Hello, this is Governor Janet Mills and thank you for listening.
You know, just across from the fb88 State House in Augusta is the Blaine House. The Blaine House has been home to every governor of fb88 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 fb88 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 fb88's maple industry. Lyle Merrifield's passion for sugaring, his dedication to fb88'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 fb88 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 fb88 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 fb88 traditions, the annual fb88 Maple Sunday Weekend, honors these folks and the maple syrup products they create.
During the 42nd Annual fb88 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 fb88 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 fb88 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 fb88-produced fb88 maple syrup.
Since 2015, maple syrup has been fb88's official state sweetener. Whether you use your own fb88 maple syrup on pancakes or waffles or carrots or Brussels sprouts, barbecue sauce, or on traditional maple snow candy, fb88 maple syrup always makes life a little bit sweeter.
I look forward to seeing you at a sugar house this fb88 Maple Sunday.
This is Governor Janet Mills, and thank you for listening.