FOR IMMEDIATE
RELEASE:
JANUARY 25, 2011
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
BOB ROTATORI - 216-635-3263 - or -
DAN CRANDALL - 216-635-3274
It seems like the end of winter arrives in Northeast Ohio at a
snail's pace. As the snow and ice melt, maple trees are
gearing up for spring before their leaves begin to bud. In
late February and early March, Ohio's maple trees are typically
ready to be tapped for collecting maple sap.
Cleveland Metroparks invites everyone to join the free
"History of Maple Sugaring" hikes along the Sugarbush
Trail in Rocky River Reservation to see the sap-collecting methods
and syrup-making processes used by Native Americans, pioneers and
modern sugar farmers.
On weekends, from February 26 through March 13, visitors can
walk through time along the Sugarbush Trail from 11 a.m. to 4:30
p.m. through the maple trees at Maple Grove Picnic Area.
After the hike, head to the Sugarhouse, and watch sap being
boiled into delicious, 100-percent, pure maple syrup. Guided
public hikes start at the Sugarhouse every twenty minutes (the last
hikes leaves at 3:40 p.m.).
Northeast Ohio is a major commercial producer of maple sugar due
to its prime weather conditions. The tree's sap flow
mechanisms depend on temperatures which alternate back and forth
from the freezing point (32� F). The best sap flows come when
nighttime temperatures are in the low 20's and daytime temperatures
are in the 40's. The longer it stays below freezing at night,
the longer the sap will run during the warm day to follow. Most
commercial sugaring operations collect sap through interconnected
plastic tubing attached to the maple trees, with the maple-sugaring
season typically lasting four to six weeks.
The "History of Maple Sugaring" programs can also
accommodate schools and groups during weekdays by
appointment only.
Maple Grove Picnic Area is located off Valley Parkway in Rocky
River Reservation, between Cedar Point Road and Spafford Road in
Brook Park - south of Rocky RiverNatureCenter.
For more information, call 440-734-6660.
Discover how maple sap turns into the sweet taste of maple syrup
at the "History of Maple Sugaring" in Cleveland
Metroparks - part of your life, naturally!
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