Springtime has finally arrived and that means one thing: maple syrup.

Well, perhaps maple syrup is not the first thing brought to mind, but it certainly is for the employees at Hartwick Pines State Park.

On Saturday, the park, 4216 Ranger Road, in Grayling, will be hosting its annual Maple Sugar Day.

From 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., visitors will get to participate in tapping sugar maples for their sap, learn the history of the practice, watch the all-day process of melting down the sap for its sugar content and view the finished maple syrup.

Hartwick Pines staff members Craig Kasmer, the natural resources interpretation guru, and Rob Burg, the historical expert, have been collecting sap for the event for the past three weeks. Storing the sap in large, sanitized tubs and beginning to boil it down over a wood stove, the park uses no modern technology during the process.

“We’re doing it historically,” Kasmer said. “We’re kind of old-school in that sense.”

Keeping it old school and celebrating the season, Maple Sugar Day has grown to become quite a success over the years.

“I’d say we generally average 500 to 700 people. it depends on the weather,” Kasmer said.

Even when the weather is bad, visitors still enjoy coming out because the long-running tradition brings a connotation of spring.

Having attended Maple Sugar Days in the past, Charles Hughes, a sophomore from Grayling, said the success of the event has to do with the philosophy of the park.

“That’s Hartwick Pines in general- tradition,” he said.

Hughes began working as a historical interpreter in Hartwick Pines’ logging museum last summer. His job is to educate visitors on the lives and traditions of the lumberjacks, also known as shanty boys, during the logging era.

“Maple syrup was not the favorite thing to put on pancakes, it was grease gravy,” he said.

Strong black coffee and near toxic-tea were also favorites of the shanty boys, who spent their days doing grueling work in the Michigan forests.

Hartwick Pines has two of these forests on its property. Visitors can explore the White Pine Forest on nature, cross-country skiing and bike trails. And for the more adventurous guest, the unique Hemlock forest has dirt paths for exploring its dark and chilly forest floor.

While Maple Sugar Day is a highlight of the property’s natural beauty, it is not the only reason guests are attracted to the park.

Seasonal park interpreter, Dale Marie Losee was drawn to Hartwick Pines long before she started working there.

“I have hiked and birded there for years,” Losee said.

Losee, a CMU alumna, worked in admissions at Kirkland Community College for 27 years and sought an opportunity to combine her two loves.

“My goal when I retired was to somehow educate the public, especially children, on natural resources,” Losee said.

A typical day for Losee involves giving tours of the park, answering questions, being the resident bird watcher and taking guests birding.

Getting people, especially children, involved with nature is a rare experience in today’s over stimulated society.

“The thing about it is there are no computers, no video games, it’s all things they have to touch,” Losee said.

On Maple Sugar Day, she helps Burg and Kasmer tap trees. She also interacts with the crowd and answers questions. Losee enjoys opening the eyes of guests to the forgotten art.

“The average person has no idea how the food their eating ends up on their table. And this is just a small example,” she said.

Besides just answering questions, the staff at Hartwick Pines is committed to helping guests have a fun and knowledgeable experience.

“I’ve worked with the public before and this is the most satisfying job I think I’ve ever had,” Losee said.

metro@cm-life.com

E-mail the author: Abby Wood