Sweet weekend for Maple in the County

Cold kept the sap from running, but the crowds flooded in with the sunshine this weekend to savour the first harvest of the season.

The 14th annual Maple in the County festival welcomed thousands of County residents and visitors over the weekend.

This year’s event featured 10 syrup producers and 13 other venues to experience everything from pancake breakfasts to sugar shack demonstrations, tours, maple kettle corn, wagon rides and more thoughout the County.

Tours explained and demonstrated the process of turning sap into syrup. And though the cold kept the sap from dripping into the collection buckets on the trees, the smell of sap boiling and the creation of syrup candy on the snow delighted young and older.

Hallowell department firefighters, spouses and volunteers cook and serve more than 1,500 breakfasts at Ed and Sandi Taylor’s Honey Wagon Farms, raising money for emergency equipment.

Firefighters also explain the workings of pumper trucks, rescue vehicles and emergency equipment and children of all ages delight in trying on the heavy gear.

Tastes of the County will continue April 10 to May 3 with Countylicious fixed price menu ($30 and $35) at nine County restaurants.