Area maple syrup producers are gearing up for their biggest tourism event of the year, New Hampshire’s Maple Weekend March 15 and 16, but producers say that the season was off to a late and slow start.

Scott Kemp, owner of Maple Row Sugaring in Rindge, said he typically starts tapping trees around Valentine’s Day. This year, he said his first tap was at least a week later than usual, and the needed shift between cold nights and warm days has not been consistent to keep the sap flowing.

Kemp has 1,430 tapped trees, which he said usually nets him about 200 gallons of syrup each year.

“And I am nowhere near that number right now,” Kemp said. “It all depends on Mother Nature. That’s who we’ve got to deal with.”

Dana Ryll, owner of Fieldstone Farm in Rindge, which includes a sugar house, said he was at least a couple of weeks late to start his season.

“I’m guessing it’s going to be a short year, though who knows,” Ryll said.

Ryll said last year was also a late start for the season, but he had recently added additional taps, bringing his total up to 1,700. This past year has been busier than ever for the Fieldstone sugar house, selling more gallons of syrup. Ryll said he hoped those additional trees would increase his production, and he anticipated up to 350 gallons of syrup this year.

“I’m concerned. I think we’ll be lucky to get 250,” Ryll said.

Kemp knows well that the season relies on the weather. He has been around syrup-making his entire life; his father started making syrup the year Kemp was born. Kemp started his own sugar house about 10 years ago. Now, he said, his father helps him tap the trees and haul the sap.

“We’ve come full circle,” Kemp joked.

Ryll has been making syrup for 25 years, though he said his first attempts were not the same as what visitors this weekend will see when they come to visit his sugar house. Like many families trying out syrup-making for the first time, he said his first year was spent boiling sap on the kitchen stove. 

“I maybe didn’t make every mistake you can make, but I did make a lot of them,” Ryll said, admitting to melting the stovetop wires.

Now, producers are gearing up for Maple Weekend as part of a tourism effort to encourage residents and visitors to visit sugar houses, watch boiling demonstrations, sample and buy syrup and syrup products such as maple candy and support local producers. The weekend can bring in hundreds of visitors, particularly on a weekend with nice weather, said Kemp, who has hosted between 100 and 250 visitors during Maple Weekend in the past.

While the season was off to a late start, producers said they have been working to fill their stocks for the weekend. Kemp said he had his first sap boiling at the start of March, and has had two more boils since.

“I’ve boiled three times this season, and I’ve made just under 30 gallons. I’m nowhere near where I’d like to be,” Kemp said.

Those who are interested in purchasing light, golden colored syrup may have difficulty finding it this year. Producers report that the first product of the season is starting in the middle range for color, and typically the lightest, most-delicate tasting color of syrup is only made at the start of the season.

While darker colors are often the most popular, due to the richer maple taste, syrup tends to get darker as the season goes on, meaning the early season is the only time to get lighter syrups. Kemp said his first batch was a dark robust color. Ryll’s was a medium color, and he is already seeing dark syrup.

“Seems like it’ll be another short year,” Ryll said. 

Ryll said that for his family, the sugar house is a hobby that helps supplement his income, rather than a livelihood, but he feels for the farmers who rely on the income and may fall short for a second year in a row.

During Maple Weekend most participating sugar houses will be open for visitors both Saturday and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. For a map of participating sugar houses, visit nhmaplemap.com. Maple Row Sugaring is located at 439 Route 119 in Rindge, and Fieldstone Farm is at 38 Fieldstone Lane in Rindge. Both sugar houses will be open for visitors both days of Maple Weekend.

Ashley Saari can be reached at 603-924-7172, Ext. 244, or asaari@ledgertranscript.com. She’s on X @AshleySaariMLT.