Press Kit

News from Mt Washington Valley Chamber of Commerce, March 10, 2015

Contact: Marti Mayne, 207-846-6331, PR@mtwashingtonvalley.org

SAP ZAPPED WITH RECENT WARM TEMPS

TIME FOR MAPLE SUGARING IN MT WASHINGTON VALLEY, NH

North Conway, NH – The talk among maple syrup producers has been the cold temps and deep snow impacting the collection of sap in February.  However, the recent warmer temps in Mt Washington Valley have helped to “zap the sap” into flowing and sugar houses across the Valley are gearing up for another maple syrup producing season.  The New Hampshire Maple Producers Association will celebrate the 20th Annual Maple Weekend on March 28-29, 2015 and Maine Maple Sunday will be celebrated on March 22, 2015.  Businesses throughout Mt Washington Valley will be alive with “mapleishous” demonstrations and tastings for both Maple Weekends.  There are plenty of opportunities throughout the Valley for families to taste maple sugar and for kids and adults both to watch how maple syrup is made.  Here are just a few.

Sat, March 28: Maple Sugaring Day Open House at Remick Museum and Farm:  Celebrate the sweet taste of spring at Remick Museum & Farm in Tamworth Village. Spend time from 10:00am to 2:00pm in the museum’s working Sugar House learning about methods of producing syrup and modern evaporation while savoring a sample of their own maple syrup. Syrup and farmhouse kitchen goods will be for sale, while they last. Piglets and lambs are expected be ready for a visit, too. This is a free event. Info: Click here.

Maple Sugaring in the 100 Acre Wood – Tap Your Own & Taste: Have you ever wanted to tap your own maple trees, but didn’t have the equipment? Now you do!  Believe in Books Foundation has a "Tap Your Own" Program. "Tap Your Own" kits are available for you to rent complete with drill bits, spiles and buckets. They provide the supplies - you provide the trees! Kits will be available in their 100 Acre Wood Sugar Shack on the weekends in March and at their office in Intervale during the week. After you've collected your sap, you can bring it back to their Sugar Shack and trade it for maple syrup! Isn’t that cool?

The Believe in Books Sugar Shack and Storybook Self-Guided Trails opened the last weekend in February, and will be open weekends until the sap starts running – and after that, probably more regularly. If there is steam rolling out of the Sugar Shack, you are welcome to step inside for a firsthand look at the historic and innovative process of turning sap into maple syrup. Stop in, learn more about one of Mother Nature’s sweetest and healthiest offerings and taste a sample.

Sugar Shack Tours will be held each weekend in March from 11am-4pm and guided tours through their Sugar Bush will be offered weekend afternoons. Enjoy a wagon ride through the woods, learn about the history of sugaring, how to identify maple trees, tap for sap, and participate in collection and sample tasting. The tour is approximately one hour. Dress according to weather. Suggested donation: $5/per person. The net proceeds of the “100 Acre Wood” Maple Syrup go directly toward Believe in Books literacy programs. Info: Click here.

The Sugar Shack at Weston’s Family Farm:  Always a fun place to stop for locally made and grown items, Weston’s Farm is gearing up for maple syrup production. The approximate dates of production are from the end of February to mid-April, depending on the weather.  Visitors are always welcome to visit the sugar house to see the process first hand, but be advised to call ahead first to be sure that the sugar house is open (207-935-2567).   Weston's Sugar House will be open on Maine Maple Sunday (always the fourth Sunday in March and March 22nd this year) with tours and demonstrations and free samples of syrup on ice cream.  Info: http://www.westonsfarm.com/.

Looking for Maple Sugar products?  You’ll find a wide selection of maple syrups, maple sugar candy and all things maple at Zeb’s General Store in North Conway Village.  Stop by Bavarian Chocolate Haus for additional options, and The Rugged Mill in North Conway Village also carries some locally made syrups and candies.  And visit The White Mountain Cupcakery on Sundays and Wednesdays in Settlers’ Green Outlet Village or their North Conway location for their signature Maple Bacon cupcakes.

 March Maple Madness at B&Bs INN Mt Washington Valley Maple Madness Tour & Package: Time to shake off those winter doldrums and join The Bed & Breakfasts Inn Mount Washington Valley for their annual March Maple Madness (MMM) Tour on Saturday, March 21, 2015 from 10:30AM -5PM.  Embarking on a self-guided inn-to-inn tour, ticket holders will sample tasty delights both savory and sweet.

Each of the participating inns are offering a Maple Madness package including two nights lodging for two including March 21, 2015, a full Maple Madness breakfast each morning, home baked maple goodies in the afternoon, two tickets for the March Maple Madness Tour, souvenir recipe collection, an Inn-to-Inn tour map, Maple Madness March clues and directions, plus a special Maple gift. Rates start at $200 and vary by inn.  Add a third night for 50-percent off the daily rate for that room category at the inn you choose. Some inns might add Maple theme dinners, horseback rides, maple centered truffles, and other treasures. Inns participating in March Maple Madness each offering their own special package include: Buttonwood Inn, Covered Bridge House, The Farm By The River & Stables, Mt. Washington B&B, The Notchland Inn , Spruce Moose Lodge & Cottages and two additional inns including the Inn at Ellis River. 

Tickets are included as part of every MMM stay and tour package or are available for $20 per person purchased at least a week in advance from any of the participating inns.  Contact any participating inn for more information, tickets and to book a package or click here for more information.

For all the tools and resources you need to plan and enjoy a March visit to Mt Washington Valley, visit www.MtWashingtonValley.org.  To talk to a vacation planning concierge, call 1-800-DO-SEE-NH (800-367-3364).  Planning a trip to New Hampshire?  Visit www.VisitNH.gov.

#    #    #

Photo caption:  The Sugar Shack at the 100 Acre Wood is open for tours and tastings. Photo by Dan Houde/Wiseguy Creative Photography.

Additional Maple sugaring themed photos available.  Contact Marti Mayne, 207-846-6331.