Spring carries many different meanings for people in Upstate New York. For some, it means seeing the sun for more than a few minutes per week. For others, it means maple-making time.
Last weekend marked the second and final weekend of New York’s Annual Maple Weekend. According to Cristy Williams, Creative Director at Dutch Hill Maple, the transition from winter to spring is primetime for tapping maple trees.
“What we look for is cold nights and warm days. It starts at the tail end of winter into the beginning of spring, so right now. What we like to see is that dip below freezing then go back up above freezing. Once you have that temperature fluctuation, that’s when the sap starts running in the trees and you can get a bunch to make maple syrup,” Williams said.
While the New York weather isn’t ideal for most people, it is conducive for the growth of maple trees. New York has the second largest number maple trees behind Vermont. According to Maple Weekend Coordinator Keith Schiebel, that many trees make a lot of sap.
“Last year, there was more than 80,000 gallons [of maple] produced in New York State. That number is three-and-a-half times as much as was produced ten years ago,” Schiebel said.
With such favorable conditions, it’s not surprising that there are over 700 members of the State Maple Producers Association. It is a requirement that sugarhouses are part of the group in order to participate in Maple Weekend. Mike Spicer, President of Cedervale Maple Company, is one of those members. He said Cedervale offers unique experiences for Maple Weekend visitors.
“We are actually letting other people tap the trees. We’ve had anywhere from a three-year-old to a 65 or 70-year-old tap trees for the first time.”
And if tree-tapping isn’t up your alley, there are plenty of other activities to enjoy. Williams said Dutch Hill is bringing back some old favorites as well as new flavors.
“On Saturday, we are going to have horse-drawn wagon rides, which is a huge crowd favorite. We have lots of new food items this year. We are doing mini pancakes and sausage, we have maple donuts, maple popcorn, and maple cotton [candy].”
