Feb. 1—Have you ever thought about what it would take to get started making maple syrup?

Maple production can be as simple as a few buckets in the backyard or several hundred taps in the woodlot on a farm.

Maple 101 — The Beginner Maple Class — will take place 9 a.m. to noon Feb. 17 in the Geauga Park District’s West Woods Nature Center in Russell Township.

The program is being presented by OSU Extension Geauga County and sponsored by the park district and will take attendees through the entire process of making maple syrup, from tree ID to successfully producing your very own bottle of pure maple syrup, according to a news release.

The program is designed not only for the hobby producer but also for the small producer.

“For the backyard producer, it is a hobby that involves the whole family,” the release stated. “The reward is a stack of freshly made pancakes smothered with homemade pancakes. For the small producer looking to expand, there will be plenty of time to ask questions and learn where to start.

“For the woodlot owner it is a chance to learn more about maple syrup production.”

The program is free but pre-registration is requested by Feb. 15. For more information and to register, call The Ohio State University Extension Office in Geauga County at 440-834-4656.