SMYRNA, Maine — Mild temperatures over the weekend helped boost the attendance for many local sugarhouses in Aroostook County as part of the Maine Maple Sunday weekend.
Maine Maple Sunday is always held the fourth Sunday in March although some sugarhouses offered events for both Saturday and Sunday
Spring Break Maple and Honey, located at 3315 U.S. Route 2 in Smyrna Mills, hosted two days of activities, including guided sugarbush tours on Sunday. Tours of the sugarhouse and maple candy facility also were available with sample products to taste test.
A plastic bucket is used to collect sap from a maple tree at Spring Break Maple and Honey in Smyrna Sunday. (Joseph Cyr)
Younger visitors also were treated to a scavenger hunt searching for items such as animal tracks in the snow. “Scout,” the friendly dog, greeted all visitors. Maple ice cream sundaes proved to be an enormous hit at Spring Break, as they were sold out by 2 p.m. Sunday. A portion of the proceeds from the sales went to Sarah’s House, a non-profit home in Holden for cancer patients and their caregivers
Maple taffy involves heating syrup to 235 degrees and then pouring the hot taffy syrup onto a bed of fresh snow. As it cools, the taffy can be rolled onto a popsicle stick and eaten. Maple cotton candy was another popular treat.
Bradbury Maple Farm, located at 202 Bootfoot Road in Bridgewater also offered guided tours of its modern maple syrup operation with a family history. Participants were able to watch sap being collected from trees and the conversion to maple syrup. Free maple taffy on the snow also was provided.
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- Lincoln Swimm of Monticello takes a big bite out of his maple-flavored cotton candy Sunday at Spring Break Maple and Honey in Smyrna. A large group visited the business as part of Maine Maple Sunday. (Joseph Cyr)
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- Gwen Giles of Hodgdon rolls fresh maple taffy onto a stick Sunday afternoon at Spring Break Maple and Honey in Smyrna. The tasty treat was popular with young and old alike. (Joseph Cyr)
