Places to Go, Things to Do

Maple syrup making and other fun

(Editor's Note: Besides this Places/Things feature, this edition of YSL.com includes two main articles that focus on other public events for kids in February. Read about the Lewis&Clark opera and the Black History events at area libraries.)

February still may seem and feel like winter. But, nature is already giving us our first taste of spring. And what better taste is there than real maple syrup.

The Missouri Department of Conservation and the Missouri Botanical Garden's Shaw Nature Reserve are sponsoring maple syrup-making classes for families in February.

The MDC's Rockwoods Reservation in west St. Louis County has seven different classes. Special classes for homeschool families will be Tuesday, Feb. 10, and Friday, Feb. 13. There's one class on Tuesday and two on Friday.

The other four MDC classes are on Saturdays, Feb. 21, and Feb. 28. On both days, there will be both morning and afternoon classes.

The Garden's Shaw Nature Reserve will have one syrup-making class for families on Saturday, Feb. 21.

The MDC classes are free but there is a fee for the Shaw class.

Because the classes will fill up quickly, you and your family need to call for reservations. The Rockwoods Reservation number is (636) 458-2236. The Shaw Reserve number is (636) 451-3512.

Missouri weather in February usually includes cold nights and then daytime temperatures that are above freezing. That's the formula that produces "maple sugar magic."

At this first sign of spring, the maple trees start to produce sap or sugar water. This is the food the trees use for growth when they come out of winter hibernation.

Native Americans discovered that they could collect the sap and make maple syrup and even crystallized maple sugar to sweeten their foods. Immigrants picked up this skill and a maple syrup industry was born.

One especially good part of this is that you can collect sap for syrup and not hurt the maple trees. They can make plenty more for their own growth needs.

The syrup-making classes will let you participate in identifying maple trees, collecting the sap and then boiling the sap until it's maple syrup. The boiling is needed because tree sap has lots of water and only a little sugar.

Therefore, you boil off the excess water and concentrate the sugar until it's sweet enough for humans. At the end of each class, you get to sample some of the homemade syrup.

The Muny chorus auditions for kids

Kids auditions for The 2004 Muny productions will be held in February.

The audition for kids 7 to 13 will be 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 21. The teen auditions (14-19) will be 1 to 3:30 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 22.

All auditions will be at the Performing Arts Center at St. Louis University High School. That's located at 4970 Oakland Ave.

For information about the auditions, call (314) 361-1900 or log on to www.muny.com.

All kids who are auditioning are required to prepare eight measures of song and bring their own sheet music in the key in which they are singing. An accompanist is provided.

Columbia Bottoms nature hikes

They are starting to schedule events at the new Columbia Bottom Conservation Area. That's the new area at the confluence of the Missouri and Mississippi rivers.

A Winter Wonderland Hike is set for 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday, Feb. 7. An Exploring Nature in Winter hike will be held 10 to 11 a.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 10.

The hikes are free but you need to make reservations at (314) 877-6014. Also, you can ask for more information about the new area, which just opened late last year.

Frontier American Market on Feb. 21

If you like to buy, sell or barter for things from the early days, here's a sale for you. The Frontier American Market will be held Saturday, Feb. 21, at Jefferson Barracks Park.

This market is for items from the 1700s to the early 20th Century.

The market is open 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. To attend, it's $3 for those 13 and over, $2 for kids 4 through 12. If you are a seller, there's a $10 per table charge and pre-registration. For information or registration, call (314) 544-5714.

Queeny Park Ice Revue Feb. 24

A season-ending ice revue will be held at the Greensfelder Recreation Complex in Queeny Park. The event is set for 2:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 24.

Skaters in the revue are those who have been taking winter skating lessons.

But, the revue is open to the public and attendance is free.

In addition to soloists, the skating staff will perform a wacky routine. There's also a "Let's Make a Deal" contest with great prizes.

For information, call (636) 391-0922.