National Maple Syrup Festival 2013

Plein Air Artists

admin — Fri, 22 Feb 2013 22:01:23 +0000

This year, we’re proud to have Plein Air artists on the farm painting the landscape, Native American and early French American sugar encampments. Below, we have bios for three of the artists that will be at the festival. Their paintings will be available for purchase.

Roy Boswell

Roy Boswell was born in 1985 and was raised in southeastern Indiana on a family farm. At an early age he took interest in architecture and went on to study landscape architecture and design at Purdue University. While there, two professors had a profound impact on where he is today. Kent Schuette taught Roy perspective drawing and design theory, and Greg Pierceall taught graphic design and mentored. It wasn’t until after graduating that Roy took up fine art. Currently Roy practices in pastel, oil and acrylic. He credits Donna Shortt with turning him from a line maker to a painter. He works primarily in plein air, but also works from field studies in the studio and still life. Roy does his best to paint everything he sees, from a beautiful view of the countryside down to a drainage ditch. He credits painting all manners of subject matter regardless of visual beauty to his continual learning of the different mediums. Watching over the shoulders of some of Indiana’s best plein air artist at IPAPA events has also been a great learning experience for Roy. Storytelling is a large part of his process, and is something he does his best to incorporate into every painting.

Pamela C. Newell

Pamela C. Newell is an award-winning artist, whose pastel and oil paintings have been recognized in many national and regional juried competitions including the Hoosier Salon, Indiana Heritage Arts, the Richmond Art Museum, Chicago Pastel Painters and Cincinnati Viewpoint. Specializing in impressionistic style paintings of landscapes, gardens, and still life, her expressive work reflects a love of nature. She uses rich color to describe light and mood of the moment in her plein air and studio created work. The Fishers artist is a workshop instructor throughout the region and a faculty member of the Indianapolis Art Center. Her oils and pastels have earned the Indiana Artisan designation. In 2011 her pastel painting “In The Heartland” was presented to Lt. Governor Becky Skillman on behalf of Indiana Artisan and was displayed in the Lt. Governors’ statehouse office.

Donna Shortt

Donna Shortt is a life-long Indiana resident and skilled in the use of oils, watercolors, pastels and acrylics. She is now concentrating on perfecting her skills in the pastel and oil mediums. She enjoys painting plein air landscapes and light-filled still life sets in her studio. She is part of a group that meets weekly for life drawing as it is her continuing desire to improve her drawing and painting skills. Recent accomplishments include a Purchase Award from the Indiana State Museum in 2008 and a Best of Show in the fine arts professional division at the Indiana State Fair in 2007.

Utopia Wildlife Rehabilitators

admin — Fri, 22 Feb 2013 21:13:05 +0000

Utopia Wildlife Rehabilitators, Inc is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit, volunteer organization dedicated to providing expert veterinary medical care, educational programs, and information about living with our native wildlife. Utopia Wildlife Rehabilitators came into being during the West Nile outbreak in 2002. They treat and release approximately 200 orphaned and injured animals and birds of prey each year. They hold the only federal permit for treating migratory birds and raptors (hawks and owls) in the area.They get calls from Bartholomew and six surrounding counties. Education is a very important part of what Utopia is all about. Unlike many organizations that take a ‘show and tell’ approach to teach people about wildlife, they bring the ‘real’ message about the animals and birds that are right here in Indiana. For more information about U.T.O.P.I.A., please visit their website at http://www.utopiawildlife.org/.

Utopia Wildlife Rehabilitators will be at the festival March 3rd and 10th at 1:00 pm at Burton’s Maplewood Farm.

Six Guns Entertainment

admin — Tue, 12 Feb 2013 01:16:18 +0000

On Sunday March 3rd and March 10th, Six Guns Entertainment will be on hand at Burton’s Maplewood Farm recreating American West in the late 19th Century. Six Guns Entertainment portray everything from the gunfighter to the law man to the lowest town drunk to the richest cattle barron.

Every historical scenario from Billy the Kid and the Lincoln County Wars to the infamous clash between the Earps, the Clantons and McLowerys at the O.K. Corral in Tombstone. They also recreate the shootouts and classic lines from some of the very best western movies ever made, such as Tombstone, The Outlaw Josey Wales, Open Range, 3:10 to Yuma, Young Guns and etc…

Whether it be fiction or non-fiction you are sure to be entertained as you see the West come alive with bank robberies, gunsmoke, jail breaks, one on one quick draws in the street, poker game disputes and much more! So take a day with the family and journey back into the Wild West! Show times will be at 12:30 pm & 3:00 pm at Burton’s Maplewood Farm Sugar House.

King Arthur Flour Sponsors Sweet Victory Challenge

admin — Thu, 24 Jan 2013 17:00:18 +0000

King Arthur Flour Sponsors the 2012 Sweet Victory Challenge at National Maple Syrup Festival

January 24, 2013 – Norwich, Vt. – Amateur home cooks and bakers nationwide will have an opportunity to showcase their best recipes using maple syrup at this year’s Sweet Victory Challenge, sponsored by King Arthur Flour, at the National Maple Syrup Festival in Medora, Ind.

The competition is open to both adults (…18 and over) and youths (17 and under) with original recipes in one of three categories: Savory (Main Dish), Dessert, and Breakfast. Each recipe must include both King Arthur Flour and 100% pure maple syrup.

A panel of judges will select five finalists in each division/category based on creativity, appetizing description, ease of preparation, and appropriate use of the required products. On the competition days, local volunteers and culinary school students will prepare each dish for final judging. Finalists need not be present to win. The grand prize for each category in the adult division is $200; second prize is $100. In the youth division, first prize in each category is a $100; second prize is $50. Each finalist will also receive a gift basket from King Arthur Flour.

All entries must be received by February 22, 2013. Finalists will be notified the following week. Complete rules and an online entry form are available at sweetvictorychallenge.com.

The National Maple Syrup Festival is an annual event created to celebrate maple-sugaring season and the coming of spring. Hosted each year by Burton’s Maplewood Farm in Medora, Ind., the festival includes demonstrations, entertainment, food, and maple syrup from every maple-syrup producing state in the country. Net proceeds from the Festival go to Camp About Face, an organization designed to benefit youth, ages 8-18, with craniofacial anomalies. For more information, visit nationalmaplesyrupfestival.com.

King Arthur Flour is America’s oldest flour company and premier baking resource, offering ingredients, mixes, tools, recipes, educational opportunities, and inspiration to bakers worldwide. More information is available at kingarthurflour.com.

Breakfast Menu at Medora Community School

admin — Sun, 13 Jan 2013 19:33:08 +0000

All you can eat pancakes, sausage and orange drink for $8.00 (served all day). Food provided by “Chris Cakes”.

Historical Re-enactors

admin — Sun, 13 Jan 2013 19:20:27 +0000

March 2-3:

French habitant sugar camp with the Tharp and Wojcinski families. Demos all day Sat. and Sun.
Salt boiling demos with Fred Lucas and the Red Legging Mess. Demos all day Sat. and Sun.
18th century French cooking demos with Brian Popiela and Terry Sargent. Demos Sat. and Sun.
18th century Native American Sugar camp with the Turner family, Jason Jones, Marilyn McClelland, Levi Randoll, David Bender, and Jim Jacobs. Demos all day Sat. and Sun.

Also, There will be a Native American social dance demo from 12-1pm in the sugar house on Sat. and Sun.

March 9-10th:

French habitant sugar camp with the Tharp and Wojcinski families. Demos all day Sat. and Sun.
Salt boiling demos with Fred Lucas and the Red Legging Mess. Demos all day Sat. and Sun.
18th century coffee house by the Widow Black. Widow Black will discuss coffee use and distribution in 18th century colonial America. Demos all day Sat. and Sun.
18th century French cooking demos with Brian Popiela and Terry Sargent. Demos Sat. and Sun.
18th century Native American Sugar camp with the Turner family. Demos all day Sat. and Sun.
Traditional Native American storytelling with Jeremy Turner in the Sugar house from 12-1pm on Sat. and Sun.

American Indian Artifacts

admin — Sun, 13 Jan 2013 19:19:20 +0000

Examine one of the largest collections of Indian Hunting & War weapon artifacts. This broad collection is accompanied by collectors and enthusiasts alike. Take a trip back in time and pick up or share a few interesting facts of your own.

Needle Art

admin — Sun, 13 Jan 2013 19:18:49 +0000

Old books and stories tell of neighbors all being invited to a quilting. The women would quilt all day, perhaps taking turns around the frame while others cooked up the grand meal that would be served to the menfolk working long hard hours on the sugarbush farm that evening. Then it was a time for singing, dancing and courting among the young people. Enjoy spending some time around the quilting circle by the fire while the stories of yesteryear are told. Or lean back with an open ear to catch up on the latest gossip at the Sugarhouse.

Candle & Soap Making

admin — Sun, 13 Jan 2013 19:17:57 +0000

It would be almost impossible to attempt to date the origin of candles. The existing evidence is inconclusive as to the candle’s history. Ancient words that translated as candle could have actually meant, “Torch” or “Lamp”. The word “Candlestick” actually meant a rack or stand to hold one of these lights. Initially, candles were made from Tallow. Tallow is the solid fat extracted from animals, especially from cattle or sheep. We do know that remains of candles were found in excavations in Greece and Egypt. These remains were closely dated at around 3000 B.C. It was not until the emergence of the Roman Empire that scientists began to see evidence of the development of candles as we know them today.

Pottery Barn

admin — Sun, 13 Jan 2013 19:17:02 +0000

At the National Maple Syrup Festival Pottery & Brick Barn you’ll learn about the prehistoric pottery found in Peru, Mexico, and the SW United States which revealed a high degree of skill in color, form, and decorative motifs. Observe how baked-clay works by colonists in North America beginning in 1612 with the making of bricks and tiles in Virginia, Pennsylvania and Indiana which helped industrialize a nation. Get an inside look at a local historical landmark, the Medora Brick Plant, established in 1904 and placed on the Historic Landmarks Foundation of Indiana’s 10 Most Endangered sites. Initially Medora produced mostly brick for paving streets. In 1924 the Medora plant was purchased by the Jackson Brick & Hollow Ware Company, who also operated in northeast Brownstown – making predominately hollow drainage tile. Under the new owners the Medora plant moved from street pavers to producing primarily wall brick for facing commercial buildings including college campus buildings at Purdue Univ., Univ. of Kentucky, and Univ. of Louisville and beyond. Learn more about this rich history and see regional artisans at work hand sculpting raw pieces of clay into true works of art.