We got up early this morning and headed right over to the 2011 Maple Syrup Festival at the MacKenzie Center in Poynette.  It is $7 for adults and $5 for kids 4 and up to eat a yummy breakfast consisting of scrambled eggs, ham, and of course – pancakes!  This was actually our first time making it to the event but I hope to make it a family tradition.  My girls LOVE the MacKenzie Center and anything I can do to help support it or the programs it runs is great in my book. Cedi really enjoyed her meal – she cleaned up both of her pancakes and a good portion of her ham and eggs. Capri – my child who doesn’t always eat much – scarfed down at least 2 pancakes – papa had to keep filling her plate!     As you can see many others were enjoying their meal as well.  By the time we finished up a decent line had formed and I’m sure it will be another successful event for the Center.  If you have time – the breakfast runs until noon today so head down for a little mid-morning snack.  Otherwise – this festival is the first Saturday in April every year so be sure not to miss it next year!

Once we were done with breakfast we decided to go and check out the sugar bush demonstrations.  The first station when we got the sugar bush area was how to make maple syrup at your own home. Not a difficult thing to do but it takes time and patience.  The next stop was how the pioneers made it using big iron kettles. The lady demonstrating this let Cedi try on the yoke the kids would use to carry buckets of the tree sap (sans the actual buckets of course)  Next stop was how the American Indians made it way back when – they typically made sugar though – not syrup.  It was done in a hollowed out log using fire heated rocks to boil the water.  Now this would have taken some effort!

After we walked around this we decided to head home as it had gotten a bit colder.  There was still lots more to do but we’ll wait until next year to experience some of that.

Here’s what the brochure advertised:

Guided tours of the sugar bush.  Demonstrations of how to tap a maple tree for sap and how to make maple syrup.  Interpretive talks about how American Indians and pioneers made syrup.  Live, old-time country music.  Horse-drawn wagon rides.  Home-made ice cream churned with an antique engine.  Refreshments, maple products, souvenirs sold by the Friends of MacKenzie.

The festival goes on until 2 so if you’re not in the mood for the delicious pancake breakfast you can still head over and learn something about maple syrup.

Other events at the MacKenzie Environmental Center for 2011:

• Spring Clean Up Day: April 30th; 9am – 2pm
• Outdoor Skills Day: July 9th; 9am – 2pm
• Hootenany: October 1st; 6:30pm – 9:30pm
• Fundraising Banquet: October 8th, 2011 – advance sales only
• Haunted Hay Ride: Fri, October 21st, and Sat, October 22nd; 6:30-9:30pm