Frank Speziale photo

SOUTH NEW BERLIN – For over 25 years, Walling’s Maple Syrup has provided the community with locally cultivated maple products that not only taste good, but are good for you.

Today, Walling’s Maple Syrup obtains its maple through 6,000 taps in the region, manufacturing roughly 20 times the amount of maple it did upon its inception.

“We do everything with maple,” said owner of Walling’s Maple Syrup, Kern Walling. “Maple syrup, maple candy, maple cream, maple sugar, maple popcorn, maple cotton candy.”

All of these delicacies will be available at Saturdays in the Park with Chobani beginning on September 16 as Walling’s Maple Products makes its return to the market in Norwich’s West Park to continue its mission of educating the public on the health benefits of maple.

“Our major enemy in this country is corn syrup, it kills people,” said Walling. “But maple is all natural. Most people think, ‘Well, if I don’t eat pancakes then I don’t need syrup,’ but it has so many uses. And so it’s not just about us selling the product––it’s about educating people on the health benefits.”

In addition to harvesting natural maple, Walling said that as of January of this year, Walling’s Maple Products are a certified organic business.