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Tapping into SweetnessThe celebration of Maple Syrup begins on Tappin' Sunday which usually occurs on the 1st Sunday in March. This year it is March 2nd, 2025!
This includes the tapping of all the maple trees on Chardon Square to have syrup for the festival. To tap a tree, you must drill a hole in the tree to start. Then you must tap the spike and hang the bucket from the tree. The sap collected from Tappin' Sunday is then taken to the Chardon Square Sugar house where it is turned into Maple syrup stirs for customers to enjoy. |
Meet our 2025 Hall of Fame Inductee & Ceremonial Tree Tapper
Curt Johnson has been deeply involved in the tradition of maple syrup production in Burton, Ohio, since his high school years in the late 1950s. As a student at Burton High School, he joined his fellow Varsity B members in gathering sap for the Burton Chamber of Commerce, making syrup at the log cabin in the village square. This experience was especially memorable as it allowed the students to leave school early on collection days. Curt’s interest in maple syrup was also influenced by his father, Ture Johnson, who was actively involved in the Geauga County Maple Festival. Curt often assisted his father in acquiring timber and preparing for events, including the notable 1959 festival where they met John F. Kennedy and Jacqueline Kennedy during Kennedy’s presidential campaign. Curt fondly recalls his father presenting JFK with a gallon of Geauga's finest maple syrup. Since the early 1990s, Curt has been an active member of the Burton Chamber of Commerce, primarily focused on the production and procurement of maple syrup at the Burton Log Cabin. His work involves maintaining the historic log cabin, ensuring equipment is in good condition, and preparing for the syrup season. Together with his colleague Tom Blair, Curt helps oversee the cleaning and readiness of syrup barrels, ensuring quality syrup is distributed to local producers. The production process is highly collaborative, relying on dedicated volunteers like Scott Adams, who leads production efforts. Volunteers, including students and community members, help collect sap after work or school, contributing long hours to keep the operation running. Once the sap is gathered and boiled down into syrup, Curt and his team carefully weigh, grade, and test the syrup before transferring it into barrels and various containers for sale. Canning happens throughout the year to keep up with demand, making it a continual and often “sticky” job. Curt takes pride in continuing this work, not only because of his passion for maple syrup but also due to the camaraderie and dedication of the volunteers who keep the Burton Log Cabin thriving. He values giving back to his community and helping preserve the traditions that have made the log cabin a special part of Burton’s identity since 1931.
Curt Johnson has been deeply involved in the tradition of maple syrup production in Burton, Ohio, since his high school years in the late 1950s. As a student at Burton High School, he joined his fellow Varsity B members in gathering sap for the Burton Chamber of Commerce, making syrup at the log cabin in the village square. This experience was especially memorable as it allowed the students to leave school early on collection days. Curt’s interest in maple syrup was also influenced by his father, Ture Johnson, who was actively involved in the Geauga County Maple Festival. Curt often assisted his father in acquiring timber and preparing for events, including the notable 1959 festival where they met John F. Kennedy and Jacqueline Kennedy during Kennedy’s presidential campaign. Curt fondly recalls his father presenting JFK with a gallon of Geauga's finest maple syrup. Since the early 1990s, Curt has been an active member of the Burton Chamber of Commerce, primarily focused on the production and procurement of maple syrup at the Burton Log Cabin. His work involves maintaining the historic log cabin, ensuring equipment is in good condition, and preparing for the syrup season. Together with his colleague Tom Blair, Curt helps oversee the cleaning and readiness of syrup barrels, ensuring quality syrup is distributed to local producers. The production process is highly collaborative, relying on dedicated volunteers like Scott Adams, who leads production efforts. Volunteers, including students and community members, help collect sap after work or school, contributing long hours to keep the operation running. Once the sap is gathered and boiled down into syrup, Curt and his team carefully weigh, grade, and test the syrup before transferring it into barrels and various containers for sale. Canning happens throughout the year to keep up with demand, making it a continual and often “sticky” job. Curt takes pride in continuing this work, not only because of his passion for maple syrup but also due to the camaraderie and dedication of the volunteers who keep the Burton Log Cabin thriving. He values giving back to his community and helping preserve the traditions that have made the log cabin a special part of Burton’s identity since 1931.