers like,” shared Wayne.
Photo courtesy of Julie Zimmerman
All spring, the family taps, chops, and boils until the warmer weather arrives. Then, it’s time to share their delicious range of syrup at the Monroe Street Farmer’s Market every weekend throughout the summer and fall.
By evaporating the sap slowly and carefully over a wood-burning fire, Tower Hill’s finished products are uniquely robust and unrefined.
“The larger producers use reverse osmosis to remove half the water before they begin cooking, and that makes lighter syrup. That’s what you find in stores,” Wayne explained. “There aren’t very many places you can find dark syrup in Madison.”
Now in his fourth year as a vendor at Monroe Street Farmer’s Market, Wayne says he’s enjoyed building relationships with customers and fellow vendors from the Madison area. This year, Tower Hill Maple Syrup expanded to sell at the Hilldale Farmer’s Market as well.
Photo courtesy of Julie Zimmerman
As the weather cools and farmer’s market season winds down, Wayne keeps busy at the farm cutting firewood to prepare for the next season of syrup and drives back to Madison for the weekends to sell the syrup until stock runs out, which he shared is coming quick!
In four grades ranging from Amber, Golden, Dark, and Very Dark syrup, Tower Hill’s products are rich and full of natural sweetness. The best way to enjoy it? According to Wayne himself, pancakes or french toast, of course!
Be sure to grab a bottle of Tower Hill’s Maple Syrup before it’s gone for the season. Visit the Monroe Street Farmer’s Market on Sundays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Edgewood High School.