Cassetti enjoys maple fest at Ansonia Nature Center

Mayor David S. Cassetti and Ansonia Nature and Recreation Center Director Alison Rubelmann taste sap from a maple tree at the nature center. / Photo by Ansonia Alderman Lorie Vaccaro

ANSONIA - Alison Rubelmann, Ansonia Nature Center director, Saturday taps a maple tree to collect sap to make maple syrup during the Center's annual Maple Festival.
It takes 40 gallons of sap, to be boiled down to make one gallon of pure maple syrup.

The event was a huge success, based on the number of participants.
Rubelmann led a group of children and adults and demonstrated the process of tapping maple trees, using a hand drill.

Mayor David S. Cassetti and others tasted the sap as it flowed out of the trees. It was an educational, and fun time for all.


This is taken from a press release from Cassetti's office.

Maple syrup-making is topic at Ansonia center

Nature's Child program

ANSONIA - Children of preschool age accompanied by an adult are invited to join Ranger Wendy at 10:30 a.m. March 7 at the Ansonia Nature and Recreation Center to learn how maple trees make sugar.

Learn how to make maple syrup the old-fashioned way, and taste a sample of real nature center syrup on ice cream.

Tuition is $6 per family, $4 for Ansonia residents and family-level members of the Friends of the Ansonia Nature Center, Inc.

The nature center is at 10 Deerfield Road. To register call 203-736-1053.





This is a press release from the Ansonia Nature and Recreation Center.

Maple Festival slated Saturday at Ansonia Nature Center

Event to include tree-tapping demonstration

ANSONIA - The Friends of the Ansonia Nature Center, Inc. will host a daylong Maple Festival Saturday at the center, 10 Deerfield Road.

The running of the sap is one of the earliest signs that spring is on the way.

The day will start with a pancake breakfast from 8-10 a.m.

Other events scheduled between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. include a demonstration of how to identify and tap trees, and a live owl program.   

The Derby Historical Society will have early Colonial and Native American displays depicting how maple sugar was made during Colonial times.


Tim Sotir of Coon Hollow Farm in Oxford and Ansonia resident Greg Karas will demonstrate traditional and modern methods of making maple syrup.

Richard Feher from the Connecticut Maple Syrup Producers Association will give a lecture on equipment, collecting, and storing syrup.
He also will cover tools needed to tap your own backyard trees.

New this year will be Dad's Food Truck from Oxford. Food and beverages with a maple theme will be available all day.
For lunch, Dad will be serving a choice of maple pulled-pork sandwiches, maple butternut and apple soup, burgers with gorgonzola cheese and maple bacon and more.

Visit the Friends' Maple Bake Sale and purchase fresh syrup from Nil Guillet, owner of the Sugar Shack in Oxford.

Special programs for children will include crafts and Ranger Marty's popular pancake-eating contest.

Admission is free, but all proceeds will benefit the wildlife rehabilitation program.

For information call 203-736-1053.



This is a press release from the Ansonia Nature and Recreation Center.

'Sugar on Snow' is topic of nature center program

ANSONIA - Preschoolers accompanied by adults are invited to join Ranger Wendy at the Ansonia Nature and Recreation Center to learn how maple syrup and sugar on snow are made the old-fashioned way.

Learn which are the Center's sweet trees, how they are tapped, and how the sap is made into maple syrup.
Participants will have a chance to taste the sap and the sweet sugar on snow made from it.

Registration is required; call 203-736-1053.

Tuition is $6 per family, and $4 for Ansonia residents and family-level Friends of the Ansonia Nature Center Inc. members.