Despite cold air surrounding the historic Burton Log Cabin Feb. 12, vibes were warm and sweet inside as maple syrup season ceremonially began.
Despite cold air surrounding the historic Burton Log Cabin Feb. 12, vibes were warm and sweet inside as maple syrup season ceremonially began.
“It’s my honor and pleasure to be part of the kick-off of one of Geauga County’s largest industries,” Geauga County Commissioner Jim Dvorak said, of maple syrup production in Burton Village. “I was very pleased that I was asked to tap the first tree to start off the maple syrup season in Burton Village at the log cabin.”
Dvorak said he’s helped out with tapping and enjoyed the event in years past, but this year was special as he was also asked to say a prayer before the first tree tap.
The “Four Directions Prayer” has its roots in the culture of Native Americans, who are widely credited as the first to discover the significance of the sap dripping from cuts in the bark of maple trees.
Winter-clad families sauntered inside the log cabin collecting buckets, lids and spiles to tap their own maple trees and have their names on their buckets for the 2022 season.
But, not before hearing about Native American folklore and how the sap turns into syrup for pancakes and waffles.
Scott Adams — a volunteer and award-winning maple syrup producer for the cabin, which also makes maple candy year round — talked about the maple syrup process.
He explained when the sap first comes off the tree, it is anywhere from 1.5 % to 3% sugar content and the rest is water.
“That’s what we are doing through this whole process of gathering sap and boiling it,” Adams said. “We are evaporating that water off, concentrating that sugar content, cooking it. It’s got to get to be 7 degrees above boiling point for it to turn to maple syrup.”
He said varieties of maple syrups include delicate, fancy, amber and dark robust.
“It’s a long process, it’s a fun process,” Adams said. “We have a lot of fun doing it.”
North America is the only place in the world that maple syrup is produced, according to the Ohio Maple Producers Association.
“The Maple Belt — it’s a very small part of world that has temperature variation and maple trees,” said cabin manager Amy Wehn, as 9-year-old Owen Lamppert inched closer to the plastic-covered map held up showcasing the area from America north to Ontario, Canada.
“In the United States, there are 12 maple producing states and each year, Ohio is ranked fourth or fifth in maple production,” the OMPA said. “The maple industry contributes $5 million to the state’s economy each year.”
“It’s a really important industry,” Wehn added. “Maple syrup was used to sweeten the original Lifesavers (the iconic ring-shaped candy) that were made in Garrettsville.”
Event-goers gathered in front of the east side of the cabin for the official tapping.
“First one in the county, right here,” Dvorak said, as the sound of cheers filled the area.
About 100 trees on the Burton Chamber of Commerce grounds will be tapped.
Amy and Shawn Lamppert, of nearby Aurora, whose family owns Hill Hardware in Burton, smiled as their children, Owen and Clarabelle, 7, participated in their first tapping.
Clarabelle said she enjoyed hanging the bucket and hot chocolate and donuts back inside the cabin.
“Our family loved the event,” said Mary Anne Lamppert, of Troy Township, grandmother of Owen and Clarabelle.
“It is great to see people getting back to normal on this February day in 2022,” Dvorak added. “We have been through a lot with the challenges our residents and businesses have had to go through. All of the people and companies in Geauga County are strong and reliant to tackle anything.”
Wehn said about 25 families came out to tap trees on Burton Square during the event, which ended at 3 p.m.
“We are hoping to finish tapping by the end of February with a total of about
1,500 taps in total for the 2022 season, which equates to approximately 200 gallons of syrup,” Wehn said. “Scott Adams and his team are ready to make this another successful maple season with taps behind Kent (State University) – Geauga, Burton Township Park and Burton Village Park.”
Pancake Breakfasts are currently underway at the Burton American Legion and will continue through April 10. The Burton Chamber Log Cabin Sugar Camp is open daily from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. for retail sales and has two scheduled maple tours this year. For more information, visit the Maple Producers of Northeast Ohio at mpneoh.com and the Ohio Maple Producers at ohiomaple.com.
