Maple Sugar Time
Maple sugar time is a wonderful spring event that happens between mid February and mid April every year in New Hampshire. Harvesting this “liquid gold” is an extensive process and involves several steps. There are varying grades of maple sugar that can be produced. Maple candy and maple butter are also products that are made during this time of year.
When is maple sugar is made?
It’s maple sugar time in New Hampshire. Producing maple syrup in New Hampshire is a Spring event that occurs between mid February and mid April every year.
How much maple sugar is produced?
There are almost 100,000 gallons of maple syrup produced in New Hampshire annually.
What is the process for sugaring?
The warmer days at this time of year causes the frozen sap in maple trees to thaw. As it thaws, the sap rises up the tree trunk. Maple sugar producers know this and they tap into the trees so that when the sap is rising it will flow into their tubes and spouts to be collected. As the day gets cold again the sap will refreeze until the next warm day when it rises again. Maple syrup farmers collect this sap and begin the process of boiling it down in an evaporator until it becomes more concentrated and turns into syrup. Locals sometimes call this process sugaring.
Do you know how many gallons of sap it takes to make one gallon of maple syrup?
It takes about 40 to 45 gallons of sap to make one gallon of maple syrup. Lucky for us there are many opportunities to see this process in action near Southern New Hampshire.
Places to see maple syrup being made in New Hampshire
One of our favorite places to see maple syrup produced is in Mason NH at Parkers Maple Sugar Barn. This wonderful place is just 15 minutes from Milford and about 25 minutes from Manchester. Visiting is a family adventure that will allow you to visit the maple sugar house and see the evaporators in action, talk to the maple sugar farmers and then to have a delicious breakfast of pancakes or waffles with…you guessed it… pure maple syrup. The property at Parkers includes some trails and even a chance to see a 100-year-old maple tree that is still producing sap.
Take a trip to Chester, NH to Folsom’s Sugar House to visit their quaint sugar house and to sample their maple products. Have you tried maple candy or powdered maple sugar? This is where you do just that. Visiting during the holidays is fun if you catch them at their holiday open house. This is a family owned business that got started in the 80’s and has grown each year.
Where are there apartments near maple sugar shacks?
Living in Southern New Hampshire is great because you can have access to so many wonderful resources and activities. Need an apartment in Manchester, Milford, or Derry, NH? Red Oak Apartment Homes have many to choose from. Check out our available apartments just minutes to these maple sugar houses.