Weather conditions haven’t been ideal for backyard maple syrup makers this season, but local sugar shacks are still boiling and selling across the state.

The woods and sugarhouse come to life as Chippewa Nature Center hosts its annual Maple Syrup Day on Saturday, March 21 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. with food and fun for all ages.

Brian Dunham pours maple syrup into a filter while boiling sap March 11 at Velvet Hollow Sugar Works in Greenwood. Dunham ...

The flow of sap will usually stop if the temperature goes above 50 degrees. The gathering of maple sap dates back to the American Indians, who were tapping maple trees long before the settlers arrived ...

Maple trees need specific conditions for sap to flow, and cold temperatures have delayed syrup production. Producers say if ...

The sweet, slightly smoky scent of boiling maple sap fills sugar shacks this time of year. Gallons of sap bubble and pop as they’re refined into a deep amber syrup with a rich, earthy sweetness.

Event features a variety of activities including demonstrations, puppet play, story time, scavenger hunt with prizes, pancake meal, samples of maple cotton candy and more.