LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES

2026 Maple Sugaring Demonstration Day
Saturday, April 11, 9:00 am – 3:00 pm

Sponsored by the Natural Resources Institute; Kemp Natural Resources Station; Rural Partnerships Institute, Extension Forestry and Wildlife Program

Are you interested in collecting sap and making your own maple syrup? If you are new to maple sugaring or have a small operation that you’d like to improve, join us at Kemp Natural Resources Station for our 2026 Maple Sugaring Demonstration Day. We will demonstrate several sap collection methods including buckets, bags, and a gravity flow tubing system. We will also demonstrate syrup processing using our small-scale evaporator. Come for the syrup and stay for the fun! NO REGISTRATION REQUIRED.

Open House, 9 AM- 3 PM
Snacks and refreshments available.
Check out the maple operation, hike the nature trail.

Workshop schedule:

10 AM – Maple Quality & Judging – Tony Johnson, Working Lands Forestry Educator
Bring your own syrup to judge.

11 AM – Traditional Birch Bark Sugar Cones
Workshop making birch bark sugar cones, limited to 20 hand-on participants

1 PM – Finishing, Filtering & Bottling Syrup, Scott Bowe, Kemp Superintendent
Live demos and syrup tasting

2 PM – Bags, Buckets, & Tubes, Tony Johnson, Working Lands Forestry Educator
Guided tour of the sugarbush; help haul sap!

2026 Kemp Apple School
Saturday, April 18, 9:00 am – 2:00 pm – Rain or Shine!

Join us at the Kemp Natural Resources Station to learn about the ins and outs of growing apples in the Northwoods from Josie Dillon, Horticulture Outreach Specialist and Rebecca Wiepz, Superintendent – Peninsular Agricultural Research Station. Whether you’re thinking about planting an orchard or wondering why you keep losing your crop, this workshop will provide some helpful information. This year, we will focus on developing a management plan for your trees. The workshop includes a lunch, sponsored by a kind and generous donor. Register here. Questions may be directed to kemp@cals.wisc.edu or (715)358-5667.

8:30 Check in begins
9:00 Welcome and Introduction
9:15 Site and Variety Selection for the North Woods
9:45 Tree Establishment and Training
10:15 Break
10:30 Crop Load Management, Harvest, and Storage
11:00 Pest, Weed, and Disease Management
11:30 Lunch (provided)
12:15 Apple Tree Annual Maintenance Schedule and Apple Tree Pruning Demonstration
(Split into two groups for demonstrations)

Birds & Breakfast
Saturday, May 23, 7:00 am

Spring migration is like a parade down Main Street; hordes of birds are racing to return to their summer breeding grounds. Spring is a wonderful time to see and hear birds as they are active defending their breeding territories and singing to attract a mate. Join this birding hike led by David Drake, Extension Wildlife Specialist / Professor, through the hemlock, pine, and hardwood forests. Life history and ecological information will be shared about birds that call Wisconsin home as we strain our ears and focus our eyes to find and identify as many birds as we can before relaxing with coffee and breakfast (provided by a kind and generous donor) to discuss what we saw and answer any questions. Binoculars will be provided if needed. Register here. Questions may be directed to kemp@cals.wisc.edu or (715)358-5667.

Science on Tap – Minocqua — Check the schedule or watch past presentations on-line.