AUGUSTA, Maine — Maine Gov. Janet Mills stood on the Blaine House lawn Friday, March 11, and hammered a tap into the bark of a maple tree. She smiled and reached out her hands in satisfaction, as sap began to drip into a waiting bucket. Maine Maple Producers Association President Scott Dunn stood nearby and gave an approving nod.
With that, maple harvesting season has unofficially begun — save for perhaps those areas in frigid northern Maine, where sugar-makers won't begin their season for a few more weeks. Maine has nearly 500 maple producers, and many of them are likely waiting anxiously for March 27 to arrive.
Maine Maple Sunday is a statewide tradition, celebrated the fourth weekend every March. The events were canceled in 2020, and last year's maple weekend was "modified" and held with trepidation, as the pandemic continued to threaten communities. Festivities in 2022 are scheduled for the weekend of March 26 and 27.
"When we canceled Maine Maple Sunday two years ago, that was one of the worst decisions we had to make because we knew it was going to affect our producers’ bottom line tremendously," Dunn said, speaking with reporters after the Blaine House tree tapping.
He said some of his 200 Maine Maple Producers Association members typically make half their annual revenue in that one weekend. With COVID-19 cases subsiding and vaccines available to any Mainer 5 years of age and older, Mills encouraged Mainers to take part in the events — or at the very least, buy Maine-made products.
"Making sure that the label on the jar or container is 'Maine-made maple syrup' will be really important to us," she said.
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The Maine Maple Producers Association website has an interactive map of participating businesses.