MAPLE NEWS

It’s a celebration!  New York State is the third largest producer of maple syrup in the world and the individual producers are observing that fact at this year’s 16th Annual Maple Weekend™.

The event takes place over two weekends -- March 19-20 and 26-27 2011 from 10am - 4pm each day. More than 110 of the finest maple producers throughout New York State, from Buffalo to Albany, Rochester to Binghamton and Jamestown to Plattsburgh, will open their sugarhouses to demonstrate the making of maple products "from the tree to your table." In Western New York almost 50 maple producers will participate.

From pancakes to peanuts, the all-natural, golden brown syrup goes with just about everything.  And the quality of New York State maple syrup is not only the best in its history; it’s likely the best in the world.

Check it out for yourself on Maple Weekend™! This family-oriented event showcases how New York maple producers make some of the world's finest syrup and related products.  Admission is free!

On Maple Weekend™, visitors can see demonstrations of all aspects of maple-making, from the tapping of the trees to get the sap, to the boiling of the sap into syrup. Some producers will also demonstrate the making of maple syrup into other products including maple cream, maple cotton candy and maple sugar. Most sugarhouses allow people to sample the products.

Techniques of maple production vary from producer to producer. Some are state-of-the-art and some use traditional methods, so the public is encouraged to visit more than one participating farm. Many producers offer a variety of additional activities, including horse and wagon rides, snowshoeing, guided walks in the woods and kids' corners.

In conjunction with Maple Weekend™, New York’s finest maple syrup will be featured at many all-you-can-eat pancake breakfasts to help people satisfy their hunger and continue to promote syrup and other maple products. A list of some the participating pancake breakfasts is available on the “Locations” page.

New York State maple syrup has an established reputation as some of highest quality syrup in the world. New York Maple producers strive to improve the public’s awareness of New York maple syrup through the Maple Weekend™ event.  

According to the New York State Agriculture Statistics Service, New York is the third largest maple syrup producer in the world (behind Canada and Vermont). Last year, the estimated 1,500 maple producers across New York made 312,000 gallons of syrup, accounting for almost 16% of the maple syrup made in the United States. Each of the estimated 1.9 million taps in the state produced an average of 0.164 gallons of syrup.

Maple Weekend™ started as Maple Sunday fifteen years ago when a handful of maple producers in Wyoming County organized a one-day event to promote maple products. The event has become so successful it now includes producers throughout New York State.

“We’re thrilled that people across New York State are ‘turning on’ to maple syrup,” said Greg Zimpfer of Attica.  As one of the founders of the original Maple Sunday, Zimpfer noted, “We just wanted another way to market our syrup. We never dreamed it would grow to this size.”   

Mark your calendars for March 19-20 and 26-27, 2011 and take the family to experience New York State maple!

Maple Weekend™ has plenty of activities for children

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