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Dawn
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Does anyone go "sugaring" in the early spring?
We are going to watch maple syrup being made next weekend at a local reservation. I haven't been since I was a schoolgirl, and I'm looking forward to doing this with my boys!
Before we go we'll read Sugaring and Sugarbush Spring. I'd also like to kick off a little unit on trees.
I thought we would try out some maple syrup cooking too! I'm planning to make baked donuts on St. Joseph's Day and frost them with maple butter frosting (scroll down). Yum! 
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JennGM
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How fun!!!! Don't forget Laura Ingalls Wilder on the maple sugaring. Wasn't it "Little House in the Big Woods"? And did "Farmer Boy" have a section on it, too? Now I'll have to pull out my copies and read that part again!
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mary
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check with your nature center - ours is allowing the hsed kids to come and tap the trees, boil and cook the syrup and then buy it. all for a nominal fee! 
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guitarnan
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If you're in Virginia, consider heading to the Highland County Maple Festival this weekend and next (March 11-12 and 18-19). You can see a sugar camp, eat tons of pancakes, watch artisans at work, buy craft items, see a movie filmed in Monterey, VA (the main location of the festival), etc.
Did I mention pancakes? With syrup?
Wear old shoes and bring a jacket. It's usually muddy and cold. Parking goes fast!
Now I'm hungry.
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Mary G
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jenngm67 wrote:
| How fun!!!! Don't forget Laura Ingalls Wilder on the maple sugaring. Wasn't it "Little House in the Big Woods"? And did "Farmer Boy" have a section on it, too? Now I'll have to pull out my copies and read that part again! |
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It's in Little House in the Big Woods. We just read these chapters yesterday and today -- now my kids want to try Hasty Pudding (with tons of maple syrup I fear  ) for dinner.
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Rebecca
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My husband's family recently moved to suburbia from their home on 45 wooded acres. Every year prior to their move, they had their maple trees tapped and were paid in maple syrup. I have never had to buy syrup in 13 years of marriage until this year!
We are lucky to have a beautiful arboretum nearby that taps its trees and holds an annual pancake breakfast. We will have to check it out!
God Bless,
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MacBeth
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I have taught a class in sugaring for k-12 in the field, and one of my favorite moments is when the kids try the REAL syrup vs. "pancake" syrup taste test. I guess most kids never get the real thing, because they always prefer pancake syrup.
If you want to try tapping a tree in your yard, here's a fun "nature" addition. Rather than use a commercial spile (spigot), make your own out of stag-horn sumac. Here are some instructions (pdf file) courtesy of Montclair State University in NJ.
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JennGM
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MacBeth wrote:
| If you want to try tapping a tree in your yard, here's a fun "nature" addition. Rather than use a commercial spile (spigot), make your own out of stag-horn sumac. Here are some instructions (pdf file) courtesy of Montclair State University in NJ. |
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I couldn't make the link work...any suggestions?
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Jennifer G. Miller
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JennGM
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guitarnan wrote:
| If you're in Virginia, consider heading to the Highland County Maple Festival this weekend and next (March 11-12 and 18-19). You can see a sugar camp, eat tons of pancakes, watch artisans at work, buy craft items, see a movie filmed in Monterey, VA (the main location of the festival), etc. |
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I have to remember this for next year! I've always wanted to experience maple sugaring...inspired by the Little House books!
What regions would have maple sugaring? I know the Northeast, but since our VA winter was so mild, would there still be good tapping?
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Jennifer G. Miller
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MaryM
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Boo hoo.... no maple tapping in the Rocky Mountains 
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Mary M. in Denver
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Mary G
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Mary G. wrote:
-- now my kids want to try Hasty Pudding (with tons of maple syrup I fear ) for dinner. |
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and they all (including the big ones and Dad loved it! But then some of them like grits, too -- so take it with a grain of salt (or corn )
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Dawn
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MacBeth wrote:
| I guess most kids never get the real thing, because they always prefer pancake syrup. |
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We love the *real* stuff, but I just cannot get over how expensive it is, especially when/if you buy organic ... 
I wonder if prices are lower at this time of year ~ if March is "in season" for maple syrup? Like how strawberries cost less in June than they do in January?
If you have A Time To Keep: The Tasha Tudor Book of Holidays, the March spread is a lovely depiction of an old fashioned sugaring-off party.
Also, our library has a copy of The Sugaring-Off Party which looks nice too.
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Dawn, mum to 3 boys
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JennGM
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Ah yes! Great one! Her Around the Year also has it in March.
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Jennifer G. Miller
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Dawn
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I found this maple syrup unit study online. I haven't looked at it fully yet, but there seems to be a wealth of information!
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MaryM
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Mary G. wrote:
| It's in Little House in the Big Woods. |
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It's also one of the chapters that was pulled out for the "My First Little House Books" series - Sugar Snow. The illustrations in these books are lovely.
These are additional picture books that could be used:
Sugar on Snow
At Grandpa's Sugar Bush
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amiefriedl
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This looks cool from Dover:
The Seasons of America Past
I'm on a "surf Dover" kick!
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Amie
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kristina
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Dawn wrote:
We love the *real* stuff, but I just cannot get over how expensive it is, especially when/if you buy organic ...
I wonder if prices are lower at this time of year ~ if March is "in season" for maple syrup? Like how strawberries cost less in June than they do in January?
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Dawn,
Our children really enjoy the real maple syrup, but your right.. it can be pricey! I was recently shopping at a local food co-op store and they had organic maple syrup for $4.59/lb. That is a much better than the grocery store and I am curious to know whether that is a seasonal price or not. I did not think to ask at the time. I will the next time I shop there.
Blessings,
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4Real Forums : Exploring God's Creation in Nature and Science
Topic: maple sugaring
