Judges at this year’s Maple Syrup Fest Taste Test Challenge had their hands full judging 32 syrup submissions, the most ever received during the annual festival.
Photos by Thomas Hintgen
Above: Right: Below right: Below middle: Below left: M
Tom Franklin holds the Vergas Maple Syrup Fest Taste Test Challenge trophy representing half of the victorious team. Franklin and Lisa Peterson of Tommy and Natalie Franklin syrup impressed the judges and were voted the best syrup of a record-breaking 32 submissions.Volunteers from the Vergas Lions were busy all morning serving a consistent Event Center crowd as people stopped in for pancakes and sausage cooked in maple syrup at the club’s annual pancake feed fundraiser during Maple Syrup Fest Saturday, April 11.Owner Sarah Wacker, left, and Donna Coloski celebrated the Lavish Loon’s fifth anniversary during Maple Syrup Fest Saturday morning in Vergas.Co-owners Stephen and Savannah Erb, left, and Ellie and Zachary Wilson celebrated the one-year anniversary of Refine Homes in Vergas. Along with fellow owner Mike Carlson, the group took over Summers Construction and completed a successful first year in business a year from the exact day they took over Saturday, April 11.Syrup Taste Challenge winner Tom Franklin, left, poses with Levi “Maple” Peterson, 12, the youngest syrup producer in the field of 32 contestants.Peterson managed 50 of his own taps for this year’s festival entry.adison Waller, left, owner of MW Pastry was happy to be back at work after battling back from heart surgery that had the bakery closed during her recovery. Multiple customers came in to express how happy the shop was back open and Madison was back to nearly full health. She is pictured with her mother Paula. MW Pastry is currently open for limited weekend hours while Waller completes a full recuperation, which could take up to a full calendar year.Horse drawn wagon rides by Farm 41 are a staple of nearly all of the festivals in the village of Vergas.
