Announcing: Maple Syrup Project 2011!

Read on to find out about all the cool, fun, and enriching ways you can get involved in the Somerville Maple Syrup Project.  It’s not until the new year, but now’s the time to sign up before you disappear into the abyss of holidays and winter vacations. Please do not hesitate to contact Tai (tai@groundworksomerville.org or 617-628-9988) with ideas or questions about the project. If you know of groups or friends who might be interested, please forward this article to them! If you want to get involved, contact Tai so you can reserve the time that works best for you.

MSP Volunteer Opportunities:

Maple Educator: (volunteer position, 45min to 1.5hr in class time per week plus travel) For the past 10 years, community members have volunteered for the Maple Syrup Project. For the in-school component, teams of 2 volunteers visit 2nd grade classrooms once a week and teach 4 lessons from 1/27/11 – 3/4/11. Multidisciplinary topics cover parts of a tree trunk, poetry, graphing, a year in the life of a tree, history of New England syruping, tree tapping/syrup production, measuring, and more. Groundwork Somerville will provide curriculum, training, materials, and coordination. Lessons lead up to the Boil Down field trip on March 4th, 2011.

Interested? Contact tai@groundworksomerville.org and include days of the week (M-Sat) and times between 8:30am and 2:30pm when you expect to be free from 1/27/11 – 3/4/11. Save the date: Educator Training will take place on Sunday January 23rd from apx. 3-6pm.

Maple Sap Collector: (volunteer position, 2 hrs max. per day, weekly) Sap from tapped Somerville sugar maple trees (predominantly on Tufts Campus) is collected daily from late January through the end of February (depending on weather) by volunteers and delivered to refrigerated storage space at Somerville Public Schools. Week day sap collection ideally happens between 10am and 1pm. The Maple Syrup Project depends on the dedication of these weekday and weekend collectors. Car access or ability to tow a bike trailer in the winter (provided by GWS from our Union Sq. Office) needed.

Interested? Contact tai@groundworksomerville.org and include days of the week you can commit to sap collection from January through March. Save the date: Tapping will likely happen the last week of January, up-to-date info available at our website.

Garden Club Assistant Educator: Visit Schoolyard Gardens for more information about this additional Groundwork Somerville volunteer position.

Save The Date!

2011 Maple Syrup Boil Down: Saturday March 5th, 10am-2pm, free and open to the public, 22 Vinal Ave., more info will be posted to our website as the date approaches.

Please contact Tai at tai@groundworksomerville.org or call (617)628-9988 for more information about the Somerville Maple Syrup Project and other “healthy EDUCATION” programming.