Learn How To Make Maple Syrup At Hoyt Farm In Suffolk

COMMACK, NY — Are you interested in learning how to make your own maple syrup/sugar?

Hoyt Farm Nature Preserve of Commack is set to host classes on how to do so. The program, available to the public, teaches the ancient process of making maple syrup/sugar, which was passed down by the Native Americans to the colonists, the Town of Smithtown stated.

Classes are set to run on Sundays; Feb. 19, Feb. 26 and March 5, from 1:30 p.m. to 3 p.m. at Hoyt Farm Nature Preserve, at 200 New Highway, Commack. Tickets are $5 per person and cash only. The class is open to both Smithtown residents and non-residents. The farm recommends guests arrive by 1 p.m. to register for the class, as the events are very popular.

“This is one of the best educational programs the Town offers and it’s one that every Long Islander should partake in," Smithtown Supervisor Edward R. Wehrheim stated. "The techniques used to make maple syrup are a part of our history that should be treasured for all time. Jeff Gumin, Sheryl Brook and the team at Hoyt go above and beyond in teaching this demonstration. It’s an unforgettable experience, which I highly recommend for the whole family.”

The maple sugaring program is a demonstration that encompasses the history of Native American early life and how maple sugaring was originally discovered, all the way up to the modern day process. An interactive portion of the program enlists the help of younger students to teach the anatomy of the tree, the importance of chlorophyll, and the role of photosynthesis in making maple syrup.

The Hoyt Farm Nature Preserve maple sugaring program is unique, the farm said, in that black walnut trees are also tapped for sugaring, in addition to making maple syrup from maple trees. Maple sugaring season is approximately three weeks out of the year. In order to produce the sweetest sap, weather conditions must be below freezing at night and over 40 degrees during the day.

Hoyt Farm taps trees and conducts the maple sugaring program throughout the last two Sundays in February and the first Sunday in March.

The maple sugaring program began in the late 1970s and started with one class. The interactive family-oriented experience is now open to the public. School classes, Girl Scouts, Boy Scout troops, kids and adults of all ages are welcome, the farm stated.