Burton plans 61st Maple Institute

BURTON, Ohio – Last year’s maple season saw some of lowest production ever recorded in Ohio. After a very short season last year, local producers are anxiously awaiting the arrival of Spring 2001.

With only two short months to go before the start of a new season, producers are hoping for an average or above average crop.

In Geauga, Ohio’s top ranking county in the production of maple syrup, the season will start the new year as it has for the last 61 years, with the annual Maple Institute. This year’s program will begin Jan. 17 at 5:30 p.m. at the Leah Bond Activity Center on the Geauga Historical Museum grounds in Burton, Ohio and again Jan. 18 at 8:30 a.m.

The Wednesday evening program will feature a maple trade show. The event will give producers a chance to view the latest in maple producing equipment and a chance to visit with dealers and factory representatives. Also, there will be program featuring a maple nugget round table discussion, where everyone will be encouraged to share their views and ideas about producing maple syrup in Northeast Ohio.

Thursday’s all day program will resume at the Bond Center with registration starting at 8:30 a.m. There will be a $15 registration fee per person, which includes a pancake and sausage lunch featuring some of Northeast Ohio’s best syrup. The featured speaker on this year’s program is Tim Perkins, director of Vermont’s Proctor Maple Research Lab. His morning topic will deal with the new small diameter health spout now being used for tapping maple trees. He will also be on in the afternoon with a maple research update, Maple Research from Adulteration to Zinc.

Randall Heiligmann, OSU State Extension forester, will discuss the correct way to blend syrup. There will also be many other topics and updates throughout the day that will be of interest to maple producers.

For further information, or if you want to register, call the Geauga Extension Office at 440-834-4656; 285-2222, ext. 5260; or 564-7131, ext. 5260.