Living the Sweet Life: A Look at Maple Farms Near Saratoga Springs, NY
Did you know that New York State is one of the top maple producers in the entire country? It's true! Not only that, but you can visit a variety of maple farms near Saratoga Springs, NY, in Washington County.
Whether you're craving the rich taste of maple syrup, the sweetness of maple sugar candy, or are eager to partake in the annual NYS Maple Weekend, we've got you covered. Dive into our breakdown below and embark on your maple journey.
Why Learn About Maple?
If you're into local food, chances are you frequent farmers markets and might have toured a farm or two. But don't overlook maple farms!
Maple production involves tapping trees, collecting sap, and boiling it down into syrup in sugarhouses. It's a truly unique and fascinating process that you just need to see for yourself.
When Is Maple Season?
Depending on the weather, maple season typically begins in late February and continues into early April. To celebrate all things maple, many maple farms in the Saratoga area participate in the NYS Maple Weekend.
This open house-style event invites visitors to explore maple farms, enjoy special activities, savor delectable maple treats, and much more.
2024 NYS Maple Weekend Dates:
- March 16 - 17, 10:00am - 4:00pm
- March 23 - 24, 10:00am - 4:00pm
Note that times may vary between farms, and tours and product samples at most sites are free of charge.
Meet Your Washington County Maple Farms
Looking to begin your maple adventure in the Washington County countryside? Here are some maple farms to know about, including their NYS Maple Weekend information.
Wild Hill Maple
Wild Hill Maple in Salem has a real passion for syrup, and it shows, with their award-winning pure maple syrup and other quality products.
Over 2,500 gallons of syrup are made each season at the farm. Although they have a large scale production, they do not compromise with the traditional methods of making maple syrup. They still use a wood-fired boiler in conjunction with modern techniques to collect sap from over 4,500 trees.
Visitors are welcomed year round at Wild Hill Maple, just call to arrange a trip with your family or a group. Their maple products are also available for purchase at the sugarhouse and local stores and restaurants.
2024 Maple Weekend Details:
Wild Hill Maple will be open during the 2024 NYS Maple Weekend: March 16-17 and March 23-24, from 10:00am - 4:00pm.
Highlights will include tours, free raffles, free samples, a kids corner with fun crafts, and more.
Mapleland Farms
Mapleland Farms in Salem is a five-generation family farm that prides itself on creating the highest quality maple syrup, candies, cream, and other products. They specialize in maple products as gifts, like wedding favors, and they actually host weddings on their property as well.
As with many other sugarhouses, Mapleland Farms has a fun backstory to how they got into the maple business. Brothers David and Terry Campbell gathered raw sap from trees and transported it to their grandfather's sugarhouse as kids. In the early 1970s, they convinced their father to build his own sap house, and the rest is history.
Their maple line has grown over the years, such as with the addition of their bourbon barrel-aged maple syrup.
2024 Maple Weekend Details:
Don't miss out on all the 2024 NYS Maple Weekend fun at Mapleland Farms! On March 16-17 and March 23-24, the farm will be open to visitors from 9:00am - 4:00pm for fun activities.
There will be an all you can eat pancake & sausage breakfast from 9:00am - 1:00pm each day too.
Dry Brook Sugar House
Dry Brook Sugar House, also located in Salem, welcomes visitors year round and invites those interested in the business to come by and see how the "sap is running."
What is really cool about the family behind Dry Brook Sugar House is that for them, maple production began as a hobby. Kevin Keyes started out sugaring in 1990 with metal pails and a homemade evaporator to produce maple just for his family.
In 1995, he convinced his brother-in-law Bob Chambers to begin sugaring, and from there, the pastime they both loved and enjoyed grew into a viable business.
Today, the family enjoys serving customers and selling their great selection of pure maple syrup, cream, and candy.
2024 Maple Weekend Details:
Dry Brook Sugar House will be open during the 2024 NYS Maple Weekend: March 16-17 and March 23-24.
They will be offering a pancake breakfast from 8:00am - 2:00pm on each day, as well as horse-drawn wagon rides from 10:00am - 3:00pm.
Rathbun's Maple Sugar House
Rathbun's Maple Sugar House in Whitehall is a sugarhouse and restaurant that's run by the Rathbun family, who has been producing maple syrup for over four decades.
While the machinery and technology may have improved over the years, the process is still mostly the same, making maple production a time honored tradition this family has been able to pass down through the generations.
In early spring, you can come and watch them boil maple sap into syrup. While you're visiting, be sure to pick up some maple sugar candy, maple cream, or you could check out the gift boxes they offer for a truly unique and local present.
Rathbun's is also well known for their restaurant, which is open year round for breakfast. Enjoy all of your breakfast favorites and seasonal pancake and waffle specials featuring their pure maple syrup.
2024 Maple Weekend Details:
Rathbun's will be open during the 2024 NYS Maple Weekend: March 16-17 and March 23-24.
Visit them for fun activities and a homemade breakfast! Keep an eye on their Facebook page for the latest updates.
Grottoli's Maple
Grottoli's Maple in Granville opened back in 1988. From nearly 1,500 taps, they would create maple in their own backyard. Since then, they have expanded their operations and bought better equipment for maple processing.
They offer their own events in March for pancake breakfasts as this is the height of maple season. Utilizing their state-of-the-art equipment, they are continuously boiling to create great batches of maple!
Some of the maple products they offer include:
- Maple coffee
- Maple tea
- Maple popcorn
- Maple roasted nuts
- Maple fudge
- And more
If you can think of something that has maple in it, Grottoli's likely has it!
2024 Maple Weekend Details:
Grottoli's Maple will be open during the 2024 NYS Maple Weekend: March 16-17 and March 23-24.
They will have tours of the sugarhouse and a delicious pancake breakfast will be served. Pick up some homemade products to bring home too!
Plan your maple-themed trip to Washington County this year. You're guaranteed to have a delightful time exploring this sweet industry.