The last weekend in March means one thing in Maine: Maple Syrup Sunday. On March 28, sugarhouses across York County and all over the state will open their doors for visitors for the 27th annual event. Different sugarhouses will offer various activities, including maple syrup demonstrations, samples, pancake breakfasts, and the opportunity to purchase maple products.

This year, area sugarhouses may have less syrup available than in years past, as unseasonably warm weather has apparently put a damper on sap collection.

“It’s beautiful weather, but it’s not syrup weather,” said Clark Cole of Dayton.

The ideal weather, say maple syrup producers, is about 20 degrees at night, and about 40 degrees during the day. The freeze and thaw cycle helps the sap flow.

“You’ve got to have that contrast,” said Cole.

Cole started collecting sap on Feb. 22, and started boiling sap into syrup a few days later. On Wednesday he said that he had collected sap 11 times and had made about 75 gallons of syrup.

“Today, I’m wondering if the season is done. It’s just too warm,” he said.

Last year, he had collected sap nine times and had collected enough sap to make 100 gallons of syrup. The last couple of years, he said he’s been averaging about 100 gallons of syrup.

“Nobody had a good year. It’s too warm,” said Debbie Morin, of Morin’s Maple Syrup in Limerick. Morin said that they started collecting sap in mid-February and ended March 12.

“We’ve never shut down that early in 40 years,” she said.

Cole began syruping in the 1970s and has had years where he didn’t make syrup until mid March.

“We’re completely at it’s mercy,” said Cole of the weather.

Typically, it takes 40 gallons of sap to make one gallon of syrup, but Morin said that it’s taken a little more sap than usual this year as the sugar content in the sap has been low.

Cole has been syruping since the 1970s.

He collects sap from 750 maple taps. In the sugarhouse the sap is boiled into syrup in a wood-fueled evaporator.

It takes about an hour to boil down 90 gallons.

Cole has a kitchen timer set to go off every eight minutes, letting him know that it’s time to put three or four more pieces of wood in.

“It takes a lot of wood to make things happen,” said Cole.

Before it is bottled, the syrup goes through a filter press to filter out the niter, or sugar sand.

 “It comes out sparkling clean” said Cole.

Cole Farm will be having an open house on Saturday, March 27, instead of Sunday, so Cole can attend church.

President of the Maple Producers, Lyle Merrifield said that he’s produced about 3/4 of what he typically produces. He said Thursday that he’s hopeful he can get a few more batches of sap.

Merrifield said that syrup makers who have used vacuum tubing systems to collect sap have faired better than those who rely on tubing and natural gravity.

Northern Maine has had a more typical season, he said.

Regardless of the quantity available, maple syrup is a popular item.

Morin said that in past years they’ve sold out of the product and she believes that this year sales will continue to be good.

Merrifield said that the demand has increased in the past five years.

“People like a natural product,” he said.

— Staff Writer Liz Gotthelf can be contacted at 282-1535, Ext. 325 or egotthelf@journaltribune.com.

Maple Sunday Participants in York County

Maine Maple Sunday is scheduled for next weekend. Some producers are open just on Saturday or are open both days. Unless otherwise noted, hours are for Sunday, March 28.

Brookridge Boilers: Located on Rt. 111 in Lyman, approximately three miles west of the Route 35 intersection between Biddeford and Sanford. Hours: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Clark Cole Family Pure Maple Syrup: Located at Cole Farm Dairy & Andy’s Agway on Cole Farm Road off River Road in Dayton. Hours: Saturday, March 27, from 8 a.m. to noon.

Harris Farm: Located at 280 Buzzell Road, Dayton. From Saco, take Rt. 5 West to Rt. 35, turn left onto Rt. 35, then go one mile to Buzzell Road. From Kennebunk take Rt. 35  north, 4.5 miles past the Rt. 111 intersection, Buzzell Road on right. Hours: Open 8 am to 2 p.m. both Saturday and Sunday, March 27-28.

Hilltop Boilers: Located in Newfield. Follow Route 11 into Newfield, Turn onto Elm Street- Following signs for Willowbrook Museum, From Route 11 we are 9/10 of a mile on the right side of the road. Our physical address is 157 Elm Street, Newfield Maine. Hours: Open 8 a.m. to 5  p.m. on March 28. On March 27, the store will be open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Morin’s Maple Syrup: Located in Limerick. Take Route 11 West from Limerick. Go 1.25 miles and take first left. Follow signs. Hours: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Ridley Farm: Located in Shapleigh at 38 Nason Road, off Owl’s Nest Road. 3.5 miles from Jct. of Rt. 11 and Rt. 109 at Mousam Lake. Watch for DOT signs. Hours: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Royal Maple: Located in Buxton. From Route 112  north or south turn onto Back Nippen Road, #219, just north of Snell’s Family Farm on Route 112. Hours: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Sugar Hill Maple Products: Located at a new location in Newfield at 93 Hicks Road off Route 11. Next door to old location. Look for signs. Hours: March 27 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and March 28 from noon to 4 p.m.

Thurston and Peters Sugarhouse, LLC: Located in West Newfield on Route 11, 8.5 miles north of the intersection of Route 109 and 11 (at the base of Mousam Lake in Shapleigh) or 8.5 miles south of the intersection of Route 5 and 11 in Limerick village. Hours: All weekends in March 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and April 3, 4 and 10 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Triple C Farm: Located in Lyman. Take Route 202 to South Waterboro, intersection of the Milkroom and House of Pizza turn left onto the South Waterboro Road. It will be 1-1/4 miles up on the rights. One Brock Road.

For more information on Maple Sunday, go to the Web site, www.getrealmaine.com.