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

WOLF LAKE, Ind. – Some 1,400 elementary students from 29 area schools and homeschool groups along with their parents and teachers will find environmental learning to be sugary-sweet at Sugar Bush 2007, sponsored by the Merry Lea Environmental Learning Center of Goshen College. This day-long, hands-on experience in maple syrup making takes place at the Yoder Sugar Bush 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 hands-on experience in small groups. The program ends with a lunch of pancakes and sausage smothered in freshly made 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, part of the Yoder family for four generations, produces about 80 gallons of syrup annually.

Complete information about the program is available at http://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 more information, contact Larry Yoder at (260) 799-5869.

###

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 2007 schedule includes the following schools (with contact information):

• Feb. 13 – South Side Elementary, Kendallville, Jessica Rouch, (260) 349-2200

• Feb. 14 – St. Joseph’s Catholic School, Decatur, Kris Call, (260) 724-2765

• Feb. 15 – Huntertown Elementary, Huntertown, Terry Snyder, (260) 637-3181

• Feb. 16 – Huntertown Elementary, Huntertown, Terry Snyder, (260) 637-3181

• Feb. 16 – Allen County Learning Academy, Fort Wayne, Karen Lasocha, (260) 449-8204

• Feb. 19 – Homeschool, Julie Newcomer, (260) 486-4628

• Feb. 19 – Homeschool, Fort Wayne, Melynda Hoffman, (260) 482-2398

• Feb. 19 – Homeschool, Churubusco, Nancy Kendall, (260) 693-2262

• Feb. 19 – Homeschool, Columbia City, Carol Fausay, (260) 248-2916

• Feb. 20 – Haley Elementary, Fort Wayne, Mary Swearingen, (260) 425-7350

• Feb. 21 – Haley Elementary, Fort Wayne, Mary Swearingen, (260) 425-7350

• Feb. 22 – Emmanuel-St. Michael Lutheran School, Fort Wayne, Mary Daenzer, (260) 422-6712

• Feb. 23 – Central Lutheran Elementary, New Haven, Sandi Herman, (260) 493-2502

• Feb. 23 – Precious Blood School, Fort Wayne, Pam Marx, (260) 424-4832

• Feb. 26 – St. Peter’s Lutheran School, Fort Wayne, John Westrem, (260) 749-5811

• Feb. 26 – Suburban Bethlehem Lutheran School, Fort Wayne, Peggy Zilz, (260) 483-9371

• Feb. 27 – -Holland Elementary, Fort Wayne, Joanne Montgomery, (260) 425-7364

• Feb. 28 – St. Joseph/St. Elizabeth Ann Seton School, Fort Wayne, Julie Christian, (260) 432-4001

March 1 – Fairfield Elementary, Fort Wayne, DaNene Neff, (260) 467-5900

March 1 –  St. Joseph Central Elementary, Fort Wayne, Karen Leff, (260) 425-7441

March 2 – Concordia Lutheran School, Fort Wayne, Judy Hart, (260) 426-9922

March 2 – St. Joseph Central Elementary, Fort Wayne, Karen Leff, (260) 425-7441

March 5 – Holy Cross Lutheran School, Fort Wayne, Michelle Koehlinger, (260) 483-3173

March 6 – Riverdale Elementary, St. Joe, Linda Madden, (260) 337-5464

March 6 – St. Joseph Central Elementary, Fort Wayne, Karen Leff, (260) 425-7441

March 7 – Fairfield Elementary, Fort Wayne, Drew Davis, (260) 467-5900

March 7 – St. Joseph Central Elementary, Fort Wayne, Karen Leff, (260) 425-7441

March 8 – Canterbury Elementary, Fort Wayne, Tom Meyer, (260) 432-7776

March 9 – Leo Elementary, Leo, Dorcas Curry, (260) 446-0170

March 12 – Pine Hills Kiddie Garden, Fort Wayne, Michelle Mettert, (260) 637-3197

March 12 – Harlan Christian School, Harlan, Carolyn Ross, (260) 657-5147

March 13 – Waterloo Elementary, Waterloo, Lana Young, (260) 920-1016x6116

March 14 – Lincoln Elementary, Fort Wayne, Nancy Caywood, (260) 425-7401

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

March 16 – Leo Elementary, Leo, Dorcas Curry, (260) 446-0170

March 19 – Franke Park Elementary, Fort Wayne, Kim Derck, (260) 425-7336