JACKSON, Mich. — Jackson’s Dahlem Center is hosting Maple Madness for the first time since 2019. The past two years were cancelled during to the COVID pandemic. Now, they want you to join them for a fun, educational experience.
Maple Madness educator Carrie Benham says the goal is to teach the community about the history of maple sap, and how it's collected through their sugaring operation.
“We’re going to come down to our sugar shack, see how it is cooked on our wood stove in the evaporator pan and how we test it to see if it is thick enough, cooked long enough to make syrup,” Benham said. “If you cook it too long it’s going to make sugar. Nothing wrong with that."
Benhham will also show participants how to identify trees. "You don’t want to tap the wrong tree. You want to make sure that they’re maple trees. Tap the wrong tree and you make syrup out of it? Take yourself to the hospital, you’re going to get sick. So, it’s really important.”
All proceeds go to support the Dahlem Center’s environmental education programs. It costs $8 to attend and $6 if you are a member.
Executive Director Ben Dandrow said Dahlem’s maple sugaring operation is a small but ideal site to demonstrate the science of collecting maple tree sap and making maple syrup toppings.
You can sign up for a guided one-and-a-half hour tour this Saturday at 10 a.m. or 12 p.m. to learn through hands-on STEM activities.
“And, finally see the sap being boiled down at the sugar shack where everyone gets to taste the sweet golden nectar of the sugar maple,” Dandrow said.
Click here to sign up if you are interested.
The Dahlem Center is located on 7117 S. Jackson Road.
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