Join the Somerset County Maple Producers.
Pennsylvania’s sweet treats are highlighted here in the “land of milk and maple.”

If you see steam rising from a sugar camp you will know maple season is upon us!

The sweetest tree in Pennsylvania is the sugar maple.  Its sap is used to make pure maple syrup.  Tapping the trees consist of drilling a 7/16” hole about 1½” deep and inserting a plastic or steel spile.  Maple syrup is made by boiling the thin sap of the sugar maple tree in large shallow pans over a very hot fire until most of the water in the sap has evaporated to syrup.  As much as 40-45 gallons of sap are needed to produce one gallon of syrup.  Warm sunny days and cold nights are ideal for sap flow.  The Maple season usually starts in the middle of February and may last 4 to 8 weeks, depending on weather conditions.

Somerset County sugar camps still use age-old traditions but many new technologies are being utilized in maple syrup production.  Pure maple syrup products are proudly produced by the maple camps.  Stop by when you see the steam rising to help gather the sap the old fashion way in keelers, or maybe even enjoy some maple samples such as spotza or maple candy.  These are some of nature’s sweetest treats.