Spirit Lake Maple Sugar is located on the southwestern corner of the Fond du Lac Reservation. It is owned and operated by Bruce and Tawny Savage and their four children, Tahkoah, Sage, Cedar and Kayla. Bruce is an enrolled member of the Fond du lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa. Tawny is an enrolled member of the Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe. Along with a number of extended family, Spirit Lake Maple Sugar is a family supported business.

Maple sugaring has been in the Savage family for many generations in the Western Lake Superior region. The Ojibwe have harvested maple sugar to survive for thousands of years. Bruce and Tawny bought an 80 acre parcel of land on Fond du Lac, this is one of the only stands of old growth maples that survived logging and the 1918 fire. In 2001 they started the process to obtain the loan to purchase the home and sugaring equipment from previous owners, the Coughlin’s who went by the name Uncle John’s Maple Syrup. With the help of The Minnesota Chippewa Tribe Home Loan program, USDA Farm Service Agency and a private investor, the financing was secured

The family is able to tap approximately 2000 trees. After the construction of the new sugaring building, efficiency and comfort ability has encouraged more visitors to help in the processing. In order to continue bringing in income throughout the year, the family added wild rice finishing that occurs in the Fall months. Throughout the Spring and Summer they sell food items at the Duluth Farmers Market. The maple coated pecans, pure maple candy and other heirloom vegetables are big sellers. They are involved with the Inter-Tribal Agricultural Council which focuses on tribal farm operations throughout the Indian Country. Bruce and Tawny have also partnered with SARE Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) program to assist in teaching other community members about promoting healthy maple sugaring forests.