Maple Sugaring in New Jersey

Discover The Top 2019 Events and Places
to Experience The Process

Maple sugaring has a history in New Jersey that began centuries ago with the Native Americans Indians and colonists.

This is an excellent winter family or kids group activity. In New Jersey, the maple sugaring season runs early February until mid-Mar

New Jersey is at the southern most region for the maple sugaring and as a result, today there are no commercial maple sugaring farms in NJ. While commercial farms are not available, New Jersey has a number of parks that conduct maple sugaring programs for education and demonstration purposes.

While the maple sugaring process was started by native American Indians, it later evolved in the mid nineteenth century by farmers who began to use metal spiles, metal buckets, and metal tanks for sap collection and storage.

There are still many places in New Jersey that are open to the public where visitors can get to experience and become involved with the nineteenth century process of tapping trees by hand and making maple syrup. The process begins with the tapping of Maple trees, collecting the sap, and then producing the syrup by boiling over an open fire and evaporating it down to the final product of Maple syrup. It takes 35 to 40 gallons of sap to make a gallon of syrup.

Note: This information is provided by event sponsors as a free service to our viewers. Sometimes conditions require cancellations or changes of dates, times and location which are not reflected in the original schedule. Before planning a trip to visit one of the listed events, it is suggested that you call the event sponsor to confirm the event schedule or for additional information on the event.

Maple Sugaring in Northern Jersey

Maple Sugaring Demo & Festival
Saturdays & Sundays, January 19, 20, 26, 27, February 2, 3, 10, 16, 17, 23, & 24, .2019
Seatings: 1 p.m. - 2 p.m. or 2:30 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.
Great Swamp Outdoor Education Center .
247 Southern Boulevard
Chatham, NJ
Cost: $3 per person age 3 & up
973.635.6629. No registration is required, but seating is first come, first served. All ages welcome.
Website
Learn how to identify and tap maple trees, collect sap, and make syrup over a wood-fired evaporator. Taste-test different syrups at the end.

Maple Sugaring: Tap That Tree!
Saturday, January 26, 2019; 2:00 pm - 3:30 pm
Reeves-Reed Arboretum
165 Hobart Avenue
Summit, New Jersey
(908) 273-8787
Website
February marks the beginning of maple sugaring season. Join Director of Children's Education Jackie Kondel as she taps the Arboretum's maple trees in preparation for this season's sap flow. Not only will families learn the hows and whys behind tapping trees, but will also get first-hand experience actually helping us do it! Registration is required. for children ages 5 and up with an adult.
Please note that the cost is $10 per family for Members and $25 per family for Non-Members.

Maple Sugaring
Sundays, February 3, 10, 17, 24, March 3, 10, 17, 24, 2019
Visitor Center
Tenafly Nature Center
313 Hudson Ave.
Tenafly, NJ
Website
This is a great, family outdoor winter experience. Learn how to identify a maple tree and the history of syrup making and how technology has changed the way we gather sap over the centuries. The group will check Tenafly Nature Center's tapped tree and boil down sap to make fresh, warm maple syrup, a sweet treat for all to taste. All ages are welcome.

Maple Sugaring at the Environmental Education Center
February 16, 17, 23, 24 March 2, 3, 9, 10, 2019; Saturdays - 10:00am, Noon, and 2:00pm Sundays - Noon and 2:00pm
The Environmental Education Center
190 Lord Stirling Road
Basking Ridge
Visit Site
Visitors will get see how trees are tapped, view sap-collecting methods past and present, and see the boiling process that produces delicious New Jersey maple syrup. This 90-minute program is conducted at our Sugar Shack, a ½-mile hike from the EEC.
Please arrive at the EEC 20-30 minutes before the program start time and dress appropriately for the weather conditions.
Boots are recommended as the trails can be wet, muddy, and/or covered by snow.
Organized groups (such as schools) may schedule weekday demonstrations by calling the EEC at 908 766-2489, ext. 332.

Maple Sugaring Living History Programs
Saturday, March 9, 2019: Rain date: Sunday, March 10th
9:00 AM to 2:00 PM: Tours begin every 20 minutes and last about 1 hour. Pre-registration is not required
(check our website or call 782-1158 for cancellation information)
42 Lilac Drive
Flemington, NJ
Visit Site
Cost: $1 per person suggested donation
Experience first-hand the North American tradition of maple sugaring at Hunterdon County's Maple Sugaring Program. You'll take a trip through time to experience the art of the sugaring process. Along the way you will see an early American Frontiersman taping his trees, visit a sugar "farmer" at his evaporator, and enjoy a Native American story about the discovery of maple sap. At the end of your walk everyone will get a free taste of real maple syrup on a silver dollar pancake.

Maple Sugaring in Central Jersey

From Sap to Maple Syrup

Saturday, February 23, 10:00 AM-12:00 PM, & Sunday February 24, 2019 1:00-3:00 PM
Huber Woods Park
25 Brown's Dock Road
Locust (Middletown Twp.), NJ
Visit Site
(all ages, under 18 with adult)
Note: This program fills up fast. Please call for registration or wait list @ (732) 842--4000, ext 1
Winter is winding down and the sap is running in the trees which means its time to make maple syrup! Bring the whole family for some old-fashioned fun as we learn the history, technique and some of the science behind this delicious treat. Highlights include a syrup taste test,tree tapping demonstration and instruction, and winter tree identification. Dress for the weather and wear sturdy shoes or boots.

Maple Sugaring Brunch & Hike
Saturday, March 2, 2019; 2 sessions: 9:30 – 11:30AM OR 11:00AM – 1:00PM
The Watershed Center
31 Titus Mill Road
Pennington, NJ 08534
609-737-3735
Website

Join us at the Watershed Center for this popular annual event. Hike with the Teacher-Naturalists to our tapped trees, learn about the process to convert maple sap to syrup and visit the evaporation station. The highlight of the morning is a delicious pancake brunch, served with our homemade maple syrup made from trees on the Reserve! Part of this program is conducted outdoors – winter gear, including boots, is necessary. Sign up for one session – registration and prepayment are required. We accept VISA, MasterCard and Discover

$22.00 per Adult and child over 13 $15.00 per Child (3-13).

Maple Sugaring in Southern Jersey

Connect with Nature: Maple Sugaring
Sunday, February 17, 2019, 1:30pm – 3:00pm
Rancocas Nature Center
794 Rancocas Rd.
Westampton, NJ 08060
(609) 261-2495
Visit Site
What a tasty way to spend a winter afternoon! Bring the whole family and enjoy a program about maple sugaring, the oldest continuous industry in North America. Learn about the sugar maple tree and the history of maple sugaring, observe a tapping demonstration, and enjoy a maple syrup tasting. To ward off the chills, we'll have an old-fashioned campfire burning.
Preregister by calling RNC at 609-261-2495. Cost: RNC members, $7/person, $15/family (limit 5); nonmembers, $9/person, $21/family (limit 5)

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