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March 27, 2022

Maine's maple businesses celebrate sweet success as weekend festival returns

man pouring liquid into an industrial tank, near a machine billowing steam Photo / ELizabeth Hope A worker at 207Tappers prepares a batch of syrup at the maple farm in Arundel on Sunday.
By William Hall

More than 100 sugarhouses opened their doors over Maine Maple Sunday Weekend to large crowds, who waited as much as an hour to take in the sweet smells and tastes for the first time in two years.

This was the 39th annual Maple Sunday, which is usually held on the final weekend of March by the Maine Maple Producers Association and features demonstrations, tours, games, music and of course all things maple.

For the last two years, the festivities have had to cancel or go virtual because of the pandemic. But this year, producers from Lebanon to Eagle Lake welcomed thousands of maple-mad visitors.

On Sunday at 207Tappers in Arundel, the Belanger family demonstrated their wood-fired evaporator and by-hand production techniques.

Besides syrups in a wide variety of grades, bottle sizes and mixes — including a whiskey-infused version — there were maple candies, maple fudge, maple-covered nuts, maple cream, maple cotton candy and more. “Mmmmm,” murmured a steady stream of admirers.

Photo / ELizabeth Hope
On Sunday, maple lovers browse syrup varieties and other products at 207Tappers in Arundel.

Maine is home to more than 550 makers of maple syrup and other products. The businesses provide roughly 800 full-time and part-time jobs, each year turning out 575,000 gallons of syrup valued at $21.6 million and with a total output of $55 million.

The state is the nation’s third-largest producer of syrup, and accounts for 17% of all the gooey stuff made in the U.S.

"We love celebrating Maine's first agricultural crop of the year and hosting the event at our family farm,” said Jan Goranson, co-owner of Goranson Farm in Dresden, where Gov. Janet Mills and Commissioner of the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry Amanda Beal visited on Saturday.

"It is so important for people to see where and learn about how food is produced and grown ... My mother and father started the farm, and it brings us joy to share this experience with everyone, and having Gov. Mills and Commissioner Beal with us today was a special delight.”

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