With
unfavorable conditions for sap harvesting over the past two weeks, a cold snap
and ideal weather prevailed this past weekend for Maine Maple Sunday. Anyone
who has a passion for tradition and the taste buds for anything maple, showed
up at Merrifield Farm in North Gorham. From the very start at 9 a.m. the cars
began to line both sides of Gorham Road. At one point the line of vehicles
stretched a good half mile. Long lines formed and remained steady to get their fill of Maine’s state sweetener on a fun filled weekend.
Jokingly, Lyle Merrifield explained, “I
am starting to get way too many eggs in one basket!” Last year he had an estimated 7,000 visited
the farm and expects more this year. “We count that [number of visitors] by how
many schools visit as well as the amount of cups used for the ice cream.”
Vsitors enjoyed the process of making syrup and sampling the
treat over ice cream. But that was just the beginning. Also offered was a full
pancake breakfast, a chance to purchase many of the maple products and see
demonstrations. A blacksmith toiled over a hot furnace, while close by another
fire was ablaze, heating huge cast iron cauldrons filled with sap, as had been
done in the early 1800’s. Ox cart rides were available for a relaxing escape
from the heat and the crowds.
Providing
the musical entertainment was the duo of Melissa Bragdon-Caron and her husband
Kevin, otherwise known as Sugar Hill. Melissa, who now lives in New Hampshire
but originally from Windham, taught fiddle playing at 317 Main, the Community
Music Center located in Yarmouth. Both Carons have been a part of the Portland
area music scene in the past. On this day maple lovers were treated to an array
of instruments that include the mandolin, banjo, and acoustic guitar and of
course, the fiddle.
The
real draw, as always, was witnessing the process of making Maine’s official
sweetener. The last two weeks have been too cold to make syrup. But that didn’t
stop Merrifield’s efforts for a successful weekend. “We put together a lot of
small ones (batches) and saved it for yesterday and today,” explained
Merrifield.
Processing
sap is a long process requiring many gallons of sap to produce just one gallons
of syrup. “The ratio for making syrup is 40 gallons of sap to one gallon of
syrup,” shared Merrifield. There are 750 to 900 trees that are tapped.
Grades
of syrup, for the most part, are all determined as Grade A. There is a system
of measuring with a standard grading kit. But according to Merrifield it wasn’t
always that way. “It took almost 15 years to have all of the United States and
Canadian Provinces to use the same grading system. We (Maine) haven’t had Grade
B syrup in 35 years.”
Not
all visitors were from the area or Maine for that matter. Visiting Maine until
Tuesday was Louisiana resident Arlene Byrd. “I’ve been to Maine before but
further South,” shared Byrd. Wearing four layers of clothing she has never worn
before did not prevent Byrd from having a fun time. Braving the long line to
see the sap being processed she also shared laughingly, “This isn’t my first
stop. I headed for the ice cream.”
It
is doubtful that maple syrup purchased over the weekend will last long in any
household, but it does keep. “I’ve seen syrup at the Cumberland County fair
knocked off the shelf and the handle on the top broke, so the can started
leaking. When we opened up the can and noticed the lithograph that dates the
syrup, it indicated being as 50 years old. It was fine,” recalled Merrifield.
FMI
about Merrifield Farm visit: www.getrealmaine.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=findafarm.dealer&locID=2596
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