Citing a recent spate of cold days, including temperatures of 8 degrees Saturday night, Andy Testo, the VIC’s trails and education coordinator, said the trees in the sugarbush were all frozen shut. Ideal temperatures for collecting sap are between 40 and 50 degrees.

“Last year, March was awesome,” Testo said. “This year, I want to forget about it.”

Though this weekend was slow, both in terms of visitors and sap production, the VIC did see a good turnout last week when Maple Weekend kicked off, with close to 200 people coming to take part in the tours.

“The weather has been the big difference,” VIC Program Coordinator Emma Galeotti said.

VIC Trails and Education Coordinator Andy Testo left, and student worker, Collin Perkins-McCraw, right, field questions from a group of visitors to the VIC's sugar shack as part of New York State's Maple Weekend. on Sunday. (Enterprise photo — Ben Gocker)

Participants were able to visit the sugarbush where sap is collected, and the sugar shack, where Testo and a crew of student workers explained the sugaring process.

On Sunday, a handful of onlookers listened intently as Testo explained the reverse osmosis machine, which helps speed up the syruping process. But with around 300 trees tapped on the grounds of the VIC, and temperatures forecast to warm up, Testo still has his work cut out for him. “I’m not going to leave this building for days,” he said. “Maple syruping can make you batty.”

Two of Testo’s helpers on Sunday were student workers from Paul Smith’s College, Wolf Mueller and Collin Perkins-McCraw. Without any fires to stoke or sap to boil, the pair spent the day splitting wood. “We’ve split probably 5 or 6 cords already,” Mueller said. “And we’ll probably end up going through 2 or 3 (during the season).”

After the reverse osmosis lessons were through, visitors were treated to maple snow candy. Perkins-McCraw and Testo took turns ladling thickened syrup over mounds of snow in a plastic tub. Once cooled, the syrup was wrapped around wooden sticks and served to guests.

“That’s a little maple pop,” Diane Griffin, a volunteer at the VIC, said when handed her treat.

The sugar shack at the VIC opened in 2013. Prior to that the staff either boiled inside the center itself or rented a syruping trailer from Cornell University’s Uihlein Field Station.

“Every year we’re going to make it better and better,” Testo said. Right now one focus is to get more school groups out to the sugar shack. Next week, a group from Saranac Lake High School will make the visit.

“It’s an interesting job,” Testo said. “We’re always looking for more staff, more volunteers and more donations though.”

One fundraising approach the VIC is trying is adoption. For a $50 donation, people can “adopt” a maple tree from which the VIC will send the donor a quart of maple syrup. More information on this offer can be found online or by visiting the VIC in person.

The VIC will close to the public for the month of April in order to make renovations. However, the center will re-open for one day, on Earth Day, April 22, for the Science, Art, and Music Festival or SAM Fest. The free day-long event will feature TED-style talks by faculty and students, musical performances, art exhibits, and local food offerings.