Maple Syrup Open House Is March 17

River Bend Nature Center of Faribault invites you to their Maple Syrup Open House on Saturday, March 17. Admission is free and the hours will be 1-3PM. River Bend staff and volunteers will demonstrate the boiling of sap along with tapping and evaporator demonstrations. Visitors will learn all about the process of making maple syrup. It takes 40 gallons of sap to make just one gallon of syrup. That's part of the reason it's so pricey. For example a barrel of oil sells for around $60-$65. A barrel of maple syrup could set you back around $1,200.There will also be lessons on maple syrup history, syrup tasting and the kickoff of sales of maple syrup. With temps expected to edge up over the freezing mark next week it should provide good sap running conditions.

The Canadian province of Quebec provides around 70% of the world's production of maple syrup. Top producing maple syrup states are Vermont followed by New York and Maine.