Maple Syrup
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Every spring for more than 150 years the Weston's have produced maple syrup.
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       Time and technology have a way of impacting most everything including the process of making maple syrup.  However, the Weston's still believe in making syrup by the same time-honored methods that served their ancestors so well.  Individual buckets are still set on trees which are gathered by hand and boiled in an open evaporator over a wood fire. 

       Every March as the temperatures climb above freezing during the day and then fall back below freezing at night the sap begins to flow in the many Rock and Silver maples that surround the farm.  A small hole is drilled into the tree and metal spile is hammered in.  A bucket is hung from the spile to collect the sap as it drips out.  The fresh sap is then collected and taken to the sugar house where it is boiled to remove the water from the sap.  The condensed sap becomes darker and thicker until it reaches the point of syrup. 

       The process of making maple syrup is weather dependent.  The approximate dates of production are from the end of February to mid April.  Visitors are always welcome to visit the sugar house to see the process first hand, but call ahead first to be sure that the sugar house is open.
 

George Weston at the Sugar House.

Roger Burnell (father of Laurie Weston)
grading maple syrup.  1980's
 

       Maine Maple Sunday is always the fourth Sunday in March and is the official open house for all participating sugar houses in the State of Maine.  Weston's Sugar House is open with tours and demonstrations as well as free samples of syrup on ice cream.