Walnut Creek students tour Tap Tap Maple Farm

This past early spring, the third grade class visited Tap Tap Maple Farm near Walnut Creek to explore the virtues of harvesting maple syrup from the woodlands on the farm.

Firman Wengerd’s farm has become a hotspot for visiting youth groups because of the educational value of teaching children about where a popular product like maple syrup comes from.

“Firman was thrilled to host us because he loves kids and he and his wife love educating children and giving them a chance to get outside into nature to explore the woods and learn where syrup comes from,” said Tonya Widder, third grade teacher. “His sugaring operation is really neat the way it’s set up throughout his woods.”

Tap Tap Maple has countless yards of plastic tubing running throughout the acres of woodland, and Widder said the kids were amazed to see firsthand a fully operational maple syrup process from start to finish.

While the day was drizzly, the entourage plowed through the day and even got a taste of the syrup as it came out of the sugar shack.

Widder said the students were extremely into the visit, asking some great questions despite the drizzly day.

While it rained, the group stayed in the confines of the sugar shack and asked the Wengerds all kinds of questions about the operation. Once the rain subsided, they were able to venture out into the woods, where the real action of harvesting syrup from the trees was taking place.

“The Wengerds have such a wonderful passion for sharing what they do, and they made it fun for the kids,” Widder said. “I don’t think our kids had ever tasted maple syrup like that before.”

With the maple syrup still warm from the process, Widder said each student went from cautious anticipation to pure delight as they tried the maple syrup. From seeing the steam wafting up in the cool air to the aroma of the sweetness of the syrup, it was a field trip well worth the wait just for that one moment. It was like they were tasting one of nature’s hidden treasures.

However, that wasn’t the end of the day for the students because awaiting them was an even bigger treat.

Parents Laurel Miller and Bethany Ling came to school, and upon the kids’ arrival back at the elementary, the two mothers had brought in pancake batter and made pancakes for the kids.

Wengerd had graciously donated maple syrup to the cause, and the students were able to get an even bigger, bolder taste of his product as they heaped it on their hot pancakes.

“It was a terrific field trip that the kids won’t soon forget,” Widder said.

Needless to say, the experience left a sweet impression.