It’s here! Well, at least kinda sorta. After a week of nights in the 20’s and days in the 40’s some New Hampshire Maple Farms are already tapping (Laconia Daily Sun). Then again, last year Maine Maple farmers were also tapping this weekend (Bangor Daily News). In 2016, two weeks later, during traditional tapping time, temps were below 0 over night rising to 20’s during the day. It’s a risk to tap early as frozen equipment can create more work, but tapping too late can mean missing sap that might mean the difference between breaking even and losing after last summer’s drought.
But anyway, here we come. Like most of the items in the supermarket, most consumers are totally ignorant of the amount of work it takes to get Maple from the tree to the shelf. My quest, started slowly in 2009 is to appreciate Maple by exploring and sharing my findings with others via (mostly) photojournalism. I have now visited at least 52 Maple Farms, including at least 27 in 2016. That year I lucked out – the traditional Northern New England Maple Weekend of the last weekend in March fell on Easter. New Hampshire decided to have their festival the week before, Maine kept their regular date, and Vermont celebrated the weekend after. This year, since Easter is April 16, all of the northern New England states will be having their open houses on the weekend of March 25th and 26th. I don’t see when Massachusetts will be having a weekend though there is a “Maple Month Kickoff” on March 6th with the Governor in Fitchburg. Maybe I need to head south this year.
In the meantime, before I can get out and shoot (photographs), I am determined to finish the blog posts that I didn’t get up last year. I have a series of photos explaining the tapping process and more Sugarhouse 2016 photos from Vermont. I need to find a new place where I can put my book “Sweet Adventures” up for sale as Blurb requires it to be updated too often. I also plan to make maple photos available on Fine Art America. These photos are also also available as items such as phone cases, shower curtains and tote bags. If you see a photo you like and want an item not listed, let me know and I can make it available. May this sweet season be more productive than anticipated!
HodgePodge Maple 