The New Hampshire Maple Producers Association will be hosting Governor and Dr Lynch at the annual Tree Tapping ceremony on March 8, 2012 at 1pm. The event is a ceremonial beginning to the maple season in New Hampshire and will be held this year at Fadden’s Sugar House in North Woodstock. This will be the eighth time that Governor Lynch will be tapping a maple tree for the ceremony. The public is encouraged to join in the celebration.
Fadden’s Sugar House is operated by Jim Fadden, Jr. and his family. Jim is a sixth generation sugar maker. His family has been sugaring the same 120 acres of trees since Thomas Jefferson was president. The sugar house is located in downtown North Woodstock neighboring Fadden’s General Store and Peg’s Restaurant, all operated by the Fadden family.
The ceremony is a celebration of maple industry in New Hampshire and its importance to the state. Maple sugaring contributes $5 million dollars to the state’s economy annually. The sugaring season typically runs from late February to early April. Last year, New Hampshire had a record breaking season with 125,000 gallons of syrup produced being reported. Concerns about the mild winter weather have been raised, but the potential of the season will not be determined until it is over. The lack of snow around the base of the trees can result in the ground warming quickly on warm days which can signal the trees to encourage leaf development. Once leaves grow, the trees will no longer offer sap for collection. The key for optimal sap run is a constant cycle of cold nights and warm days. Nights below freezing followed by warm days in the upper 30’s to low 40’s provide the best results.
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