BURLINGTON, Conn. — Showing off his shiny new evaporator that he got from a USDA grant, Rob Lamothe was excited to be making another "run". For the past 51 years, Lamothe, who owns Lamothe’s Sugar House in Burlington, has been dedicated to making maple syrup, and February and March are the prime times when the sap flows.
“Sugaring season is definitely here,” Lamothe said as he fidgeted with the machinery to fine-tune his latest batch of Grade A syrup.
Lamothe was quick to point out that maple syrup season is Connecticut’s first crop of the year.
“You’ve only got about six to eight weeks to get the crop in,” he said.
Lamothe added that a good season largely boils down to weather patterns.
“We need freezing cold nights typically around 20 degrees, following days where it warms up with bright sunlight maybe to about 42 to 45 degrees by noon, that’s going to be ideal sugaring weather.”
It’s too soon to tell how successful a season 2022 will be, though Lamothe noted that he has had three good sap runs already in the past few weeks.
After five decades of making his signature maple syrup which is now sold all over the state, Lamothe said his passion comes down to the visitors that frequent his Sugar House and customers who buy his products.
“It’s what we get from the people, it’s that warmth, that connection – a long-standing tradition,” he said.
Lamothe’s Sugar House in Burlington offers presentations on weekends in March where you can see the process. To learn more, click here.
The State of Connecticut also has a website dedicated to Maple Syrup making here.
Jimmy Altman is a reporter at FOX61 News. He can be reached at jaltman@fox61.com. Follow him on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
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