You may be sick of the cold and snow, and with another bout of snow on the horizon, it's easy to fall into the winter blues. But Irvine Nature Center has something for you and the family to sweeten up the season—maple sugar.

Maple sugaring is a term to describe the process of making maple syrup. "...Boiling maple sap, which evaporates the water molecules leaving one with a more concentrated sugar-rich liquid: syrup," Pure Michigan said. Maple sugaring season starts in late February or early March, when the temperature allows for sap to run down maple trees.

Both venues offer tours each weekend, giving families an opportunity to learn about everything from tapping trees and boiling sap.

Maple syrup season is officially underway, and the weather couldn’t be more ideal for sugar houses across the state to start tapping their trees.

Maple syrup season is almost here. And Northeast Ohio is rich with opportunities to enjoy the production and the culinary uses. Ohio is nestled at the edge of the world’s syrup-producing region. The state is responsible for about 100,