Last Sunday the annual Sugaring Off celebration, heralding the evasive but long-hoped-for beginning of spring, made its first appearance of the season at The Farmers’ Museum. This event, which runs for four Sundays, offers maple syrup and everything that goes with it to myriad visitors; the village and farm buildings are open for exploration, and the animals are eager for a pat on the head. Sugaring Off Sundays anticipates the April opening of the Farmers’ and Fenimore’s doors and gates for the 2023 season.
The reason for this activity is local maple syrup, provided by the Otsego County Maple Producers. The syrup, boiled down from sap tapped from 30-year-old sugar maples, is an ancient and local phenomenon first produced by Native Americans in the mid-16th century.
ART AUCTION – 1-4 p.m. Bid for artwork from the collection of Dorothy Caswell. Benefit for the Catskill Choral Society. Auction begins at 2 p.m. final bids at 3:30 p.m. Wine and hors d’ourves served by Dietz & Wall Wines. Community Arts Network of Oneonta, Wilber Mansion, 11 Ford Ave., Oneonta. Info, www.canoneonta.org
SUGARING-OFF SUNDAY – 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Historical and contemporary maple sugaring demonstrations with a pancake breakfast and fun activities for kids. The Farmers’ Museum, Cooperstown. Info, www.farmersmuseum.org/sos
NATURE WALK – 2 p.m. Educator and naturalist George Steele leads a stroll to discover what animals have survived winter and which birds are present. SUNY Onoenta College Camp, 1 mile from the intersection of Bugbee Rd. and East St. Info, (607)436-3455
Daylight Savings Time arrives next Sunday, March 13; Spring arrives at 12:30 a.m. Sunday, March 20. A third portent of good things to come around here is Sugaring Off Sundays at The Farmers’ Museum, which began today and continues each Sunday in March. At top, veteran volunteers Lorraine Tyler, with husband Rich behind her, serves some of the final pancakes to Liz Callahan of Cooperstown and and her husband, Bill Francis. Below right, Tim Harrington stuffs cotton candy into a bag held by dad Ray Harrington. Harrington Maple Products, Garrettsville, has provided bagged cotton candy in the past, but this year decided to bring the machine. Lower left, Bob Thompson pilots his draft horses around the museum grounds; wagon rides are among the fun Sugaring Off events. (Jim Kevlin/AllOTSEGO.com)
