Get ready for Maple Syrup Weekend

BUFFALO, NY - Maple Weekend is nearly here- the time of year when maple syrup producers show off their mouth-watering syrup and demonstrate ways to make it.

In Erie county, the “Sugar Shack” and sawmill are reopening in the Erie County Forest for the first time in six years.

The County Forest has 50 acres of sugar maple trees in its first lot. The recently reestablished County Forestry Department is tapping about 400 maple trees over 16 of those acres for this operation. The trees will produce about 21,000 gallons of sap, and County workers will then produce about 550 gallons of maple syrup. The syrup and extra sap produced in the County Forest will be sold to a wholesaler in bulk.

Maple Weekend began almost 15 years ago when Wyoming County maple producers opened their doors to the public to showcase the production of maple products from tree to table. The first event, known then as Maple Sunday, demonstrated how maple syrup was made by tapping trees, collecting sap and boiling it into syrup. Producers also provided samples and sold maple products to the public.

Now Maple Weekend occurs statewide and the event has grown so much that the maple producers had to add a second weekend. This year, Maple Weekend will be March 20-21 and 27-28 from 10am – 4pm each day.

You can find a wide variety of Maple Syrup producers to sample by clicking on their website here.
 

Also check out a wide variety of Pancake Breakfasts