Hello, this is Governor Janet Mills and thank you for listening.
You know, just across from the Maine State House in Augusta is the Blaine House. The Blaine House has been home to every governor of Maine since Governor Carl Milliken and his family moved in there back in January 1920.
The Blaine House grounds have also long been home to a big old maple tree in the front yard. It's a tree that Maine governors have tapped each spring for sap to be boiled into delicious maple syrup.
Well, this year, I'm dedicating the annual tapping of the Blaine House Maple Tree to the memory of Lyle Merrifield of Gorham, a beloved leader in Maine's maple industry. Lyle Merrifield's passion for sugaring, his dedication to Maine's agricultural community, and his warm spirit left a lasting impact on everyone who knew him. As we welcome another maple season, we honor his legacy and the tradition that he championed.
The tradition of sugaring in Maine is carried on by more than 450 maple syrup farmers who produce more than 575,000 gallons of syrup every year. That makes our state the third-largest of maple syrup in the country. Somerset County alone actually produces more maple syrup than any other county in the United States.
Western Maine is also where the Passamaquoddy Tribe runs about 14,000 taps and maintains a very vigorous and robust maple syrup industry.
Producing and selling maple syrup generates more than $55 million in economic activity and provides more than 800 full-time and part-time jobs every year statewide. If you've ever been to a sap house, you know how hard and fast those people have to work.
One of my favorite Maine traditions, the annual Maine Maple Sunday Weekend, honors these folks and the maple syrup products they create.
During the 42nd Annual Maine Maple Sunday Weekend, held this year on March 22nd and 23rd, sugar shacks across the state will open their doors for boiling demonstrations, for sugar woods tours, for live music, horse-drawn hayrides, pancake breakfasts, maple donuts, maple ice cream, maple salsa, maple whoopie pies, and plenty of maple products to sample and share.
You might also share your own maple syrup recipes with your local sugar shack to be published in the Maine Maple Producers Association's cookbook.
Whether you prefer dark and rich or pale gold or other delicious flavors, there's a maple syrup for everyone's taste. I hope you'll join me in visiting one of our extraordinary sugar houses during Maine Maple Sunday Weekend.
A full list of participating sugar houses can be found online at mainemapleproducers.com. That's mainemapleproducers.com.
When you go to the grocery store, be sure to ask for Maine-produced Maine maple syrup.
Since 2015, maple syrup has been Maine's official state sweetener. Whether you use your own Maine maple syrup on pancakes or waffles or carrots or Brussels sprouts, barbecue sauce, or on traditional maple snow candy, Maine maple syrup always makes life a little bit sweeter.
I look forward to seeing you at a sugar house this Maine Maple Sunday.
This is Governor Janet Mills, and thank you for listening.