THE GORANSON FARM sugar shack will be open to visitors on Sunday during the 30th annual statewide Maine Maple Sunday event. Goranson’s is located at 250 River Road in Dresden.
The foot or more of snow that brought winter back to Maine on Tuesday was not a welcome sight for most of us, who are looking for signs of spring.
But for farmers who produce maple syrup — one of the great delicacies of the Northeast — the cold snow around the base of the maples might be just the thing. With the 30th annual Maine Maple Sunday on tap this weekend, syrup producers are banking on it, so to speak.
Earl “Mitch” Mitchell and his wife, Penny Savage, will be among the area farmers marketing their maple syrup products to the public. Mitchell and Savage Maple Products is located at 485 West Burrough Road, accessible from Route 125 in Lisbon Falls.
“It’s been too cold to tap the last week,” Earle “Mitch” Mitchell said Tuesday. “But as the weather gets warmer, the snow makes it cold enough for sap to run.”
Real Good Maple Syrup on 326 Post Road in Bowdoinham will be open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday. Goranson Farm on 250 River Road in Dresden is doubling the fun, welcoming people on both Saturday and Sunday, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The Maine Maple Producers Association encourages the public to visit www.mainemapleproducers.c om for a map of participating maple producers.
Mitchell and Savage have opened their property to the public for 25 years. Once you access Route 125, you walk up a long driveway and you’re there. It will be open from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
The friendly couple tap about 500 trees.
They will treat the public to baked beans made with maple syrup — imagine — and other samples. People can buy syrup and maple candy, and take tours of the sugar house.
“We’ll make beans and feed everybody,” Mitchell said. “They always come back. I can’t imagine not doing it. Maine Maple Sunday is the first open house of its kind in the agricultural industry.”
Jan Goranson and her husband, Robert Johanson, like the event so much, they’re doing it twice. River Road is just off the Dresden side of the Richmond bridge.
In addition to maple products, Goranson Farm will have tours, animals for petting and live music on Sunday.
“It’s a lively time,” Jan Goranson said. “We’ll have all our animals out. And we’ll give out maple sundaes.”
Linda and Del Temple are expecting a good crowd at Real Good Maple Syrup, on Route 138 (326 Post Road) in Bowdoinham. The Temples, too, are offering free ice cream with maple syrup.
“The sap is still running pretty good,” Temple said. “We’ll have plenty of product — early syrup and late syrup.”
Real Good Maple Syrup also will have trees tapped, and offer demonstrations on syrup-making.
Candy and maple pecans will be among the items for sale.
lgrard@timesrecord.com
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