Sweet! March is Maple Month in New York State

GREENE COUNTY―March is a pretty sweet time to live in Upstate New York. It is officially Maple Month.

This week, state officials encouraged New Yorkers to support their local maple producers and highlighted the state’s upcoming Maple Weekends that take place March 21-22 and March 28-29, as well as additional events and activities taking place at New York’s Welcome Centers.

New York State continues to rank second in the nation in maple production and in 2025, the industry produced 829,000 gallons. In addition, New York continues to be home to the largest resource of tappable maple trees within the United States and more than 2,000 maple sugar makers.

“Maple season is underway across the state with many of our producers seeing sap flowing already,” said New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets Commissioner Richard Ball, adding that local producers “continue to make some of the finest, most innovative maple products in the country that contribute greatly to our economy.”

Throughout the month of March each year and the last two weekends of the month in particular, maple farms across the state open their doors to the public to provide a chance to taste pure maple syrup, right from the source, and experience the unique family tradition of making maple syrup in New York State. Producers offer tours and pancake breakfasts, sell maple products, and demonstrate the syrup-making process, which includes the traditional system of hanging buckets on trees or more modern methods of production using vacuum systems to increase the yield of sap per tree. A searchable list of Maple Weekend events can be found at mapleweekend.nysmaple.com.

New York’s Taste NY Markets across the state will be highlighting unique local maple products and producers during the month of March, with product specials, giveaways, and more. The Capital Region Welcome Center on the New York State Thruway in New Baltimore will host 'Tap Into New York' on March 10, where attendees can enjoy samples from vendors across New York State, including local producer Jourdin's Maple Syrup and Tree Juice.

Ryan Douglas, Taste NY Market Operations Coordinator from Cornell Cooperative Extension (CCE) of Columbia and Greene Counties called Maple Month “a fantastic opportunity to highlight the incredible maple producers in our region.”

“We’re proud to support local vendors and share their high-quality products with our customers,” Douglas said.

Cornell Cooperative Extension (CCE) of Columbia and Greene Counties will host Maple Fest on Sunday, March 8 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. This family-friendly event will take place at CCE’s Agroforestry Resource Center located at 6055 Route 23 in Acra.

Maple Fest is free of charge and registration is not required.  It will include tapping and boiling demonstrations, maple sap sampling and local maple vendors. There will also be a pancake breakfast fundraiser from 10 a.m. until supplies last. The cost is $15 for adults and $10 for kids 10 years old and younger.

“We designed Maple Fest to be a resource for everyone, from curious families to aspiring backyard producers,” says Tracey Testo, CCE’s agroforestry and natural resources program manager. “Whether you’re looking for a fun spring outing or are ready to start your own sugaring journey, there truly is something for everyone.”

“One of New York’s proudest and longstanding agricultural traditions is maple production, led by family-run businesses that have passed their craft down through generations,” said State Senator Michelle Hinchey (D-Saugerties).

“Their dedication has made our state the second largest maple producer in the country and a major driver of local economies,” Hinchey added.

And as New York State Maple Producers Association Executive Director Helen Thomas pointed out, “There's nothing like tasting fresh maple syrup right from the source.”

“Maple Weekend is a tradition and celebration we all look forward to, especially after a snowy winter. It's one of the first signs that spring is on its way,” Thomas said. “New York has more family farms making maple syrup than any other state, which means that visitors often get to see several generations working side by side.”