How Sweet it is Maple Season is Here

Locally grown and produced is almost always better in taste and quality, it seems to be even truer when it comes to maple syrup.  If you agree, you're probably as excited as I am that Maple production time is here.  Here's where to find open houses and local producers.

According to the Department of Environmental Conservation, New York is home to "more than 2,000 tappable maple trees, the most in the US."  The next two weekends (3/18-3/19 & 3/25-3/26) will be the peak times for Open Houses and Tours of sugaring operations. In many cases you get some hands on experience working with maple sap and some good deals on a variety of products.

Two good operations to check our is Vernon-Verona-Sherrill Central School's FFA and the DEC's Five Rivers Environmental Education Center in Delmar.  CCE's website has a list of maple producers in Oneida County and the New York Maple wesbite has searchable locations for anywhere in the state.

SOURCE:Cornell Cooperative Extension and DEC