EAST CONCORD, N.Y. — While many people might not have been happy to see snow on the ground this past week, it is technically part of the seasonal adjustment for something to enjoy, which is sweet and natural.
We're talking maple sugar and syrup production here in Western New York and around the state.
Erie County officials on Saturday celebrated with public tours of the sugar shacks and equipment at their Bureau of Forestry Center on Genesee Road in East Concord, which are used to produce the seasonal treat.
"We have about a thousand trees tapped, with 1,600 taps on about a thousand trees, and it's all boiled right here," said Troy Schinzel, commissioner of the Erie County Parks, Recreation, and Forestry Department.
"We make all the maple syrup right here, and our park rangers are going over that process inside to enlighten the public of how we do what we do down here at the Bureau of Forestry, and it's all made right here."
Maple syrup production happens across the state, including places like Attica in Wyoming County.
The weather does play a role, according to Doug Beitz, owner of the A&A Maple Farm.
"Last time we made syrup was a week and a half ago," Beitz said. "We did make some when it was real warm. It was not a good table grade syrup. It will go off to a commercial grade market, which they will find a use for it. It isn't something that we sell to customers to use in their homes."
State officials point out that New York is second only to the state of Vermont in maple production with some 2,000 producers, 750,000 gallons of maple, and about 2.5 million tree taps.