McCrory Gardens hosted its annual Maple Syrup Workshop event on Sunday, welcoming over 100 attendees to gain knowledge, explore new skills and engage with the local community.
The highly anticipated workshop is designed to teach participants the processes of tree tapping and syrup production. The event featured presentations, demonstrations and useful insights for sustainable practices.
Planning for the Maple Syrup Workshop began with assessing the weather conditions and coordinating schedules with key presenters. Sydney Trio, education coordinator and SDSU Extension Horticulture assistant emphasized the importance of engaging the community with diverse educational programs.
“I think with the mix of different things we have, like the tasting, it is fun for all ages,” Trio said. “As well as the presentation style for people to listen but also giving them an opportunity and time to talk one-on-one with experts,” said Trio.
Attendees received information on tree tapping, sap harvesting and syrup storage. They also had the chance to compare store-bought maple syrup to Mccrory Gardens’ own maple syrup and even sampled McCrory Maple SDSU ice cream. According to Trio, the variety of activities made the workshop a unique and special event for all ages.
Event attendees were given their own bucket and tapping system. This way, they are able to apply what they learned and have the resources to begin their own maple syrup production at home.
John Ball is an SDSU professor, an Extension Forestry Specialist and a South Dakota Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources Forest Health Specialist. He said he’s excited to share the workshop’s content with attendees.
“It’s not that we’re just talking to people about how to do it; we’re giving them the materials,” Ball said.
Despite the fact that South Dakota is not known as a forested state, citizens really appreciate the significance of the region’s trees and the vital role they play. Workshops like this are opportunities to strengthen people’s bond with the land and its resources, Ball said.
“Being able to go out and tap your maple tree, collect that sap and utilize it, is just one more of those connections you have with the land,” Ball said.
Event Attendee, Cheri Loest, said that she appreciated the opportunity to learn new skills and explore creative ways to use the sap from maple trees. Her excitement highlighted the workshop’s ability to inspire attendees to experiment and find new uses for local resources.
“I always encourage people when you can learn something, learn it. Information is never wasted,” Loest said.
McCrory Gardens’ Maple Syrup Workshop proved to be more than just an educational event. Participants left with new skills, tools and inspiration to begin their own maple syrup production
“Things like this give people pause, makes people appreciate and respect nature more. It gets you away from the screen and interacting with the world around you,” Loest said.
