Local youngsters to tap sugar bush, enjoy sticky-sweet syrup at Merry Lea

WOLF LAKE, Ind. – Some 1,100 elementary students from 21 area schools and homeschool groups along with their parents and teachers will find environmental learning to be sugary-sweet at Sugar Bush 2006, sponsored by the Merry Lea Environmental Learning Center of Goshen College.

This all-day, hands-on environmental science experience to demonstrate maple syrup-making takes place at the Yoder Sugarbush near Huntertown, Ind. During their visit, students participate in demonstrations that provide information about the history of syrup making, tree tapping, methods for collecting sap, woodcraft, the effects of weather on sap flow and the process of boiling the sap into finished syrup. Most of the teaching stations feature interactive experiences in small groups. The program ends with a mouth-watering lunch of pancakes and sausage smothered in fresh maple syrup.

Each year about 20 adult volunteers, mainly from the Fort Wayne area, assist with teaching, operating the sugar bush and instructional support. Accompanying parents help to prepare the noon meal.

The 350-tap sugar bush, located on the property owned by the Yoder family for four generations, produces about 80 gallons of syrup annually.

Complete information about the program is available at www.goshen.edu/merrylea/sugar/MAPLE.HTM . For more information, contact Merry Lea Environmental Learning Center at (260) 799-5869.

Merry Lea, 300 S. 500 W. in Noble County south of Wolf Lake, is a natural sanctuary for northern Indiana’s plants and animals, provides environmental education for people of all ages and a setting to recreate opportunities that benefit the human body and spirit without exploiting the land. Merry Lea, created with the assistance of the Nature Conservancy and the generosity of Lee A. and Mary Jane Rieth, is owned and operated by Goshen College. For more information, log on to www.goshen.edu/merryleaor call (260) 799-5869.

Editors: For information, contact Larry Yoder at (260) 799-5869.

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Note to editors: This program affords a rich opportunity for photographs and interviews. Because of differences in school policy, it is important that you contact, in advance, the teacher and principal of any school you wish to cover in order to arrange for permission to accompany the group and photograph the activities.

The 2006 schedule includes the following schools (with contact information):

·    Feb. 14 – Central Lutheran Elem., New Haven, Sandy Herman, 260-493-2502 ext. 313

•   Feb. 14 – Precious Blood School, Fort Wayne, Pam Marx, 260-424-4832

*   Feb. 15 – St. Joseph/St. Elizabeth Ann Seton School, Fort Wayne, Julie Christian, 260-432-4001

•   Feb. 16 – Arlington Elementary, Fort Wayne, Karen Bradbury, 260-425-7310

•   Feb. 17 – Forest Park Elementary, Fort Wayne, Linda Collins, 260-425-7333

*   Feb. 20 – Riverdale Elementary, St. Joe, Linda Madden, 260-337-5464

•   Feb. 21 – South Side Elementary, Kendallville, Jessica Rouch, 260-349-2200

•   Feb. 22 – Huntertown Elementary, Huntertown, Terry Snyder, 260-637-3181

•   Feb. 23 – Huntertown Elementary, Huntertown, Terry Snyder, 260-637-3181

•   Feb. 24 – Perry Hill Elementary, Fort Wayne, Ann Serrani, 260-637-3158

•   Feb. 27 – Holy Cross Lutheran, Fort Wayne, Michelle Koehlinger, 260-483-3173x325

•   Feb. 27 – Our Hope Lutheran, Huntertown, Karen Houser, 260-338-1121

•   Feb. 28 – St. Joseph Central Elementary, Fort Wayne, Jane Lundy, 260-425-7441

•   Feb. 28 – St. Peter’s Lutheran, Fort Wayne, John Westren, 260-749-5811x242

•   March 1 – St. Joseph Central Elementary, Fort Wayne, Jane Lundy, 260-425-7441

•   March 2 – Holland Elementary, Fort Wayne, Joanne Montgomery, 260-425-7364

•   March 3 – Holland Elementary, Fort Wayne, Joanne Montgomery, 260-425-7364

•   March 6 – Miami County Homeschool Group, Peru, Deborah Doty, 765-475-0096

•   March 7 – Waterloo Elementary, Waterloo, Lisa Conrad, 260-920-1016x6102

•   March 8 – Concordia Lutheran, Fort Wayne, Judy Hart, 260-426-9922

•   March 9 – Croninger Elementary, Fort Wayne, Arleta Owens, 260-425-7326

•   March 10 – Haley Elementary, Fort Wayne, Mary Swearingen, 260-425-7350

•   March 13 – Emmanuel - St. Michael Lutheran School, Fort Wayne, Mary Daenzer. 260-432-2033, 260-459-1616

•   March 14 – Haley Elementary, Fort Wayne, Mary Sweringen, 260-425-7350

•   March 15 – Lincoln Elementary, Fort Wayne, Nancy Caywood, 260-425-7401

•   March 16 – Lincoln Elementary Fort Wayne, Nancy Caywood, 260-425-7401

•   March 17 – Canterbury Elementary, Fort Wayne, Stacia Czartoski, 260-432-7776