Essex on Lake Champlain
\"Essex
  • About
    • Essex, New York (Town)
      • Essex Maps
      • Essex, New York Weather
      • Town of Essex Government
      • Close
    • Essex on Lake Champlain (Blog)
      • Contributors
      • Sponsors
      • Testimonials
      • Get Involved
      • Close
    • Close
  • Books
  • Blog
  • Calendar
    • Add an Event
    • Upcoming Events
    • Close
  • Essex on Lake Champlain
  • Connect
    • Social Media
      • Facebook
      • Twitter
      • Google +
      • Pinterest
      • YouTube
      • Flickr
    • Newsletters
    • GET INVOLVED
    • CONTACT
      • Your Name (required)

        Your Email (required)

        Subject (required)

        Your Message

    • Close
  • Shop
  • Search
      • Search
        • Close
      • Categories
          • Agriculture (508)
          • Architecture (73)
          • Arts (307)
          • Business (114)
          • Daily Doodle (62)
          • Dining (145)
          • Doodle Quotes (5)
          • Doodlebomb (3)
          • Education (280)
          • Entertainment (318)
          • Environment (25)
          • Essex Doodles (62)
          • Events (1450)
          • Exercise (54)
          • Government (235)
          • Health & Wellness (132)
          • Heritage (375)
          • History (168)
          • Hyperlocal (21)
          • Landscape (35)
          • Lifestyle (191)
          • Lodging (15)
          • Music (244)
          • Nature (237)
          • News (976)
          • Nightlife (14)
          • Obituary (7)
          • Opinion (43)
          • Outdoors (172)
          • People (105)
          • Philanthropy (56)
          • Real Estate (3)
          • Recreation (196)
          • Resources (7)
          • Services (7)
          • Shopping (80)
          • Sports (21)
          • Transportation (65)
          • Worship (17)
        • Close
      • Archives
          • June 2018 (21)
          • May 2018 (30)
          • April 2018 (28)
          • March 2018 (30)
          • February 2018 (31)
          • January 2018 (26)
          • December 2017 (23)
          • November 2017 (25)
          • October 2017 (22)
          • September 2017 (32)
          • August 2017 (35)
          • July 2017 (30)
          • June 2017 (30)
          • May 2017 (35)
          • April 2017 (31)
          • March 2017 (33)
          • February 2017 (30)
          • January 2017 (35)
          • December 2016 (30)
          • November 2016 (37)
          • October 2016 (43)
          • September 2016 (53)
          • August 2016 (49)
          • July 2016 (59)
          • June 2016 (70)
          • May 2016 (57)
          • April 2016 (64)
          • March 2016 (69)
          • February 2016 (56)
          • January 2016 (46)
          • December 2015 (39)
          • November 2015 (43)
          • October 2015 (61)
          • September 2015 (57)
          • August 2015 (61)
          • July 2015 (54)
          • June 2015 (41)
          • May 2015 (67)
          • April 2015 (66)
          • March 2015 (72)
        • Load More
        • Close
      • Contact us
        • CONTACT US

          Your Name (required)

          Your Email (required)

          Subject (required)

          Your Message

        • Close
    • Close
  • Log In
    • Log Into Calendar
    • Log Into Blog
    • Close
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Essex on Lake Champlain

Essex, New York Community Blog Since 2011

  • Lifestyle
    • Agriculture
      • CSAs in Essex, NY
        • Essex Farm
        • Full and By Farm
      • Farmstead Catering
      • The Hub on the Hill
      • Reber Rock Farm
    • Outdoors
      • Champlain Area Trails (CATS)
      • Pok-O-MacCready Outdoor Education Center
    • Entertainment
      • Champlain Valley Film Series
      • Whallonsburg Grange Hall
    • Arts
      • Adirondack Art Association
      • Essex Community Concerts
      • Champlain Valley Film Series
      • Essex Poetry Open Mic
    • Music
      • Essex Community Concerts
    • Shopping
    • Recreation
      • Champlain Area Trails (CATS)
    • Health & Wellness
      • Lake Champlain Yoga & Wellness
      • NEW Health
    • Nature
      • Champlain Area Trails (CATS)
    • Education
      • CFES Brilliant Pathways
      • Pok-O-MacCready Outdoor Education Center
    • Nightlife
    • Worship
  • Events
    • Christmas in Essex
    • Downtown Essex Day
    • Fourth of July in Essex, NY
  • Dining
    • Chez Lin & Rays
    • Essex Ice Cream Cafe
    • Essex Inn on the Adirondack Coast
    • Farmstead Catering
    • Old Dock Restaurant
    • The Pink Pig Cafe
  • Lodging
    • Essex Inn on the Adirondack Coast
    • The Cupola House and Cottage
  • Transportation
    • Essex-Charlotte Ferry
  • Heritage
    • Architecture
      • Essex, New York Architecture: A Doodler’s Field Guide
    • Historic Essex
    • History
    • People
    • Government
      • Essex Post Office
      • Town of Essex Government
    • Vintage Essex Trivia
    • Vintage Essex Artifacts
  • Directory
    • Adirondack Art Association
    • Champlain Area Trails (CATS)
    • CFES Brilliant Pathways
    • The Cupola House and Cottage
    • Essex-Charlotte Ferry
    • Essex Farm
    • Essex Ice Cream Cafe
    • Essex Initiatives
    • Essex Post Office
    • Farmstead Catering
    • Full and By Farm
    • Historic Essex
    • Lake Champlain Yoga & Wellness
    • NEW Health
    • Pedal Power
    • Reber Rock Farm
    • The Hub on the Hill
    • Town of Essex Government
    • Whallonsburg Grange Hall
  • Show Search
Hide Search
You are here: Home / Education / Lakeside School: Maple Sugaring!

Lakeside School: Maple Sugaring!

March 8, 2013 By Lakeside School Leave a Comment

Children drilling a sugar maple during sugaring
Children drilling a sugar maple during sugaring (Credit: Jen Zahorchak)

Lakeside School at Black Kettle Farm offers birth – 1st grade education based on the Waldorf philosophy on a working farm in Essex, NY. Each week our Office Administrator, Kathleen Morse, writes on the Lakeside school and community and education based on the Waldorf philosophy through her perspective from the office window.

View from the Office Window: Maple Sugaring!

The view from my window today shows growing patches of mud and shrinking patches of snow.  A sure signal of sugaring season!

Children at Lakeside School carrying sugaring pails
Children carrying sugaring pails (Credit: Jen Zahorchak)

When Robin gathered the tapping materials together earlier this week, I was sure to tag along with the children.  With a verse of gratitude for the tree the hand drill came out and children began

Tap, tap, tapping the spile
Tap, tap, tapping the spile (Credit: Jen Zahorchak)

drilling into the sugar maple.  Each child took up the task of turning the hand drill with a mixture of delight and determination on their face.  One of the children went to get the next piece, a spile, as she informed me.  The spile, or spout, was tap, tap, tapped into the hole with a hammer and sweet sap began drip, drip, dripping into the bucket.

Children at Lakeside School tasting sweet maple sap.
Tasting sweet maple sap (Credit: Jen Zahorchak)

But first, little fingers tasted this slightly sweet liquid dripping from the tree.  As we went off through the meadow to find other sugar maples, I was impressed at how the children knew just which trees they had chosen that were sugar maples.  All the while singing sugaring songs.  A feast for the senses.

Today the collection of sap sat on the top of the wood stove boiling away.  I won’t spoil the surprise of the festival that is coming once the syrup is finished.  You’ll have to check back next week!

On to tap the next tree!
On to tap the next tree! (Credit: Jen Zahorchak)

Until then,
Kathleen Morse
Office Administrator
Lakeside School in Essex

Related articles
  • Lakeside School: The Pedagogy of Sledding
  • Math: An Exercise in Balance
  • Adirondack Mountain Creams: Essex Tradition Reborn
  • Lakeside School: Whole Systems Thinking

Share this:

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Pinterest
  • Email
  • More
  • Print
  • LinkedIn
  • Pocket
  • Reddit
  • Tumblr

Filed Under: Education Tagged With: Black Kettle Farm, Jen Zahorchak, Kathleen Morse, Lakeside School, Maple Sugaring, Maple Syrup, Spile, View from the Office Window, Waldorf Education

Lakeside School

About Lakeside School

Lakeside School is a Waldorf inspired early childhood and elementary school in Essex, NY. Learn more at www.lakesideschoolinessex.org.

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

Poems from Essex & Elsewhere 

Essex, New York Architecture: A Doodler's Field Guide

View all Essex Editions books...

Follow Essex, NY on FacebookFollow Essex, NY on TwitterFollow Essex, NY on PinterestFollow Essex, NY on YouTubeFollow Essex, NY on FlickrFollow Essex, NY on RSS

Search

Top 10 Contributors

  • Katie Shepard (576)
  • Geo Davis (393)
  • Whallonsburg Grange Hall (209)
  • Essex FarmEssex Farm (205)
  • Olive Alexander (190)
  • Champlain Area Trails (CATS) (185)
  • Sara Kurak (165)
  • Tom ManganoTom Mangano (142)
  • Fort TiconderogaFort Ticonderoga (142)
  • Lakeside SchoolLakeside School (116)

Upcoming Events

Click to enlarge.

Essex Yoga Club

December 9 @ 5:30 pm At St. John's Church

The Essex Yoga Club meets every Monday at 5:30 pm at St. John’s Church. Free, open to all. N… [Continue Reading]

Click to enlarge.

Essex Community Potluck

December 10 @ 6:00 pm At St. John's Church

Essex Community Potluck Tuesdays 6pm Join us for food and friendly conversation. Please bring a potl… [Continue Reading]

Click to enlarge.

Newman Film Series: SCROOGE

December 14 @ 7:00 pm At Newman Center

The Newman Center film series (90 Broad St., Plattsburgh) will present its annual screening of 1970&… [Continue Reading]

Click to enlarge.

Essex Community Church Sunday Service

December 15 @ 10:15 am At Essex Community Church

In the spirit of fellowship and community that defines us, we welcome everyone who wants to celebrat… [Continue Reading]

Footer

Resources & Policies

  • About Essex on Lake Champlain
  • About Essex, New York
  • Essex, NY Weather
  • Disclosure Policy
  • Privacy Policy
  • Submit a Story
  • Contact Us

Popular Essex, NY Searches

  • Essex, NY
  • Essex, New York
  • Essex on Lake Champlain
  • Essex Charlotte ferry
  • Essex ferry schedule
  • Essex Charlotte ferry schedule
  • Full and By Farm
  • Essex Farm
  • timber rattlesnake
  • Essex NY fireworks
  • Christmas in Essex, NY
  • Champlain Area Trails

Local Links

  • Adirondack Art Association
  • Champlain Area Trails
  • Champlain Valley Film Society
  • Essex Community Concerts
  • Essex Theatre Company
  • Historic Essex
  • Macaroni Kid Northern Adirondacks
  • Rosslyn Redux
  • The Crater Club
  • Town of Essex Information

Copyright © 2019 Essex Editions

loading Cancel
Post was not sent - check your email addresses!
Email check failed, please try again
Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email.