HOULTON, Maine — A sure sign that spring has arrived is the sight of buckets hanging from local maple trees collecting tree sap to turn into maple syrup.
To celebrate Maine’s maple industry, Maine Maple Sunday will be held this coming weekend. Maine Maple Sunday is held the fourth Sunday in March each year. Participating sugar houses will be open for visitors to enjoy freshly made maple syrup and candy, demonstrations of syrup production, sugarbush tours and a variety of other family activities.
Governor Paul R. LePage recently highlighted maple tapping season with Maine Maple producers on the Blaine House lawn by following an annual tradition: the tapping of a maple tree. The Governor recognized the economic contributions of Maine’s maple syrup industry and potential for continued growth.
“Maine’s maple industry contributes an estimated $48.7 million to the Maine economy,” said Governor Paul R. LePage in a press release. “That includes a direct contribution of $27.7 million and multiplier effects. The Maine maple industry is working hard to realize its potential for creating more jobs, business opportunities and locally-produced products valued by consumers.”
Maine Maple Sunday is always the fourth Sunday in March although some sugar houses are offering events for both Saturday and Sunday. Most sugar houses throughout the state will be offering free maple syrup samples and demonstrations on how pure Maine maple syrup is made.
Bradbury Farm, located on 202 Bootfoot Road in Bridgewater, will be hosting a variety of events for people to see how tree sap turns into maple syrup on both Saturday and Sunday from 1-5 p.m.
While the weather has not been entirely cooperative recently, Bart Bradbury of Bradbury Farm said this season has been typical for northern Maine.
“Sap production is going well so far this season,” he said. “[It was] definitely an earlier start than the last couple years. The weather will control how the season turns out but going good so far. Sap and syrup production is totally weather dependent. Normally the season in northern Maine is mid-March to mid-April. Ideal weather is high teens in the night, sunny and 40’s during the day. That is pretty ideal conditions.”
Bradbury Farm, which has been in operation for over 30 years, will have samples of maple taffy on the snow, thanks to a fresh supply of snow that blanketed the area Monday, sugar house and a tour of the business’ collection system.
“We’ll have lots of great sweets for sale like maple sugar, cream, candy, cotton candy and lollipops,” he added.
For more information on Bradbury Farm, visit their website: http://www.bradburymaple.com/, call 429-8306 or visit them on Facebook.
Down the road at Spring Break Maple and Honey, located on 3315 U.S. Route 2 in Smyrna, owners Kevin and Kristi Brannen will also have a number of activities going on Sunday. Spring Break Maple and Honey is the state’s largest producer of maple candy.
The couple started Spring Break Maple and Honey in 1998 as a hobby, but the tradition of maple syrup making dates back to 1972 when Kevin learned the trade from his great uncle.
“Maine Maple Sunday was set up by the maple producers down around the Skowhegan area,” Kristi said. “They decided more needed to be done to promote Maine’s maple syrup business. So it was started as a way to invite the public to a sugar house to educate them on how maple syrup is made.”
On Sunday, Spring Break will offer guided sugarbush tours at 1 p.m. with Maine Forest Service Forester Dan Jacobs, who will educate people on how to manage a woodlot for sugaring. A children’s activity room will be set up and there will also be “sugar on snow” demonstrations with free samples. The business is open Saturdays and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
For more information, email info@mainemapleandhoney.com or call 757-7373 or visit them on Facebook.
Maine Maple statistics:
– 545,000 gallons were produced last year, worth $17.4 million.
– Maine’s industry has an annual statewide economic contribution, including multiplier effects, of an estimated $48.7 million in output, 805 full-and part-time jobs, and $25.1 million in labor income.
– Maine has the third largest syrup industry in this country. Maine has the largest maple producing county in the country ‚Ä“ Somerset County.
– Maine has around 1.4 million taps.
