Courtesy / Office of Governor
Gov. Janet Mills celebrates after successfully tapping the maple tree on the lawn of the Blaine House Tuesday, with help from Scott Dunn, president of the Maine Maple Producers Association.
March 10, 2020
It's maple syrup time in Maine, and Gov. Mills officially kicks off the season
Photo / Jim Neuger
Maine's maple syrup producers are gearing up for Maine Maple Sunday, which is on March 22 this year. Pictured, Morin's Sugar House in Limerick on Maine Maple Sunday 2018.
By Maureen Milliken
Maine's annual maple sugaring season got off to a ceremonial start Tuesday when Gov. Janet Mills tapped a maple tree on the lawn of the Blaine House.
The sap has already been running for a while, but the annual tradition at the governor's residence in Augusta sets the stage for Maine Maple Sunday on Sunday, March 22. A warm end to winter has meant an early start to the season. Maple trees begin producing the sap needed for syrup when the temperatures at night are below freezing, but day temperatures are in the low 40s.
"We're in a stretch right now where it doesn't want to freeze up at night, but we've been exceptionally warm during the day," said Scott Dunn, president of the Maine Maple Producers, who joined Mills at the event. Dunn said producers are reporting large sap runs.
"We're making a lot of syrup right now in a short hurry," Dunn told WABI-TV. "A lot of sugar makers don't get much sleep this time of year."
The state celebrates the industry on the fourth Sunday of March every year with Maine Maple Sunday — which at many producers takes place on both weekend days.
At least 116 maple producers will take part this year. Producers host events at their farms and sugar houses, ranging from pancake breakfasts to hay rides to sap-boiling lessons. The Maine Maple Producers Association has an interactive map showing where events are, at mainemapleproducers.com.
Country's third-largest producer
The state's maple syrup industry is estimated to generate $48.7 million in economy activity and support more than 800 full- and part-time jobs across the state, representing $25.1 million in income.
Maine has about 1.89 million maple syrup taps and is the third-largest maple syrup producer in the country, behind Vermont and New York, according to the University of Maine Cooperative Extension. Maine is expected to produce 575,000 gallons of maple syrup this year. Vermont, the top U.S. producer, boiled 2 million gallons in 2018.
Somerset County is maple mecca — it produces more maple syrup than any county in the United States, and up to 90% of Maine's syrup, according to the cooperative extension.
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