Late winter into early spring is a sweet time of year in New York. It’s when the Sugar Maple, our official state tree, puts forth the sap that is made into delicious syrup. Maple sugaring season usually begins during a thaw in late February and continues into April, when the trees start to bud.
One of very few places in the world that produce maple syrup, New York has a long history of celebrating the season. Here, in the state that never sleeps, those prized sugar maples beat out a fond and familiar farewell to winter as more than 1.48 million taps produce enough sap to account for almost 20% of the maple syrup made in the United States. Sugar houses across the state welcome visitors with samples, tours, and demonstrations of the process of making syrup, from tapping the trees to boiling the sap into syrup. Some even offer overnight accommodations and pancake breakfasts. Many communities host special events with entertainment, children’s programs, craft fairs, contests and maple treats including maple cream, maple cotton candy and maple sugar, as well as the rich amber-colored syrup we all love.
Every year, the New York State Maple Association presents Maple Weekend on the last two weekends in March. From the Catskills, to the Adirondacks, to the historic forests of western New York, more than 100 maple farms hold open houses. Activities at participating farms may also include horse and wagon rides, petting zoos, snowshoeing and guided walks in the maple woods.
About an hour and half north of New York City by car or Metro North railroad (to Cold Spring), Hudson Valley Maple Farm at the Taconic Outdoor Education Center hosts family programs and a Sap to Syrup festival every March. The Farmers’ Museum in Cooperstown presents an annual month-long series each season, called Sugaring Off Sundays. The annual Finger Lakes extravaganza called the Central New York Maple Festival is held in Marathon in early spring.
In Western New York, the Wyoming Valley Maple Trail leads to a cluster of ten maple syrup producers open for tours. Open year-round, Sprague's Maple Farms & Restaurant in the Chautauqua-Allegheny region celebrates maple season at their sugarhouse, with tree tapping demonstrations, sugar on snow parties, and old-fashioned family fun. Many of the restaurant’s specialties use their signature syrup as a key ingredient.
You can find lots of maple recipes and lots more information on maple syrup, farm tours, and festivals held from February through April, at the New York State Maple Association website.