SWEET SATURDAY!
ANNUAL MAPLE SUGARING DAY MARCH 21

WHEELING, W.Va. (March 9, 2009)- -A sure sign of spring, Oglebay Institute’s annual Maple Sugaring Day takes place from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, March 21 at Camp Russell in Oglebay.

Each year hundreds of people enjoy this hands-on outdoor program that includes a nature walk, demonstrations of sugaring techniques, the history of maple sugaring and a pancake breakfast with fresh maple syrup- straight from the Oglebay sugar bush.

Presented by the Schrader Environmental Education Center, the program begins in the woods behind Camp Russell. Nature guides will lead groups through Oglebay’s sugar bush, stopping along the trail to discover maple sugaring techniques from its earliest history through present day.

Visitors will learn how Native Americans discovered this “sweet water” and the methods they used to harvest it. They will hear about Colonial methods of sap tapping and try drilling holes with old-fashioned bits and braces. They will see how wooden taps, known as spiles, were made to allow sap to flow from tree to bucket. They will learn about current pipeline techniques and watch how maple sap is boiled down into syrup, with a whopping 40 gallons of sap needed to produce only one gallon of syrup.

“This program is a great family event,” Eriks Janelsins, director of Oglebay Institute’s Schrader Center, said. “ It is an opportunity for parents and children to gear up for spring, enjoy the outdoors, learn some fascinating history and enjoy a great breakfast together.”

For those not up to the hike in its entirety, visitors are welcome to enjoy breakfast, then take a stroll just behind the dining hall where they can observe the sap boiling away in the outdoor evaporator.

For more information, call the Schrader Center at 304.242.6855. Trail guides will depart from Camp Russell parking lot every half hour.

Admission to Maple Sugaring Day is $6 and includes your choice of buckwheat or regular pancakes, sausage, juice or coffee. Members of Oglebay Institute receive a discount. Boots and appropriate outdoor clothing are recommended.

March hours of Oglebay Institute’s Schrader Environmental Education Center, located in Oglebay, are noon until 5 p.m. Monday through Sunday.

For more information on Oglebay Institute or the Schrader Center, visit online at www.oionline.com.