Maple producers will soon start to boil sap as the days get warmer. (Provided photo — Diane Chase)

It is nearing my favorite time of year. Cue birds singing, please! It’s maple season.

It’s one of the lesser-known seasons, squeezed between the fourth Winter and Black Fly. I love that Maple Season is so different from Black Fly season, as we get to eat rather than be eaten. It’s glorious. It also differs from the dreaded pumpkin spice season, as maple is actually being made and drizzled into my coffee.

Maple is often touted as a miracle water. The sweet tree sap contains all sorts of beneficial trace minerals like potassium, magnesium, iron, copper, zinc, manganese, and calcium, as well as electrolytes, antioxidants and micronutrients. Sap or Maple water also contains natural sugar, which I love. I mean, beneficial trace minerals are great but not something I reach for when making morning coffee. It needed to be said.

March and April are traditionally sugaring months when the cold nights and warm days create the perfect scenario for the sap to flow. The maple water “runs” daily when temperatures are above freezing. Since sap has a low sugar and high water content, it takes approximately 40 gallons to produce one gallon of maple syrup. Commercial locations place self-siphoning tubing systems which connect each tree, allowing for less manual labor and more efficient evaporation time. Smaller operations may collect the sap by hanging buckets on the trees.

Though local maple farms may offer tours, the designated New York State Maple Weekends, March 18-19 and March 25-26, showcase tastings, pancake breakfasts, story times, and wooded walks. Check out the nysmaple.com website and search for the nearest producer, activity and wholesale opportunity.

A few local places offer sugarhouse tours, pancake breakfasts and samplings on those weekends. The Paul Smith’s VIC (518-327-6241, paulsmiths.edu/vic), Lake Placid’s Heaven Hill Farm (315-412-5079) and The Cornell Maple Research Station (blog.cornell.edu/cornellmaple) both located on Bear Cub Road and Titus Mountain in Malone (titusmountain.com), have a variety of planned events.

Each location provides a unique experience, from a small heritage approach to more extensive commercial methodologies. There are plenty of other places to watch producers make my family’s favorite sweetener. Many restaurants and local shops sell unique local maple sweets and treats. If you can’t get outside, check out the “Sweet Talk: All Things Maple” podcast to learn about the sweet questions about making maple. Enjoy the season!