Click to play

enlarge Gregory Rec/Staff Photographer

The sap will be at a rolling boil at Maine sugar houses this weekend. Some houses hosted Maine Maple Sunday events last weekend because of the Easter holiday, but many will open their doors this weekend.

ONE FAMILY'S FARM GAYLENE AND MARK COOPER will open their place in Windham to visitors for Maine Maple Sunday. See related story.

When I was a little girl growing up in Lewiston, Maine Maple Sunday meant one very important thing: Going to a local farm and having boiling maple sap poured over beautiful white snow. As the sap cooled over the snow, it formed a soft taffy.

Yum.

I haven't had maple taffy like that in many years, but I was happy to learn that a lot of sugar houses, including Brookridge Boilers in Lyman, still do this French-Canadian tradition.

Maine Maple Sunday falls on Easter Sunday this year. Some sugar-house owners held their Maine Maple Sunday events last weekend, but the majority are having their open houses this weekend.

The event is statewide. People interested in going deep into maple country can find those statewide listings at Maine Maple Sunday. With all the melting snow, be prepared for muddy conditions.

Below is a short list of some of our picks for sugar houses to visit in the southern communities of the state.

Casco -- Sweet William's, 66 Spiller Road; 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday. Pancake breakfast from 8 a.m. to noon at Crescent Lake Community Hall. Other foods include maple sundaes, beans, cotton candy and popcorn. Balloons and face painting. Call 627-7362.

Dresden -- Goranson Farm, 250 River Road (Route 128); 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Live music from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday and 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Sunday. Pancake breakfast 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Saturday costs $6.75 ($5 for ages 12 and younger). Free maple sundaes on Sunday. Go to Goranson Farm or call 737-8834.

Gorham -- Merrifield Farm, 195 North Gorham Road; 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday. Free ice cream with maple syrup. Pancake breakfast. Other foods include maple ice cream and maple cotton candy. Barn tours, antiques display and ox demonstration. Call 892-5061.

Limerick -- Morin's Maple Syrup off Route 11; 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. Pancake breakfast all day. Other foods include hot dogs, hamburgers, french fries and fried dough with maple syrup. Call 793-8420.

Lyman --Brookridge Boilers, Route 111; 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday. Free syrup samples. French-Canadian maple taffy. Call 490-2957.

Newfield -- Sugar Hill Maple Products, 93 Hicks Road; 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, noon to 4 p.m. Sunday. Tour new sugar house at a new location. Maple samples, cotton candy, face painting and door prizes. Call 793-2773.

North Baldwin -- Grandpa Joe's Sugar House, 103 Murch Road; 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Homemade ice cream with maple syrup. Breakfast from 9 to 11: 30 a.m. Saturday; barbecue lunch begins at 11:30 a.m. Saturday. On Sunday, lunch is served 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday events include an Easter egg hunt at 11 a.m., music by the Low Tide String Band and a cook-off. Bring a dish made with Maine maple syrup and enter it in the cook-off by noon. Cook-off judging is at 1 p.m. Call 787-3300.

Rockland -- Maine Gold, 229 Park St. Cafe open 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.; events from noon to 4 p.m. Tour new sugar house. Free pancakes. Other foods include doughnuts and maple syrup on ice cream. Trivia contests and children's egg hunt. Call 593-0090 or go to Maine Gold.

Windham -- Coopers Maple Products, 81 Chute Road; 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. Pancake breakfast from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Miniature horses, cattle, peacocks and ostrich on site. Call 892-7276 or go to Coopers Royal Heritage Farm.

Windham -- Nash Valley Farm on Nash Road; 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday (open Saturday for sales only). Maple syrup on ice cream. Hayrides. Farm animals on site. Call 892-7019.

News assistant Stephanie Bouchard can be contacted at 791-6455 or at:

sbouchard@pressherald.com