Maple Syrup Time!! YUMMY!!

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Southeastern Parkway has become a favorite for my family in Indianapolis. Its clean, its fun and has a lot to offer like parks, trails, walking paths, biking baths and a small nature center that's occasionally open to teach things.

This weekend we were granted some sunshine after a week of cold gloomy days. Not wanting to waste it I took the kids to the park and was surprised that it was maple Syrup Harvesting time. So we have always bought the cheap pancake syrup in the grocery store and did not know now about the real 100% good stuff! The center was open and some friendly gentlemen told my kids to come around back as they were boiling down the sap collected from the parks tree's to make syrup. We were told only Canada and certain upper states produce maple syrup. Another reason we are loving Indiana!

They had a big set up in my opinion, well at least for the area of the center. The smoke or steam coming off the boiling liquid smelled so sweet! We were ready to taste it on the spot. Unfortunately, the guys told us that the batch wouldn't be ready until the next morning. they told us to feel free to walk on the trail as we could see the sap being collected from the trees. Off we went and explored the trails stopping to peek in the tin collecting buckets attached to the trees. we stuck our fingers at the end of one tap to taste what looked like water but was sap from the tree. It was slightly sweet but really just tasted like water. We were told it turns to syrup as it cooks down.

I promised the kids I would come back for a bottle in the morning. I did and we treated like gold at $10.00 a bottle but I decided it was a once in a lifetime experience for the kids. The problem is that we don't want to go back to the cheap sugary stuff now that we have tasted the real maple syrup!

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