Schaumburg Sugar Bush Fair pays tribute to maple syrup

This item has been updated to correct the first name of a person in a caption.

Families took a trip back in time Sunday and learned important lessons about how the food they enjoy gets to their tables, as the Schaumburg Park District hosted its annual homage to maple syrup.

The Sugar Bush Fair was expected to draw about 1,800 visitors to Spring Valley Nature Center, where they could check out five exhibition areas, including a Native American camp, an 1800s pioneer camp, sumac spile making, tree tapping activity and a syrup boil-down demonstration.

At the 1800s pioneer camp, Wapati Trading Company club members cooked sap over an open fire to make maple syrup. Johnsburg resident and club member Fred Durrenberg said it's good for young people to see the process of making food.

"Kids are amazed people can do these things," he said, "Our food does not come from stores, it comes from nature. If we don't take care of nature, we are not going to be able to eat."

For more information on Spring Valley Nature Center, visit www.parkfun.com/spring-valley.