Sugarhouses across the state celebrate Maple Weekend

This week’s snowstorm is proving a blessing to maple syrup producers, who hope it will extend what already looks like a good season.

“Snow helps keep the temperature cooler,” said Michael Moore, owner of Sunnyside Maples in Loudon. “The sun in March is getting pretty high in the sky. Without the snow on the ground it warms up too fast … The sap gets really dark, the buds start coming out, but we don’t want that too quickly.”

The recent Nor’easter comes on top of a warm January and February, which saw sap begin running much earlier than is traditional.

“It was a February bonus, getting that much sap that earlier in the year,” s aid Moore. “I’ve only had one year that I’ve made more syrup at this date.”

New Hampshire Maple Weekend is this weekend, March 18-19. Many syrup producers are open for tours.

For information, check with the New Hampshire Maple Producers Association at nhmapleproducers.com/directory/categories/2023-maple-weekend.

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