“Return To Sugar Bush, Sugaring Off” At Herkimer Home State Historic Site

This year’s sugaring event will be held on Saturday, April 20th from 10am until 3pm, with a special Pancake Breakfast from That Little Place On Main starting at 10am.

Herkimer Home invites you for the return of their historic ‘Sugaring Off’ event in their 40th year! Standard site admission of $4 for adults and $3 for students/seniors will be charged, children 12 and under are free.

Sugaring kettle at mansion. Photo provided by the Herkimer Home State Historic Site.

Bid farewell to winter and welcome the start of the agricultural season with a colonial tradition of Sugaring Off!

Herkimer Home will host the festivities as visitors learn about the traditional sugaring skills around General Nicholas Herkimer’s colonial manor in the scenic Mohawk Valley.

Returning to their annual schedule of events, Sugaring Off at Herkimer Home welcomes visitors of all ages for a day of fun, full of historic demonstrations, military/civilian recreations, vendors, children’s activities, and more!

Sugaring tradition

The tradition of sugaring, and its importance to the Mohawk Valley, pre-date European colonization where local Native American tribes began to process maple sap from the abundant maple groves of New York. European colonization expanded these traditions, as colonists acquired a taste for maple products and saw opportunities for profit. The rising cost of cane sugar in Colonial America further increased the demand for maple sugar, as colonists sought to escape Britain’s control of the sugar trade.

On site, visitors will learn firsthand about the historic process of sugaring with live demonstrations and opportunities to see the creation of the traditional tools used in sugaring off. Additional on-site demonstrations include: colonial brewing, military drills, 18th century children’s games, German foodways, colonial woodworking, and self-guided mansion tours.

Breakfast with the General catered by That Little Place on Main

All guests are welcome to come hungry and join at 10am for ‘Breakfast With The General’ throughout this year’s event. Guests for this addition will be served Pancakes with Maple Syrup, eggs, and sausage while accompanied by historical interpreters for General George Washington’s favorite breakfast! Tickets for our ‘Breakfast With The General’ are $12 and will be catered by, That Little Place on Main located at 28 W Main Street, Little Falls, NY 13365.

Be sure to check in with the Herkimer Home Facebook page for additional announcements in the near future. We hope that you stop by and join us as we commemorate the Sugar Bush Raids of the American Revolution and a local tradition marking the end of winter at Herkimer Homes Sugaring Off event!