West Virginia Commissioner of Agriculture Kent Leonhardt and Chef Paul Smith of Charleston were on hand at the Ronk Family Maple Farm in Alum Creek to kick off the 2022 Mountain State Maple Days on February 19.

While the event featured a ceremonial tree tapping, it most certainly was not the kick off to West Virginia’s 2022 maple sap gathering season. The maple syrup season begins when trees thaw during the warmth of day and…