TERRE HAUTE —
Unseasonably sweet weather had lines of people flowing freely into Fowler Park on Saturday.
Nearly 2,000 customers forked over donations at the 26th Annual Pancake Breakfast inside Fowler Park’s log barn. Temperatures danced into the upper 40s, and bright sunshine glowed on crumpled brown leaves throughout the park. Vehicles filled the parking lot outside the park’s Pioneer Village, and organizers guessed this year’s event would be among the best for attendance.
Keith Ruble, superintendent of the Vigo County Parks and Recreation Department, worked inside the kitchen where volunteers loaded pancakes onto plates as fast as they were flipped.
“We’ve had a good crowd out there today,” he said about noon, guessing attendance neared 2,000. The annual event kicked off at 8 a.m. and ran through 1 p.m. Volunteers return today for the same hours, same pancakes and same local maple syrup.
A table full of the department’s homemade syrup was available for sale, with pints, quarts and gallons stacked for the taking. Samples of “maple cream” were also available, and jars were ready for purchase. The maple cream, according to a brochure provided by the department, contains no fat and is an alternative to cream cheese, made by cooling and churning the syrup into a creamy, spreadable consistency. With 65 calories per tablespoon, the cream contains 17 grams of carbohydrates and 17 grams of sugar.
Ruble launched the department’s maple syrup program in 1976, beginning with the tapping of trees contained in the county’s parks. Today, more than 1,200 trees produce sap via 2,000 taps, and the group uses the latest in technology with vacuums and reverse osmosis pumps.
This weekend, the department plans to go through more than 30 gallons of the local syrup, which comes straight from the trees near Prairie Creek. The local mix used this weekend is a “Grade A Light Amber,” Ruble said, explaining that’s the best quality. Syrups are graded by coloring, ranging from light to dark. Most store-bought syrups are a medium-amber, he said.
The volume of syrup produced varies depending on the weather and seasonal “freeze-thaw” cycles, he said, remarking annual yields have ranged from 52 to 480 gallons. The ideal weather for producing sap is where nighttime temperatures drop below 28 degrees and daytime numbers exceed 35, he said.
Adult tickets for the breakfast are $5, with children under 6 years of age eating for $2. The park’s pioneer village and gift shop are open, as is Prairie Creek Park’s sugar camp.
Volunteers had served more than 1,152 sausage patties from 12 crates before noon, and parks department assistant superintendent Kara Kish was busy loading more onto trays. Her morning started at 5 a.m., and she said she’ll be ready to return this morning for the second round.
“Since I’ve been here this is the biggest crowd I’ve seen,” she said.
Brian Boyce can be reached at 812-231-4253 or brian.boyce@tribstar.com.
Local & Bistate
Related Photos
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Pancakes: Detail photo of pancakes being prepared at Fowler Park Saturday morning.
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Yummy: Patrons enjoy pancakes and sausage as the serving line stays in constant motion during Saturday morning's event.
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Waiting game: Jaimie Ellis, Johnathan Ellis and Donna Purviance patiently wait for fresh pancakes and sausage. They pass the time by talking with serving volunteers Peggy Harlan and Jenna Tyler.
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Tasty: Terre Haute resident Bryce Helton, 2, enjoys his pancake breakfast Saturday morning at Fowler Park.
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Golden syrup: Detail photo of maple syrup produced for the annual pancake breakfast at Fowler Park.
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Ho hum: Two-year-old Zach Rogers yawns as he watches the pancake-making operation at Fowler Park Saturday morning. He did enjoy a stack of pancakes and sausage.
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Breakfast walk: People attending the annual pancake and sausage breakfast at Fowler Park enjoy a walk through the pioneer village while taking advantage of the above-average temperatures.
Discussion
Sweet Saturday: 2,000 diners attend first day of annual Fowler Park Pancake Breakfast
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