West Virginia Festivals

[220 maple]

This weekend in the Mountain State of West Virginia I know of two Maple Festivals. The first and most famous is The Official West Virginia Maple Festival which is held at Pickens, West Virginia. Pickens is located in the southern end of Randolph. There is one sugarcamp there thats is usually open for tours. Rumor has it that they did not open any trees due to the heavy snow pack. Just rumor I never confirmed that with the owner Mike Ricther.
The second and newest Festival is located in Mineral County at Keyser, WV.
It's official title is The Potomac Highlands Regional Maplefest. I was told and again it maybe rumor that the two people that produce syrup and sell at the festival never tapped a tree this season. I being a nice guy offered to buy table space at the festival. I was told by the person who is in charge of tables that the vendors could get syrup for the festival. That was good news because the last thing we need is customers wanting syrup and not being able to get any.

Mark 220 Maple

[bmiller]

is it true that the 2011 maple festival in Keyser ,WV is cancelled ? thanks

[220 maple]

bmiller,
I have not heard any ads on the local radio station, if it does go down maybe it can be brought back to life and let the rest of us in? Instead of the Potomac Highlands Maplefest how about the Tri County Maple Festival? (Grant , Hardy and Mineral Counties) or the Eastern Panhandle Maple Festival involving all producers in the Eastern Panhandle?

Mark 220 Maple

[S Culver]

Hey Mark don't forget Hampshire counties 1 lone producer.:lol:

[220 maple]

S Culver,
Eastern Panhandle Maple Festival will work fine with me, I liked the name of the other Festival. Potomac Highland Maplefest the problem was they would not allow every producer in the Potomac Highlands in on the fun. I asked twice and both times I was told no thanks.
Last year really tee me off because I knew that the producers that set up there had not made any syrup, I was told they knew where to get syrup to sell at the Festival. I even made a trip to Pickens,WV. were the WV Maple Festival is held basically on a fact finding mission, I discovered that the producers who sell syrup there have a coluded set price and I was not comfortable selling my syrup at those high prices. So someday when that festival goes the way of the dinosaur I'll know it was not from a metorite.

Mark 220 Maple

[S Culver]

Mark
I went to that festival last year Keyser) and you are right. They had an 18x36 hobby eveporator boiling water. Was mostly a craft fair. When I went in to buy the kids pancakes in the cafateria they handed me artifial sryup instead of maple syrup. A MAPLE FESTIVAL!!!!!!!!!!:mad: When I asked why they said it was because of health dept reasons. Guess it wasn't that important to them. If you ask me I think it's already to late for them. I will never go back. See you in Monteray though when that one comes out.

Sloan

[220 maple]

FYI

West Virginia Festival this Weekend at Pickens, WBOY channel 12 has a Video from Don Olson's camp at Blue Rock which is near Pikens and will be open for vistiors this weekend.
Don's camp is the only certified Organic Maple Producer in the State.

Mark 220 Maple

[Maple Hobo]

FYI

West Virginia Festival this Weekend at Pickens, WBOY channel 12 has a Video from Don Olson's camp at Blue Rock which is near Pikens and will be open for vistiors this weekend.
Don's camp is the only certified Organic Maple Producer in the State.

Mark 220 Maple

Certified Organic?
Is he ORGANIC or 100% Organic rated?

I didn't think you could get these in WV?
USDA doesn't have an organic certification agency in this state?
I didn't think the other states would certify ourtside thier areas.
You can look on the USDA site to locate the local Organic certification agents.

We are USDA approved, that was hard enough to get them to do.
Had to discuss and educate the USDA state rep on what is done to make maple syrup and then discuss all the general requirments... Basicaly because they didn't have any regulations for maple production.

I couldn't understand why "Ball" jars are illegal to can in but they are.
OK to keep food but not for maple syrup?...hmmm