Hartwick Pines State Park Hosts Maple Syrup Day March 24

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

March 1, 2012

CONTACT: Rob Burg or Craig Kasmer (989) 348-2537 

 

Hartwick Pines State Park Hosts Maple Syrup Day March 24

At Hartwick Pines State Park’s Visitor Center and Logging Museum March 24 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. visitors can spend the day learning about—and sampling—North America’s oldest agricultural product, maple sugar! Visitors to the park are invited to:

• Walk into the sugarbush to help tap a maple tree;
• Watch the boil-down process that converts maple sap to maple syrup;
• Learn about the history of maple sugar making in North America;
• Watch videos about maple sugar;
• Ask an expert about how to start making maple syrup and tap trees in their own backyard; 
• Taste maple sap and the finished maple syrup; and 
• Purchase maple sugar candy and syrup.         

Children can help tap a maple tree and learn how to build their own mokuk. A mokuk is a birch bark container in which native peoples transported maple sugar. Making a paper mokuk replica provides a history lesson and discussion about how European settlers learned of the Native Americans’ sugaring culture. 

Tree tapping demonstrations will take place at 10:30, 11:30, 1:30, 2:30 and 3:30 in the sugar bush. Visitors will be invited to help tap the maple trees.

Maple recipes will be available for those wishing to savor the sweetness of the day. 

The Friends of Hartwick Pines State Park cosponsor this special event. 

Hartwick Pines State Park is located at 4216 Ranger Rd., Grayling, MI 49738. Hartwick Pines Logging Museum is part of the Michigan Historical Museum Family. It is administered by the Michigan Historical Center and the Parks and Recreation Division of the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. For more information about this event or other programs at the Hartwick Pines Logging Museum, please call (989) 348-2537 or visit www.michigan.gov/loggingmuseum.

There is no fee for this event; however, a Recreation Passport is required for vehicles entering the park. The Recreation Passport has replaced motor vehicle permits for entry into Michigan state parks, recreation areas and state-administered boating access fee sites. This new way to fund Michigan's outdoor recreation opportunities also helps to preserve state forest campgrounds, trails and historic and cultural sites in state parks, and provides park development grants to local communities.

Michigan residents can purchase the Recreation Passport ($10 for motor vehicles; $5 for motorcycles) by checking "YES" on their license plate renewal forms, or at any state park or recreation area. Nonresident motor vehicles must still display a valid nonresident Recreation Passport ($29 annual; $8 daily) to enter a Michigan state park, recreation area or state-administered boating access fee site; these can be purchased at any state park or recreation area, or through the Michigan e-Store at www.michigan.gov/estore. To learn more about the Recreation Passport, visitwww.michigan.gov/recreationpassport or call (517) 241-7275.

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources is committed to the conservation, protection, management, use and enjoyment of the state's natural and cultural resources for current and future generations. For more information, go to www.michigan.gov/dnr.