Over 80 sugar makers and maple partners all around the state are opening their doors on March 25 and 26 and April 1 and 2 as part of Spring Maple Open House Weekends.
BRATTLEBORO — Vermont continues to lead the nation by a commanding margin as the top maple-producing state.
The Green Mountain State's total maple syrup production in 2022 was 2.55 million gallons, an 800,000 gallon increase over the prior year and about half of all U.S. production of maple syrup, according to the Vermont Maple Sugar Makers' Association.
Mark Hamilton, owner of Heritage Maple Farm on Route 9 in Brattleboro, will be one of several sugar makers that will have their sugar house open for people to tour during Spring Maple Open House Weekends that will be held on March 25 and 26 and April 1 and 2.
"It's been a very steady season. It started early, and has run well all through the month of February, which is unusual,” said Hamilton. “I already made our normal crop syrup in the month of February, which we've never done before. With the way March is looking right now, we should be above average this year on production.”
With the weather as forecast, Hamilton said he could be boiling into early April. The farm started boiling on Feb. 11 and had made 300 gallons by the by the first day of March. Normally, when the weather warms up early in the year, it tends to be a fast season.
“Right now, the weather is still working into our favor. There's still quite a bit of snow cover out in the woods, as well, and [in the] sugar bush,” said Hamilton. “I'm very hopeful that it'll hold out through the end of March, if not continue into April a little bit this year.”
This is the first year running the sugaring operations by himself since the death of his father last year, but he’s no stranger to the business. Hamilton comes from a long line of sugar makers, him being the fifth generation. His family has been boiling there for 80-plus years.
“I've got some good help, but it's it's been a transition. Normally, my father would boil during the day. There's a lot of days where we have long hours boiling,” said Hamilton.
PHOTOS: Local sugar makers to open their doors
Mark Hamilton, the owner of Heritage Maple Farm in Brattleboro, checks the density of the sap that he's boiling while sugaring on Friday, March 10, 2023. Purchase local photos online.
More than 80 sugar makers and maple partners all around the state are opening their doors as part of Spring Maple Open House Weekends. The weekends offer the state's sugar makers a chance to welcome visitors near and far into their sugarhouses to learn, taste and explore firsthand why people should think of Vermont first when they think of maple syrup.
The sap is running, and there are plenty of ways to enjoy some traditional and not-so-traditional open house activities — sugar house tours, sampling syrup, tours of the woods, pancake breakfasts and plenty of maple products to taste, including maple donuts, maple cotton candy and maple ice cream and creemees. Find all the details at VermontMaple.org/MOHW.