Tree tapping officially kicks off maple season in Somerset County

Sandra Lepley
·4 min read

Tree tapping at Sanner Maple Products near Rockwood on Saturday afternoon kicked off the official start of the maple season with a big crowd of maple producers, dignitaries, princesses and many other attendees.

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There are 10 maple princesses who will vie for the title of Queen Maple LXXVI during the 76th scholarship pageant at 7 p.m. April 1, at Meyersdale Area High School. Front row, from left: Olivia Vaugh, Berlin Brothersvalley High School; Faith Bittner, Meyersdale Area High School; Queen Maple LXXV Ella Wheeler; Bena Croushore, Rockwood Area High School; Laura Boyce, Meyersdale Area High School; and Bruck Ohler, HOPE for Hyndman Charter School. Back: Jovi Jeske, North Star High School; Shelby Hetz, Meyersdale Area High School; Charlotte Ream, Rockwood Area High School; Isabella Petrilla, North Star High School; and Josi Dirienzo, Somerset Area High School.

Pennsylvania Maple Queen LXXV, Ella Wheeler, and 2022 Maple King Jason Blocher tapped a maple tree on the Sanner property along Reservoir Road to begin the 2023 sugar season. And, while it started very slowly, the sap was dripping that day. Many producers have already started producing maple syrup and are hoping for a good season but the warm weather has been a hindrance. The Somerset County Maple Producers Association sponsors this event the last Saturday of February every year.

Matt Emerick, owner of Emerick's maple camp near Hyndman, served as this year's emcee and welcomed the crowd to the ceremony.

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Reigning royalty 2022 Maple King Jason Blocher and Queen Maple LXXV Ella Wheeler tap the first official tree for the maple season during the tree tapping ceremony at Sanner Maple Products near Rockwood on Saturday. The sap did start to drip from the old maple tree on the property.
Reigning royalty 2022 Maple King Jason Blocher and Queen Maple LXXV Ella Wheeler tap the first official tree for the maple season during the tree tapping ceremony at Sanner Maple Products near Rockwood on Saturday. The sap did start to drip from the old maple tree on the property.

Maple King Blocher, owner of Milroy Farms near Salisbury, then explained that maple season is a special time of year for those living in Somerset County. He received the 2022 Maple King title during the Pennsylvania Maple King competition held at the Sugar Shack in Maple Festival Park last Pa. Maple Festival. A new king will be chosen the Friday before the Pennsylvania Maple Festival on April 21. The first weekend of the festival will be April 22 and 23 and the next week April 26 to 30. Maple king competitors must submit at least nine maple products to be judged from 12 possible categories.

Mark Ware, executive director of the Somerset Historical Center, served as this year's guest speaker for the tree tapping ceremony on Saturday and in doing so, he made a special announcement the center erecting a new Maple Museum this year.
Mark Ware, executive director of the Somerset Historical Center, served as this year's guest speaker for the tree tapping ceremony on Saturday and in doing so, he made a special announcement the center erecting a new Maple Museum this year.

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This is the third time for Blocher to be maple king with his last titles being earned in 2016 and 2018. Jason and his wife, Melissa Friend Blocher, own and operate the generational maple camp in Elk Lick Township. He brought along a wooden keeler (bucket) to use for the first official tap that was in his family for generations.

"Tree tapping is a special time of year for maple producers because it heralds in the season traditionally," said Jason Blocher. "Maple King isn't just one person but a whole village of employees, helpers, friends and family members who make the season happen. Some may do a little and some may do a lot but everyone works together to make it successful."

Reigning Maple King Jason Blocher speaks about his generational maple camp during the tree tapping ceremony at Sanner Maple near Rockwood on Saturday, while Queen Maple LXXV Ella Wheeler stands by.
Reigning Maple King Jason Blocher speaks about his generational maple camp during the tree tapping ceremony at Sanner Maple near Rockwood on Saturday, while Queen Maple LXXV Ella Wheeler stands by.

Mark Ware, executive director of the Somerset Historical Center, served as this year's guest speaker for the event and made a big announcement about the installation of the Pa. Maple Museum at the Somerset Historical Center by next year's Maple Tour event in March 2024.

The Pennsylvania Maple Museum is being installed in Hoffman Memorial Hall, a 50 by 100-foot metal structure owned by the Somerset County Historical Society. It will be adjacent to the Somerset Historical Center complex which is a property of the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission. The Somerset County Historical Society runs the day-to-day operation of the Center and handles tours, research, programming and education.

"The museum will highlight the maple history of Pennsylvania but an emphasis on Somerset County as historically being the largest maple producing county will be evident," said Ware during his speech.

Mark Ware, executive director of the Somerset Historical Center, stands by a generational maple tree during the annual tree tapping ceremony on Saturday as he speaks to the crowd.
Mark Ware, executive director of the Somerset Historical Center, stands by a generational maple tree during the annual tree tapping ceremony on Saturday as he speaks to the crowd.

"Somerset County's documented maple history goes back to at least 1760 and there is an abundance of maple sugaring artifacts still around."

And, while a project like this would reasonably cost $600,000, society staff members with museum experience and in-house work will bring the cost down to about $25,000 with sponsors such as the Somerset County Maple Producers, Sechler's Sugar Shack LLC and Pa. Maple Producers providing funding for remodeling, exhibit construction, labeling and installation, explained Ware.

In preparation for the installation, staff has collected over 75 artifacts ranging in size from a spile to hauling tanks and evaporators with a Cook Evaporator patented in 1858 and believed to be the first evaporator to be a featured part of the exhibit, said Ware.

"We strive to create a unique maple museum that will attract producers from various maple sugar regions and the general public as well. It will add to the tourism offerings for Somerset County and preserve our state\'s maple heritage," he said.

Queen Maple LXXV Ella Wheeler thanked everyone for their support as she is ending her reign as maple queen when a new queen will be selected at the 76th scholarship pageant at 7 p.m. Saturday, April 1, at Meyersdale Area High School. At that time, contestants will vie for $5,500 in scholarships and a chance to become the new ambassador of the Pa. Maple Festival and the maple industry.

All 10 maple princesses introduced themselves at the tree tapping ceremony and gave a speech about their interests and their appreciation for maple production. They are: Olivia Vaugh, Berlin Brothersvalley High School; Faith Bittner, Meyersdale Area High School; Bena Croushore, Rockwood Area High School; Laura Boyce, Meyersdale Area High School; and Bruck Ohler, HOPE for Hyndman Charter School. In back: Jovi Jeske, North Star High School; Shelby Hetz, Meyersdale Area High School; Charlotte Ream, Rockwood Area High School; Isabella Petrilla, North Star High School; and Josi Dirienzo, Somerset Area High School.

This article originally appeared on The Daily American: Maple royalty taps tree in sweet ceremony