Springing Ahead, Spring Fever and Making Maple Syrup

CATSKILL REGION   – The time jumps ahead one hour this Sunday, one of  the signs of spring  and local maple producers have been in the sap house boiling, another sign of spring. Milder temperatures and rain have some in full blown spring fever.

I watched the deer yesterday morning, tearing through the woods. I wondered what was chasing them, but then I I realized they were having a moment of frivolity and were playing with each other, zooming and bucking. They were feeling light hearted. Perhaps at the prospect they have already been able to eat grass and are not digging through snow to find a meal. Or, could it be those longer daylight hours.

Maybe they had spring fever.

Local maple producers are taking advantage of an early run of sap. Traditionally President's week is a time to tap, but many have already been boiling. The worry now, is if the warm weather continues without freezing cold nights. The trees will bud and maple season will be over early,

Maple producers in the state, including several local producers, will be welcoming the public into their sap houses over the weekends of March 15 and 16 and Mar 23 and 24.

It is a great spring outing for the family, with many producers hosting special events, sampling and tours. You can see how maple syrup is produced, drink in the sweet smell of boiling sap and enjoy some sap house samples. Some will be serving breakfast.

Thompson's Sugar Shack, located at 245 North Harpersfield Road, will host its open house and breakfast on March 16 and 17 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.. You can enjoy the smell of boiling sap as you eat your breakfast, and sample some of the many products.

Roxbury Mountain Maple, which will provide tours, samples, free maple chili for lunch along with maple cookies, cinnamon rolls and other items. They will be open March 23 and 24 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.. They have a large gift shop as well.

Buck Hill Farm, 185 Fuller Road, Jefferson, is serving a farm to table breakfast on both weekends. They will also have samples and demonstrations. They also have a large gift shop.

Shaver-Hill Maple at 450 Shaver Road, Harpersfield, will have an all you can eat pancake breakfast on both weekends from 9 a.m.to 3 p.m. each day. There will be horse-drawn wagon rides, samples and demonstrations. The pancake breakfast on March 23 benefits the Stamford/Jefferson Booster Club and on March 24, the Gilboa Varsity Baseball team. They have a fully stocked showroom of equipment and a large gift shop.

A full listing of participating producers can be found at mapleweekend.com.

As the amount of daylight lengthens, we spring ahead to add daylight onto the end of our days. While some lament the loss of an hour of sleep, many are anxious to add daylight onto the day, so that you can get out and enjoy those extra hours of daylight.

So invite Spring Fever to take effect and provide some frivolity, like the frolicking deer, and enjoy the unseasonable weather. It may be a good time to make a trip to the sap house.