Skip to main content

Today's Family Magazine

Maple Sugaring Weekends

Feb 21, 2017 10:50AM ● By Today's Family
Ever wonder how pure maple syrup is produced?  Discover how through hands-on demonstrations and crafts as you tap into the fun of Maple Sugaring Weekends at Lake Metroparks Farmpark.  Maple sugaring activities are featured 9 am to 5 pm, March 4–5 and March 11–12.

The journey begins with a wagon ride into the maple woods and arrives at the Woodland Center.  There, you can see and take part in the maple sugaring process.  Kids learn how to tap a tree with hands-on guidance from Farmpark staff.  The whole family gets involved collecting sap contained in collection buckets hung on the maple trees.  Move indoors to watch the water-like substance you helped collect boiled and ultimately processed into pure maple syrup and other naturally sweet products.

Farmpark’s very own pure maple syrup and other maple items are available for sale in both the Woodland Center and Gift Shop.
Maple sugaring-themed activities during Maple Sugaring Weekend include:
  • Children can tap a maple tree by hand
  • Gather buckets with fresh sap and pour it into horse-drawn sap collector
  • See how maple candy is made
  • Sample pure maple syrup and maple candy
  • Whip up your own tasty treat with maple stirs (additional fee applies)
  • Learn how to make maple syrup in your own backyard
  • Tour the sugar bush operation
  • Sample maple syrup on silver dollar pancakes
  • Create a maple craft
  • Make ice cream and taste the results
  • Pony rides (additional fee)
It takes 40 gallons of sap boiled down to produce just one gallon of pure maple syrup.  During the course of the event, you can learn how trees are tapped and see the network of tubing that connects the 1,000 taps that provide sap for the Farmpark’s maple syrup production.  Once collected, reverse-osmosis is used to remove a portion of the water from the sap prior to boiling, saving both time and resources.  Maple syrup production has evolved over the years from the use of hand-made wooden taps to the intricate tubing system used today.  Maple sugaring history comes to life through the many antique tools, photos and more on display inside the Woodland Center.

The hands-on experiences of Maple Sugaring Weekends are included in the regular Farmpark admission.  Farmpark members and children under 2 are free.

PANCAKE BREAKFAST
Pancakes served all day in the J&J Café ($7 ages 12 and older; $4 ages 2 to 11). No registration necessary; regular Farmpark admission applies.

Lake Metroparks Farmpark is located at 8800 Euclid Chardon Road in Kirtland.  Open 9 am to 5 pm Tuesday through Sunday year-round.