Even with less‑than‑ideal weather, New Yorkers still turned out for Maple Weekend to celebrate local syrup makers and seasonal traditions.
ATTICA, N.Y. — Despite less-than-ideal weather, New Yorkers still took part in statewide Maple Weekend events, shining a spotlight on local syrup production and seasonal tourism across the state.
Those events happened across the state, including Wyoming County.
The event featured maple producers opening their operations to the public, offering samples and behind-the-scenes demonstrations of how syrup is made. Organizers say the weekend is designed to connect visitors with local agriculture and seasonal food production.
At Merle Maple Farm, a fourth-generation family operation, Lyle Merle said the farm produces syrup at a large scale while also expanding into specialty products.
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“We’ve got 23,000 taps and we’re making 10 to 12,000 gallons of syrup a year, but we make a lot of specialty products of maple barbecue, maple hot sauce, several maple spreads to put on toast, and just came out with a sap drinking water that’s taken up to about 8% sugar,” Merle said.
According to U.S. Department of Agriculture records, New York is the second-largest maple producer in the country, underscoring the significance of the industry to the state’s agricultural economy.
Even if visitors miss this weekend’s events, organizers say additional Maple Weekend activities will continue into next weekend, giving residents another opportunity to explore participating locations.
“Wyoming County proudly leads New York State in maple production and was the birthplace of Maple Weekends in New York,” Eric Szucs, director of tourism for Wyoming County, said in a statement about the event.
Szucs added: “It’s educational, fun, and without a doubt the sweetest two weekends of the year.”