Nothing says “Spring is coming” more than the sweet hobby of making your own maple syrup. Maple syruping has become a hot hobby in Newfoundland over the past few years. Due to the popularity of tapping maple trees, Friends of Pippy Park are hosting weekend workshops all throughout March and a Maple Syrup Festival on April 2nd! We’ll teach you: To identify tap-able trees; What materials you will need; How to tap a tree sustainably; and How to boil sap into syrup.
To attend a weekend workshop, meet at the maintenance yard at the end of Nagle’s Place just before Pippy Park HQ; parking is available in the yard and also a short walk away at Pippy Park Headquarters. The grove is a short walk into the trees from where we meet up. Winter footwear is required as getting up close to the trees may involve going over snowbanks. Weather permitting, one of the Mobile Goats will be in attendance! (Follow the links for google map pins.)
Are you a school teacher or extracurricular leader? Have a group of 10+ children you’d love to bring to Pippy Park? We’ll do our best to host a private weekday workshop! Use the contact information below or send us a facebook message! We also have some (albeit limited) bilingual abilities for those in French immersion!
We will be celebrating the season’s harvest on April 2nd with a Maple Syrup Festival and all are welcome! If you’re harvesting your own maple syrup this year, bring a small mason jar to be judged by a panel led by Andrea Maunder of Bacalao – Nouvelle Newfoundland Cuisine! The festival takes place at North Bank Lodge, Nagle’s Place from 12 noon until 3pm, this will be a rain or shine event but be sure to follow the event on facebook in case of extreme weather.
The festival will also include maple syrup samples, tapping demonstrations, hot chocolate and live entertainment for the kids with a visit from the Mobile Goats as well as songs from everybody’s favorite children’s entertainer, Terry Rielly, AKA the Teddy Bear Man.
While supplies last, maple tapping spiles will be available (Cash Only) at the weekend workshops and the festival as well as 15 Mount Scio Road, the Pippy Park Headquarters at 6 spiles for $20 between 9 and 4pm on week days. Purchases and donations support the initiatives of the Friends of Pippy Park including this annual festival and our family community garden.
The Friends of Pippy Park seek to engage citizens in sustainable activities in order to protect and conserve Pippy Park. For more information or to get involved contact us at friendsofpippypark@gmail.com or, to stay in the loop, join us on facebook at www.facebook.com/friendsofpippypark
Contact for All Maple Syrup Inquires:
Steve McBride
Maple Syruping Coordinator
Newfoundland & Labrador Environment Network 