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maple flats
06-17-2007, 08:28 PM
Tomorrow I will again be giving 4 presentations at a grade school about maple syrup. 2 classes for grades K-3 and 2 classes for grades 4-6. The kids have numerous presentations given simultaniously and the sign up to attend the ones they want. Last year I was told the max class allowed would be 15 but all 4 I gave had between 16 and 18. I thought that was great, it meant more kids were interested. This year is planned by the school to be the same but i told the principal that 20 or even 25 was good with me. I show them what sugarmaples look like (the school butts up to a village park that is full of them), show how tubing is run, explain the evaporator and show how much wood I put in every 5 minutes. I pass around a display board with about 20 different old taps mounted to it. And of course I hand out samples. The older groups get a little more detailed info than the younger ones. I drive school bus to this school and have been asked by several students over the last few weeks if I was going to give the presentation again, and often by ones who only heard about it last year from those who did attend but didn't sign up til this year. I love it!
I have also planted the idea of a maple field trip or in school presentation with a few other schools. One was this past week when I took a group on a field trip and I intentionally made the return route past a real nice set-up of tubing on a hillside that is visible from the road, and can even be seen enough with the leaves on to explain a little about it. I used the inside PA system and gave a 2-3 minute talk about what it was and what they were doing. The large SS tank was clearly visable at the road and some of the latterals could be seen. After this the kids asked several questions and the teachers thanked me when we returned to their school for all of the information I had given during the trip, this might be my next school to do a presentation at, time will tell.

220 maple
06-18-2007, 06:43 PM
Maple Flats
I had my second visit to the local grade school near where I make syrup in West Virginia, My first cousin has three children when her oldest was in the thrid grade I went to school and talked to all four classes of thrid graders at onetime. My cousin went along as my assistant. I showed them sap and how a sap hydrometer floats and how much the sugar content was. Also showed them spiles, tubing, drills, and other items, also a cross section of a Maple tree with the stain marks and healed holes that was drilled 70 years before the wind blew over the tree. I made a very brief video of my camp in full operation, they love that, especially the steam and sparks that float over to my neighbors house, Mrs Brill is my neighbor she also is one of the thrid grade teachers. She told me they enjoy my little talk because they have or are learning about evaporation. This past March I did my second trip to the school, my first cousins middle child was in the thrid grade. One more to go.
The first time I went I asked them how the Sugar gets in the tree? I had some good guesses but know one knew, not even the teachers. When I told them how it happens the teachers said they are learning about that also.
We always give each kid a very small piece of sugar candy and a taste of syrup on a piece of bread. This coming thursday evening I 'm taking my video to the local Ruritan club. I don't know how that will work out, lots of oldtimes there who has made syrup before in a kettle. I'll keep you posted.
Mark 220 Maple

maple flats
06-18-2007, 07:50 PM
My presentations went well. I am doing 4 sessions with different students each time and am only allowed 30 minutes each session. Thus I need to just skim over it. I suggested to the school that maybe they could consider allowing a double session for a group of the 4-6 graders thus giving me 65 minutes to present (30 session+5 move to next class + 30 session), the principal said she would have to think about it. If this was changed I could give 2 classes for younger kids of 30 min ea and a double class size of older with 65 minutes to go into more depth.

HanginAround
06-19-2007, 09:26 PM
Sounds like tons of fun.. nothing better than introducing new people, especially youngsters to the biz, glad things went well.