Alice in Dairyland invites people to Maple Fest on April 27

Visitors to the 2024 Taylor County Lions Maple Festival on April 27 will have a chance to visit with Alice in Dairyland Ashley Hagenow and learn about the importance of the maple tree to the state’s agricultural economy.

Hagenow will be at the Simek Center in Medford on Saturday to share the story of agriculture in the state and to especially talk about the importance of maple syrup.

“Wisconsin is the 4th largest state in the country when it comes to Maple syrup production,” Hagenow said. She has been spending her time as Alice in Dairlyand traveling to communities around the state and speaking in classrooms about the different aspects of agriculture in Wisconsin. She said a highlight of those classroom visits is being able to talk about maple syrup and help build connections between the young people and the products they enjoy.

She is no stranger to visiting celebrations of maple products, she noted that she has attended tapping ceremonies and events all around the state to share the importance of Wisconsin’s state tree, the sugar maple.

She estimates that by the time she is done with her year as Alice in Dairyland, she will have visited more than 200 classrooms across the state. She said she primarily talked with third, fourth and fifth grade students, but also has spoken to middle and up to high school students such as those in food and consumer science classes.

Maple syrup is a big deal in Wisconsin, Hagenow explained, with more than 11,000 producers of varying sizes. She said this ranges from the people who might only make a few dozen gallons in their cook shack to those who produce hundreds of barrels of syrup each season. She said it is great to see that there are producers of all different sizes and it reflects the diversity of agriculture in Wisconsin.

According to Hagenow, maple syrup has a major impact on the state’s economy generating $50 million annually. Given that much of the prime maple syrup regions are in more rural areas of the state the impact of maple syrup production is even more important. “It is a really big deal in Wisconsin,” she said.

She also noted that Maple syrup production ties in with the strong environmental stewardship those in agriculture feel about the state with clean water and mature forests being essential for high quality maple syrup.

Over her time as Alice in Dairyland Hagenow has picked up some tips including the importance of not tapping the same spot on a tree year after year and the proper height to tap a tree.

“If you go to hug a tree, it is ideally where you want to tap a tree,” she said.

Hagenow invites the public to learn more about maple trees and maple syrup and celebrate this important part of the local and state economy by attending the 2024 Taylor County Lions and Lioness Maple Festival.

Doors open for the free event at 7:30 a.m. with it running until 4 p.m..

People are invited to take part in the pancake breakfast with locally produced maple syrup. Breakfast will be served from 7:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. Throughout the day there will be food and beverages for sale as well as a Maple Root Beer Float stand.

This event is family focused, with something to do for all ages, from different activities, displays and educational events. Syrup Judging, pancake breakfast, food and beverage, craft displays, free bike drawing for kids and many more activities for the youth. A feature event this year will be an interactive area for youth provided by the Phillips Children’s Museum, equipment displays, youth red wagon parade, with cash prizes for the parade.

At 10 a.m. there will be a peddle tractor competition at the south east corner of the parking lot by the elementary school just outside of the Simek Center.

The Lion’s club members believe that what benefits Taylor County as a whole, benefits everyone making Taylor County a great place to visit, work and hopefully live.

The feature presentation this year will be Alice in Dairyland Ashley Hagenow who will be on hand to visit with attendees and talk about agriculture in the state.

Other events include a peddle tractor competition, free vision screen for youth with a SPOT camera, High Tech Rednecks displays and music throughout the day.

In addition, there will be 500 maple trees given away throughout the day as well as other drawings and activities.

For those wishing to learn more about the mechanics of making maple syrup, there will also be shuttles from the Simek Center to tour area sugarbush operations and learn the ins and outs of what makes Maple Syrup so special.