BELDING, Mich. — Wesley Endres, a freshman at a local high school is expanding his small business thanks to a grant from Bob Evans.
The teen has restarted a family business that started generations ago making maple syrup.
“It's just a fun little project to do in the spring. I mean, it's time consuming, but it's fun,” Endres said.
The business of making and selling maple syrup started with Wesley’s great grandfather.
“With my grandpa and my dad, it kind of stopped, but now we're starting to redo it again,” Endres said.
The Endres Family Farm is hundreds of acres with a surplus of maple trees.
“After I get home from school, I can go right out and start collecting sap. By the time dad gets home I'll have everything ready, and when you start boiling, sometimes boil till midnight,” Endres said.
Wesley, who is a member of the National FFA Organization, was told by a teacher at his school about a $1,000 grant from Bob Evans.
“Helping students who have an interest in this area and helping them to deliver on their dreams or obtain their dreams is something that Bob Evans is very focused on,” Robert Holtcamp, President & CMO at Bob Evans Restaurants, said.
With that grant money Wesley has been able to triple the size of his sugar shanty.
Which in turn has increased production from 100 taps up to 300 taps.
“Just want to get big enough to where we can make a profit but still have fun doing it. Don't want to turn it into a business where there's more to it than fun is riding on, I just wanted to still be able to have fun while doing it,” Endres said.
Fun and delicious because nothing beats pure maple syrup made right here at home.
Twelve high school students from across the Midwest, including Wesley, were awarded a grant.
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