It was a good season!

The beginning of the season

So much changes during maple season. It still looks very much like winter when we start, and by the end of it, it's spring--at least, it's kind of spring. The cold we had this winter didn't want to let go, which made for a long, drawn out "sapping season" here. Sudden warm ups are what kills a season, and we certainly didn't have that this year, which was great for our maple season.

And 2026 was definitely a good season for us here at Schanz Family Maple. You never know at the start. You hope, and you pray, but so many things can happen--from weather to breakdowns to sickness. This year the weather cooperated, we didn't have any breakdowns, and we all stayed relatively healthy, which seems like an accomplishment in and of itself this time of the year.

Lots of full sap tanks this year

And full buckets!

Here are the official numbers:

First boil--3/9--a little later than usual

Last boil--4/15--definitely later than usual

Days we boiled--27

Gallons produced--390

We didn't reach our record high of 406 gallons in 2025, but we were close. We would have been even closer if we had remembered to close the valve on one of the cage tanks after we emptied it....ouch. But at least it was later in the season and the sap wasn't gushing at that point.

Most of our syrup this year is amber. Last year most of it was dark. You never know what the trees are up to. We can do everything just the same on our end, but for some reason (that everyone debates over but no one really knows), the syrup does vary from season to season. One thing I can tell you, after lots of taste testing during the process, it's all delicious.

Letting the sample cool enough to avoid a burnt tongue is the hardest part.

Samples of the season from beginning to end

Maine Maple Weekend is always a highlight of the season, and though Sunday was snowy and messy, Saturday was a booming day here. I don't think there have ever been so many people in the sugar house at once before! It was a whirlwind in the best way. I need to put someone in charge of taking pictures. I was so busy that I hardly got any. Making a note to myself for next year. Truly, we can't tell you how we appreciate the folks who take the time to come to see us and support our family business. It means the world to us. And we so love to see old friends and make new ones! THANK YOU.

Ashli, Andrew, and Kaitlyn on Maine Maple Weekend

The 4th generation

Our last boil may have been on the 15th, but the work doesn't end with the boiling. We've spent the last week cleaning up and getting things put away until next year. The taps all have to be pulled, the evaporator and buckets have to be cleaned, the reverse osmosis membranes have to be washed and stored in a special solution, and on and on. I think we're mostly done now, which means it should be warm and balmy out, right? Instead we had snow covering the ground yesterday and the pond froze over again last night. Spring in Maine has a way of taking two steps forward and one back. But we will get there.

Coltsfoot--Always the first to bloom here

Do you need maple syrup? We have it. Lots of it. Beautiful, yummy, maple-y maple syrup. It's so good...and so pretty!