Maine Maple Sunday, the Maine Science Festival and the futile dream of spring

My husband is used to many odd things from me, but even so I think the sight of my fuzzy-robed self laughing maniacally in our kitchen at 6 a.m. was a bit much.

“What is it?” he asked warily.

I pointed at the thermometer visible from our kitchen window. “It’s nine degrees! On the first day of spring!”

My daughter looked out the back door. “When is all of this snow going to melt anyway?”

Not anytime soon, kiddo. In fact, some of the state is getting, yes, more snow tomorrow.

On the bright side, this weekend is Maine Maple Sunday. I know that all agricultural products are subject to the whims of the weather, but maple syrup has to have one of the worst-case scenarios. Your season might last days. Or weeks. Or not happen at all. It could happen early March. Or late April. Or anywhere in-between. Get ready! Get set! Nope, wait some more.

I’m sorry, syrup producers. I don’t envy you this year. Our own taps produced about half a gallon of sap, just enough to get us to set up our collection system, and then everything froze solid again. The sap shows no sign of running anytime soon, either. (In case you are wondering, perfect tapping weather is above freezing during the day and below freezing at night. Sap will keep flowing for weeks as long as that cycle keeps up.)

Regardless, Maine Maple Sunday is always the fourth Sunday in March and so it is this year. The sugarhouses may not have a whole lot of actual sugaring going on, but that will give them more time to give tours, host musical acts, and take their guest on hayrides. Each farm does it a little bit differently, but it’s always a good time. Check out the Map at the Maine Maple Producers Association to find a sugarhouse near you.

If you are feeling more like an inside activity this weekend, the Maine Science Festival is taking over Bangor. Check the schedule for lots of great events. I also found this All Ages Guide to the festival to be really helpful in narrowing down the events to what might interest my kids.

Whichever event you choose, or if you decide to hit both, make sure you dress warm. It’s a brisk spring out there. In other words: don’t pack the fuzzy robe away yet.

Cherie Galyean

About Cherie Galyean

In a perfect world, Cherie Galyean would spend hours every day chasing her kids up hiking trails, pretending to garden, and baking things. Instead, she works full-time in the non-profit sector and fits those other things in-between loads of laundry in her free time. A Maine native with multiple hometowns, she currently lives on Mount Desert Island with her husband, seven-year-old daughter, five-year-old son, and the best shelter mutt in the world.