REGION — A year after one annual tradition after another began to be cancelled due to the pandemic, Maine Maple Sunday makes its springtime return Sunday, March 28, as sugar houses across the state open their doors to the public.

Miranda and Seth Bell of Colonial Hill Farm & Sugar Shack in Waterford are very happy to welcome customers back for Maine Maple Sunday. Their sugar house will be open from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.

“We are keeping things a little more low-key but we are still offering educational demonstration and syrup treats,” said Miranda Bell. “We also have a contactless farm stand so people can purchase maple syrup [via] self-serve.”

The Bells normally sell half of their syrup harvest during their annual open shack. Last year they found themselves scrambling to get the word out, especially after producing more than 60 gallons of syrup. Farm stand sales helped bridge the gap.

Colonial Hill Farm & Sugar Shack is located at 201 Mill Hill Road in Waterford. Anyone looking for more information may call 207-583-2318.

Brothers Mike and Hobe Denison of Dawes Hills Sugar Shack in Harrison are in their second year of sap-gathering. After helping friends with their sugar house in West Minot they decided to start up their own, tapping 400 trees.

Philip “Grandpa” Denison oversees maple syrup production at Dawes Hill Sugar Shack in Harrison. Supplied photo

“It’s a way to keep our kids involved with the farm,” said Hobe Denison. “It’s been in our family for nine generations.”

In addition to maple syrup, the farm also produces hay, forestry and cheese made with milk from their Nigerian goats.

Dawes Hill Sugar Shack is located at 60 Dawes Hill Road in Harrison. The farm will be open on Mar. 28 from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. They will have maple custard pie with homemade maple ice cream and fried dough with syrup available. For more information, call 207-653-7234.