Maple syrup producers welcome guests during maple weekends
By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant
Are you hungry for pancakes?
Maple weekends are coming: from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., March 21-22 and March 28-29 at various Upstate New York maple farms.
Maple syrup farms host special events such as pancake breakfasts, but there’s so much more to enjoy. Most provide farm tours, tapping demonstrations, historic displays and educational programming for all ages. Learn how producers care for their forests (“sugarbush” in maple parlance), tap trees at precisely the right time, and boil sap to the correct viscosity to achieve pure maple syrup.
The farms also offer extended farm store hours and samples and sales of treats such as maple fudge, maple cotton candy, maple sugar, and more.
While all participating New York state maple farms are listed on the website, these farms in particular go above and beyond in providing a great experience:
• Cartwright’s Maple Tree Inn, LLC, 4321 County Road 15A, Angelica. For decades, Cartwright’s has served an all-you-can eat breakfast with buckwheat pancakes with all the trimmings. With extended hours (8 a.m. to 6 p.m., visitors have plenty of time to stop in and eat their fill. The farm includes a gift shop and tours.
www.cartwrightsmapletreeinn.com
• Peaceful Valley Maple Farms,116 LaGrange Road, Johnstown, offers samples and tours, along with an impressive family-style breakfast with pancakes, French toast, sausage, ham, eggs, sausage gravy, home fried potatoes, corn fritters and maple syrup. For an additional charge, gluten-free items are available.
https://peacefulvalleymaplefarms.com
• Menard Family Maple LLC, 6811 Townline Road, North Tonawanda, offers tapping and collection demonstrations The local firehouse will provide the pancake breakfast as a fundraiser.
www.facebook.com/menardfamilymaple
• Schoff’s Sugar Shack, 1064 Willis Hill Road, Victor. It will show the maple syrup production process and provide and tours. No breakfast is provided, but the farm offers syrup samples so you can see how syrup color indicates differences in flavor.
https://schoffssugarshack.com/index.html
• Shadow Hill Maple Syrup, 259 Lakeside Road, Ontario, offers an all-you-can-eat pancake breakfast. Shop among a bevy of products in the gift shop, including maple granola, maple covered nuts, maple cotton candy, maple hot sauce, maple barbecue sauce, maple mustard, maple cream, infused maple syrup, banana rum and bourbon-aged maple syrup. The farm’s well-tended grounds make a picturesque background for photo ops.
The New York State Maple Producers’ Association organizes and sponsors the event. The NYS Department of Agriculture and Markets and organization members fund Maple Weekends. For more info: www.mapleweekend.com
To Better Enjoy Your Visit
• Read the social media pages of the farm you wish to visit so you can verify participation, hours, and farm rules.
• These are working farms (not primarily agritourism locations), meaning that you can experience cold weather, slippery surfaces, noisy environment and moving equipment. Wear appropriate clothing and footwear and watch your step. Some areas may not be accessible to strollers or wheelchairs.
• Bring cash. Not all locations can accept cards. Although some attractions are free, you may wish to purchase breakfast (at locations serving breakfast) and gift shop items. Maple products make great gifts.
• Take, tag and post photos. This helps farmers broaden their market (and showcases the great time you had at a maple farm).
• Ask farmers questions and encourage your children to do so. Farmers love helping people learn about their work and products.
• Go to a few different farms if you can. You may feel surprised at the similarities and differences in how they operate.