MANITOWOC COUNTY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — A family farm tradition is taking center stage at the Farm Wisconsin Discovery Center, south of Manitowoc.
The Maple Days event has returned for its third season, and inside the facility, a celebration of all things maple is underway.
“Many folks know that March brings the time of year when it’s freezing at night, but warms up in the morning. And that means sap is starting to flow out of our maple trees,” said Abigail Winkel, Farm Wisconsin Discovery Center Program Manager.
Winkel says it begins here with hands-on activities.
“Everything from tapping an actual tree. We have a log from a maple tree right inside, that you can come in, and tap. And then just kind of follow the process along of turning sap into syrup,” she said.
The event stretches beyond the discovery center. Maple syrup producers are also playing host.
“People get to come out and see the maple operations, get to see the sugar houses first hand, get to go out in the woods, and see the tapping process, see the cooking process,” said Theresa Baroun, Maple Sweet Dairy Farm.
Baroun says Maple Sweet Dairy Farm has been going with the flow, since 1964. She says because of the weather, the site south of De Pere is about a month ahead of schedule.
“We started tapping around the 10th of February, and started cooking on the 20th of February. This last week, we had great runs at our sugarbush. We brought in over 1,000 gallons of sap yesterday. So we are cooking that down to make great products of maple syrup,” she said.
Baroun says the syrup season typically lasts 28-45 days. Back at the Farm Wisconsin Discovery Center, Maple Days the event, continues.
“It’s still a great opportunity to come on out, it’s all indoor here at Farm Wisconsin, so leave the snow outside, come in, and enjoy, and learn a little bit about the maple industry in Wisconsin,” said Winkel.
Maple Days wraps up Saturday.
Included with the celebration is a special door prize, a free maple tree sapling.
