2010 Maple Festival Finished Strong

Monterey, VA – The 52nd annual Highland county maple festival was very successful despite the abundant snows and cold temperatures of February and early March, according to Highland Chamber of Commerce Director Carolyn Pohowsky.

The weather was beautiful for the second weekend of the festival. If the number of pancake meals served by the Blue Grass Ruritans is any indication, crowds were nearly twice as large the Saturday of the second weekend. They served nearly 800 meals each day of the first weekend and nearly 1400 meals on the Saturday of the second weekend.

Weather probably had the largest impact on the maple syrup producers this year. The low temperatures through February and early March slowed sugar water collection and deep snow around the sugar maple trees made it hard for syrup producers to tap the trees and connect their lines.

Where weather is concerned, long-time maple producer Everett Rexrode probably said it best, “you have to take what you can get,” and hope for better conditions in future years.