Sugar houses will be open for visitors, and events will include tastings and demonstrations of how sap is boiled into syrup. Syrup and related products will be available for purchase.
New York is the second-largest source of maple syrup in the United States with 1,500 producers. (Vermont is No. 1.)
Details on all locations and events at http://www.mapleweekend.com. Here is some information about a few of the participating hosts:
—Moore’s Maple Shack & Pancake House, Freedom, N.Y., open every March through the end of April. Maple Weekend events include wagon rides and sampling of maple cream, maple walnut brittle, maple nuts and other goodies; http://www.mooresmaple.com.
—Cornell Cooperative Extension of St. Lawrence County in Canton, N.Y., operates an educational and demonstration facility showing where maple syrup comes from and how it is made, from forest to table; information at 315-379-9192.
—Randall’s Maple Products, Alexander, N.Y., offers sugarhouse tours and syrup-making demonstrations; http://www.randallsmaple.com
—Maple Glen Sugar House, Gowanda, N.Y., hosts sugarhouse tours and samples of unique maple hotdogs boiled in maple sap; http://www.mapleglensyrup.com.
—Merle Maple Farm, Attica, N.Y., has wagon rides, demonstrations of tree tapping and tours that show equipment like evaporators and sap concentrators. Treats for sampling include maple cotton candy, maple mustard, pepper jelly and syrup; http://www.merlemaple.com.
—Frost Valley, a YMCA camp in Claryille, N.Y., offers a snowy forest hike to identify sugar maple trees, along with tree-tapping, sap-boiling and a visit to a sugar house. The camp is a four-season facility that can accommodate not only groups but also individuals and families in lodges with private rooms; http://www.frostvalley.org.
New York is also home to the American Maple Museum in Croghan, which documents the history of syrup-making from Native American traditions to modern techniques. The museum will be open March 28-29, 7 a.m.-4 p.m., with pancake breakfast served 7 a.m.-noon. Breakfast is $7 per adult, $4 per child (kids under 5 are free). A tour of the museum costs $4. Details at http://www.lcida.org/maplemuseum.html
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