Maple Weekend is a tradition in New York state that began 27 years ago, the first being held in 1995. According to the New York State Maple Association, it is a chance for people to visit local farms to learn about how maple syrup is made, and to taste it. This year, maple weekend took place on the weekends of March 18-19 and 25-26. This year, nearly 150 farms participated in Maple Weekend, and I had the opportunity to go back to Kettle Ridge Farm.

Kettle Ridge Farm is a 70-acre farm located in Victor, NY. It is known for its maple syrup and honey, as well as hosting food and music events throughout the year. For the past 7 years, Kettle Ridge has hosted maple weekends, and each year about 3,000 guests come to get a delicious maple syrup-inspired breakfast, enjoy the outdoor fire pits and dining in the rustic barn, and purchase local maple products for sale.

I stopped by Kettle Ridge Farm during the second Maple Weekend. The two-hour-long line and wait for guests to purchase one of Kettle Ridge’s maple-inspired breakfasts shows just how popular their food and atmosphere is. One guest said that this is their second year coming to Maple Weekend at Kettle Ridge, and that they enjoy coming out when the weather is nice and getting a pancake breakfast. Among breakfast items available for purchase are pancakes, egg sandwiches, donuts, as well as coffee and maple specialty drinks.

Before or after breakfast, guests can also stop by the sugar shack and learn more about the farm and how Kettle Ridge produces maple syrup.

I asked one of the workers in the sugar shack how much maple syrup they produce annually. He noted that Kettle Ridge Farms had a great season and produced about 415 gallons of syrup, in contrast to the 297 gallons produced last year. He said this was due to ideal conditions this year, which included freezing temperatures at night and warmer weather during the day.

While there is only a short window for maple season, it is a very fun and cool experience for all ages. Next March, be sure to Visit the New York State Maple Weekend website for dates and locations.