Maple Syrup Events and Free Maple Goodies Giveaway

Sweet sap is dripping from maple trees across the state, and maple producers are gearing up for their annual festival: two weekends in March when producers host open houses, pancake breakfasts, and educational events.

To celebrate the maple syrup season, Ithaca's Food Web is giving away a free maple goodies gift basket, thanks to the folks at the New York State Maple Producers Association. To enter the give-away, comment on this post with your favorite use for maple syrup (a recipe? on a particular food?). The contest ends on March 21, 2012 at 5pm. At that point, I'll enter contestants' names into  http://www.random.org/ to choose the winner. Then, the winner will need to email me a name, address, and phone, so that the NYS Maple Producers can send you your gift (no spam, I promise).

Read on for more info about maple syrup:

Sapsquatch in Enfield is just one sugar shack near Ithaca where visitors can get a taste of the sweetness (video below):


Other nearby locations include:
Cayuga Nature Center, 1420 Taughannock Blvd, Ithaca, NY, (607) 273-6260
Arnot Teaching & Research Forest, 611 County Route 13, Van Etten, NY, (607) 589-6076

Sweetrees Maple Products, 761 Glen Road, Berkshire, NY, (315) 699-3855
Or, check out more locations here.

Press Release from the NYS Maple Producers Association:

Taste the Tradition at New York’s Maple Weekend

SYRACUSE, N.Y. – New York State will celebrate its 17th annual Maple Weekend March 17-18 and March 24-25 at more than 140 locations across the state. From 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day, maple syrup producers will invite the public to learn about the syrup-making process, from tapping maple trees to the breakfast table. At this free-admission event, organized by the New York State Maple Producers Association (NYSMPA), visitors will also have the opportunity to taste and purchase maple products.

“The goal of Maple Weekend is to teach and demonstrate how maple syrup is made from the single ingredient, maple sap. It is a process that is fun to watch, smells great, and produces a great-tasting natural sweet,” said Helen Thomas, executive director of NYSMPA. “Taste testing is part of the fun!”

More than 1,500 New York maple producers generate about 20 percent of all syrup in the United States, making New York the second largest maple producing state in the nation, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

“Maple Weekend is a fun event for families and New York residents of all ages to discover one of New York’s finest traditions,” said Thomas. “We take great pride in our maple production because it provides an opportunity for New Yorkers to enjoy products that are made locally.”

It takes more than 40 gallons of maple tree sap to create one gallon of pure maple syrup. In 2011, New York maple producers manufactured 564,000 gallons of maple syrup, marking New York’s highest production since 1947. It is a $22 million industry in New York State.

In conjunction with Maple Weekend, several locations will host all-you-can-eat pancake breakfasts and a variety of other family-oriented activities.

For more information and a list of participating locations, visit www.nysmaple.com or www.mapleweekend.com.

About the New York State Maple Producers Association:

The New York State Maple Producers Association (NYSMPA) is a not-for-profit organization with more than 500 members who produce maple syrup and related maple products throughout New York State. NYSMPA participates in numerous local and regional events statewide to promote maple products and to showcase the craft, including Maple Weekend and the Maple Center at the New York State Fair. For more information, visit www.nysmaple.com.