Maple Weekend...

Yesterday, we went to the Parker Family Maple Farm to enjoy New York State Maple Weekend. It was very interesting to learn how pure maple syrup is made. I always thought that the sap from maple trees was a dark color like syrup, but it really comes out looking and tasting very similar to water. We learned that it takes forty gallons of sap to make just one gallon of syrup. While we were there, we had an all-you-can-eat pancake breakfast, we went on a horse drawn wagon ride and sampled some maple flavored treats. We also ran into a few of our friends from playgroup, something that makes me love living here. I hope that weekends like this will be great memories for our kids.

Can you see the blue tubes collecting
the sap from the trees?

This is what the sap looks like at the beginning of the process.

Fresh and hot maple syrup.

Paul walking the boys over the bridge.
(I held my breath the whole time!)

Irelyn enjoying her pancake.

Payson loved the pancakes,
but wouldn't try the syrup.

Enjoying the wagon ride.

Beckett eating his maple ice cream cone.

Payson showing me his ice cream.

Payson was obsessed with looking
at his reflection. It was pretty cute.

Payson trying some maple cream on a pretzel.

Ms. Lori (our playgroup director) showing Payson the big tub of syrup.

Paul and Payson walking back to the car.
He wanted to help carry something. LOL.