Central New York maple syrup producers are expecting a lot of visitors the next couple of weekends. We checked in with one maple syrup farmer in Jordan who’s been tapping and producing syrup for at least 40 years. Jim Hotaling is the Co-Owner of Smokey Hollow Maple Syrup and calls the winter temperature swings “crazy.”
"Sap was flowing in January and it flowed it February but, it was up and down. You’d get a couple cold nights and she flowing the next day.”
He suspects this weekend might be the last time his staff will be tapping trees because temperatures aren’t getting cold enough in the 20’s at night. But, that’s not the case elsewhere.
“Now maybe in some higher elevations south of us like Cortland and down towards Ithaca, maybe some of those up there. Even though it says 32 degrees here in Weedsport, it could be 25 down there and sap would probably run the next day.”
Hotaling enjoys educating the public about the process of how maple syrup for their pancakes is made.
“It’s just good to visit the sugarhouse, talk to the producers and those who have the facility like I do for a pancake breakfast, have some pancakes and sausage, a cup of coffee and real maple syrup.”
His staff will get the opportunity to demonstrate this weekend, while he plans to flip the flapjacks! Hotaling says while the costs of everything continues to go up on supermarket shelves, the price and the size of their maple syrup bottles has stayed the same for three years. Smokey Hollow Maple Syrup is located off Thruway exit 40 Weedsport. For a list of maple events across the state click here.