The Mobile Maple Experience rolled into Elsmere Elementary School on Monday to educate students about one of New York State’s sweetest agricultural traditions.
Housed in a 24-foot trailer, the New York State Maple Producers Association’s mobile classroom features interactive exhibits that trace maple production from its origins with Native American practices to today’s industry. Presenters demonstrated how maple trees are tapped, how sap is collected and boiled, and how the syrup’s color and flavor change depending on when the sap is collected. They also learned about grading, flavor profiles, and the labeling standards used in the maple business.
The Mobile Maple Experience is designed to bring agricultural education directly to schools through hands-on learning opportunities. New York State is the second-largest producer of maple syrup in the United States.
Thank you to BCSD Food Service Director Claire Groudine for organizing this informative (and delicious) visit!