SDSU Extension and McCrory Gardens in Brookings will host their annual maple syrup and tree tapping workshop on March 23, 2024.
The Maple Syrup Workshop is from 10 a.m. to noon in the great hall of McCrory Gardens, giving participants a hands-on tutorial on collecting sap from maple trees. The first 100 participants to attend will get a free bucket and tapping system, provided by the United States Department of Agriculture Acer Access and Development Program. The event is free to attend.
John Ball, professor, SDSU Extension Forestry Specialist and South Dakota Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources Forest Health Specialist, will give a presentation on collecting sap and will demonstrate “Sap on Tap” to provide sap samples.
Unlike previous years, participants won’t tap the maple trees on location. Ball said last summer’s dry weather stressed the trees; tapping trees leaves hole wounds, and the stress would leave those open holes vulnerable to infection.
“We are giving the trees a rest this year,” Ball said. “A homeowner putting a tap or two into a tree would not have the same level of concern.”
Participants can still practice putting a tap into tree stumps, with materials and guidance provided by SDSU Extension Master Gardener Perry Johnson. The day will also include coloring pages for youth participants and ample time to ask questions of the presenters and Chris Schlenker, McCrory Gardens Director of Horticulture and Grounds.
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Categories: South Dakota, Education