Geauga County Maple Festival

It's back for 2008, and bigger than ever, say the organizers of the annual Maple Festival in Geauga County, Ohio. Bathtub races, queen contest, a parade, carnival rides, pancake breakfasts (of course!), syrup and candy contests, tug-of-war and a battle of the bands are on the agenda for 27-30 March in Chardon, Ohio.

Indian Lake State Park Maple Syrup Festival

The 23rd annual Maple Syrup Festival will be held at the Indian Lake State Park Campground, 13156 North State Route 235, Lakeview, Ohio, on 15 and 16 March. It's sponsored by the park, in conjunction with the Indian Lake Area Chamber of Commerce and the Indian Lake Development Corporation.

On the schedule are a pancake breakfast (of course!), sugar bush tours, syrup-making demonstrations -- and dulcimer music!

There's Sugaring in the Hocking Hills

"Maple Sugaring in the Hills" is set for noon to 4 p.m. 8 and 9 March in Hocking Hills State Park, southeastern Ohio. Head for the Naturalist Cabin, located behind the Old Man’s Cave Visitor Center. There is a pancake breakfast at the Hocking Hills State Park lodge the days of the festival. And believe it or not, they even serve local syrup on those pancakes!

Maple Syrup Festival in Mansfield, Ohio

Malabar Farm State Park in Mansfield, Ohio, is the setting for an annual Maple Syrup Festival. This year, it's from noon to 4 p.m. 1, 2, 8 and 9 March. There's no admission charge. There'll be demonstrations of sugaring techniques over the centuries, and a self-guided tour of the sugar camp -- with free samples at the sugar house. Ohio maple syrup, maple walnut fudge, maple cotton candy, maple popcorn and more will be for sale in the Malabar Farm Gift Shop throughout the season.

Global Warming Comes to the Breakfast Table

"After the warmest January on record, maple syrup producers in Ohio were surprised to have recently discovered premature maple tree buds. Budding of maples at this early date is unprecedented and means that, for the first time in living memory, there will be little or no maple syrup from the trees of Northeastern Ohio this year."

So says Laurie David (pictured) in The Huffington Post.

Maple syrup harvest down, again, in Ohio

The news isn't any better in Ohio. According to John Horton, a reporter for The Plain Dealer in Cleveland:

"The state's "sweet season" started late and ended early, leading to another off year for Ohio maple syrup producers.

"Yields fell below expectations at many local sugaring operations, with some reporting only half a crop, according to those in the maple industry. Some forecast statewide harvest figures to come in as low as 60,000 gallons, about 20 percent below the 15-year average.

"Lately, though, so-so seems normal: It has been six years since the last good sugar high, according to agriculture reports."

Read more here.

Geauga County Maple Festival´s Coming Up!

From 12-15 April, there´ll be events aplenty at the annual Maple Festival in Geauga County, centered on Chardon, Ohio.

Pancakes in the park, bathtub races, queen contest (that's the 2006 queen, Kristy Morris, at left), maple syrup auction, lumberjack competition, carnival rides, grand parade, battle of the bands -- it´s hard to think of anything that´s been left out.

Oh -- they´ve been sugaring on the square for a few Sundays now, but there are two more: 25 March and 1 April 2007.

Maple Syrup Making in Ohio

Did you know that Ohio ranks either fourth or fifth each year among the twelve maple-producing states in the U.S.?

Check out Ohio Maple Facts for more on midwestern maple!