at the Maple Sugar Festival 2017, March 4, 2017. Photo by Jeff Sovelove
By Jeff Sovelove
Morris County celebrated the annual Maple Sugar Festival at the Great Swamp Outdoor Education Center this past weekend.
All things maple were there, including maple sugar, maple candies, maple lollipops, and of course maple syrup.
The maple snow cones being were a big hit with the kids despite the cold weather. Maple trees can only be tapped when the temperature is below freezing at night and above freezing during the day and before the tree starts to bud.
Slideshow photos by Jeff Sovelove
Normally, the season is January-February, and it takes 40 gallons of maple sap to make one gallon of syrup. The sap looks like water when it comes out of the tree and must be boiled down to remove most of the water.
at the Maple Sugar Festival 2017, March 4, 2017. Photo by Jeff Sovelove
The Native Americans were well aware of maple syrup, but no one really knows how how it originated. Jenny Gaus-Myers was on hand to relate Native American stories of how maple sugaring was discovered, much to the enjoyment of the kids and adults alike.
Folks from Nieses Maple Farm in Putnam Valley, NY, were there to display their maple wares for anyone in need of a sugar fix.
They’ve been farming since 1684 and the eighth generation of the family currently is training in all things maple.
How sweet it is!
