With maples dominating local forests, there are a number of chances in March to see how trees are tapped and the sap is made into syrup while enjoying the tasty results on pancakes.
The annual maple festival at the Hudson Valley Maple Farm at the Taconic Outdoor Education Center in Fahnestock State Park east of Cold Spring, will be held Sunday, March 12, from 8:30 a.m. to noon; it includes a pancake breakfast and tour of the boiling operation. Breakfast is $10 for adults and $6 for children ages 5 to 12. (Children ages 4 and younger are free.) Call 845-265-3773. The center is located at 75 Mountain Laurel Lane, off Route 301.
The Randolph School in Wappingers Falls will host its annual Maple Fest on Saturday, March 11, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Jacob and David Bernz will lead a Pete Seeger sing-a-long as part of a dedication of a new music space. Other activities include storytelling, face painting, crafts and hikes, as well as demonstrations of collecting and boiling sap to make syrup. A pancake lunch served from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. costs $10 for adults, $5 for children or $25 per family. Call 845-297-5600.
The Hudson Highlands Nature Museum in Cornwall will offer tours of its syrup operation every weekend in March. See hhnm.org for tour times and tickets. Admission is $8 to $10 per person.