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Where to taste New York State maple syrup

Here in Maple Country, they call it “liquid gold.” And that’s not just because it’s expensive. There’s a lot that goes into making New York State maple syrup. It takes 35 gallons of tree sap to produce one gallon of syrup, and the sap only flows when the nights are cold and the days are above freezing.

New York State is home to hundreds of maple syrup producers. During the Maple Weekends each spring, farms invite visitors to celebrate the sweet side of life with wagon rides out to the sugar bush, tree-tapping demonstrations, sugared delights like maple cotton candy, maple cream, maple sweet buns, maple hot dogs, and more. Look for live music, crafts, and children’s activities, too. Here’s a list of some of our favourite sweet spots.

 

Cedarvale Maple Syrup Co.

Take a tour of the sugar bush and sugarhouse and see how sap is collected and boiled down to make liquid gold. Watch producers create maple cotton candy and purchase a variety of maple products in the farm’s store.

3769 Pleasant Valley Road, Syracuse. 

Critz Farms

Watch ’em boil down sap on the wood-fired evaporator before hopping onto a wagon ride out to the sugar bush. Take a tour of the sugarhouse, enjoy a breakfast buffet and maple cotton candy, and explore the farm winery with a glass of Critz’s very own maple syrup hard cider in hand.

3232 Rippleton Road, Cazenovia.

 

Smokey Hollow Maple Syrup

Make maple syrup, maple sugar, and maple cream, and see a live demonstratio­n of sap collecting.

8597 Pierce Road, Jordan.

Central New York Maple Festival

Each spring, the village of Marathon celebrates all things sweet with horse-drawn carriage rides, live bands, arts and crafts, children’s activities, a chainsaw carving competition, historical characters in the village and, of course, an all-maple menu including maple cream buns and maple pulled pork sandwiches.

 

Written by M.J. Kravec

Image credits: Maple tree © Jim Pintar, Other imagery © iStock