Tag: maple syrup

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Cottage Life

How to tap trees and make maple syrup

By brm/Shutterstock

Got any maple trees at the cottage? Although red and silver maples will yield syrup, sugar maples are preferable for their higher sugar content and superior flavour. They are most easily identified by their leaves, which have five lobes and smooth, rather than serrated, edges. Because it’s easy to get species confused when the branches are bare, it’s best to identify and mark your trees in advance.

8 foods that pair beautifully with maple syrup

A several-day thaw on the heels of freezing weather will trigger the sap flow. Southern and eastern Ontario cottage country usually experience the flow in mid- to late February, while for Parry Sound-Muskoka it’s mid-March. In the Sudbury-Manitoulin region, it’s usually the last week of March. The earliest run yields the lightest-coloured (and generally believed to be the finest) syrup, and the sap will flow best on warm, sunny days that have been preceded by a sub-zero night.

Here’s what you need

  • a carpenter’s brace, or electric drill, and 7/16″ bit
  • spiles
  • a hammer
  • pails
  • a large pan (a sizable baking pan will do the trick)
  • a filter
  • a candy thermometer
  • an outdoor heat source (a simple fireplace can be built on the ground using cement blocks, or you can do it all on a camping stove, but plan on using lots of fuel)

Here’s what you do

1. Choose large, healthy maples, at least 30 cm in diameter.

2. Drill your holes at chest height, on a slight downward angle so that the sap drains out of the tree and into your pail, and make sure to drill no deeper than five centimetres. Tap the spile firmly into place, but not too tight or the bark may split.

3. Hang your sap-collecting pails on the spiles. You can use recycled plastic jugs, or purchase used aluminum sap buckets.

4. Sap should be boiled while it is cool and fresh. If stored for too long, bacterial contamination may occur. Ideally, once you’ve given it a rough filtering with cheesecloth or a sieve, you will boil the sap the day you collect it, or the following day. We store our sap in large plastic garbage cans (sterilized beforehand), heaping snow around them for refrigeration.

5. Don’t fill your pan to the brim with sap–fill it about five centimetres deep, and keep adding sap as the level decreases. To keep a continuous boil, it’s a good idea to pre-heat the sap you are adding. We heat ours in a large pot placed on the coals of our outdoor fire, but this could also be accomplished on a camping stove or woodstove. Skim the froth away as you boil.

6. When the sap darkens and approaches a syrupy consistency, start monitoring the temperature closely with a candy thermometer. When the temperature reaches a point four degrees above the boiling point of water, you’ve got syrup!

7. Pour the syrup through a filter into a holding container (we use a stainless-steel tank at a Manitoulin sugar shack, but a pot will do the trick). Commercially available synthetic felt filters are optimum (to ensure clarity, consider lining these with paper cone filters), but you might get away with cheesecloth and paper towel.

This article was originally published in the March 2004 issue of Cottage Life.

 

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15 maple syrup festivals and events you don’t want to miss

Photo by Colin Woods/Shutterstock

What better way to spend the tail end of winter than by making your way through all the maple syrup events happening across Ontario? There’s an abundance of sugar bush farms with mouthwatering treats to sample, which means there’s no shortage of maple-themed fun to be had. 

Whether you’re a die-hard syrup enthusiast or just looking for a fun day out, there’s sure to be a festival or event near you. Dive into our list of the top 15 maple syrup events across Ontario and start planning your next sweet adventure today.

Tap into Maple in Orillia & Lake County 

Hit up the maple syrup trail in Central Ontario from March 3 to April 2 to visit some of the best maple syrup producers in Orillia, Oro-Medonte, Rama, Ramara, and Severn. With over 20 locations and 10 maple syrup producers, there will be sweet treats and maple-inspired cuisine and experiences.

Check out this handy map to plan your journey. 

Maple Madness 2023 at Cataraqui Conservation in Kingston Ont. 

Time to gear up for the 40th anniversary of Maple Madness. Sign up online to participate in the March Break events or visit the Little Cataraqui Creek Conservation Area each weekend, starting on March 4. You can take a tractor ride to the sugar bush and learn how to make maple syrup before sampling the sweets and stacks of freshly made pancakes. 

Activities run from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., and self-guided tours are also available. Register online today. 

Pefferlaw Creek Farms 2023 Maple Weekends

You’re in luck this year because Pefferlaw Creek is not only having one but eight weekends of sugar shack fun, plus tapping tours and hiking from March 4 to April 23. 

You don’t need to book ahead, but you do need to bring your appetite—Pefferlaw Creek Farms will serve a delicious pancake breakfast and many samplings on weekends. Admission is $5 per person or $20 for a family. Forest trails will close at 5 p.m.

Ferme Proulx et Érablière in Ottawa

Satisfy your sweet tooth all season long with a visit to Ferme Proulx et Érablière—festivities start March 5. You can partake in outdoor farm activities and sugar bush visits from 9 to 5 p.m. and enjoy smores kits and snacks alongside a pancake breakfast.

Virtual tours are available Tuesday to Thursday between March 1 to April 14. Call 613-833-2417 or email info@proulxfarm.com to reserve.

Maple Magic at Regal Point Elk Farm

Join the Rotary Club of Wiarton on the weekends of March 18 and 25 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. for a full day of food and fun. From fresh pancake meals and maple taffy on snow to activities and an elk tour, there is something for the whole family to enjoy. 

Stop by 462081 Concession 24 in Georgian Bluffs and bring a donation to enter, which helps support the Rotary Club and more events throughout the year. 

32nd Annual Sweetwater Harvest Weekends at Wyemarsh in Midland, Ont. 

What’s better than one weekend of festivities? Two weekends, of course! Head to Wyemarsh on March 18, 19, 25, and 26 to learn about the history of local Indigenous People’s traditional maple syrup-making practices and check out live historical demonstrations after you and the family wonder through the sugar bush, snacking on some liquid gold along the way. 

Purchase tickets through Eventbrite, and come early because there’s limited parking. 

Annual Kemble Maple Syrup Tour at Kemble, Sarawak & Zion Keppel United Churches 

Stamp your maple syrup passport by touring six local maple syrup operations on April 1 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. in Kemble, Ont. Munch down on a maple-themed meal at Kemble-Sarawak United Church from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., making room for Belgian waffles, local maple syrup, baked beans, coleslaw, and peameal bacon. 

Pick up your passport ahead of time at Kemble Post Office, Josie’s Fashions in Wiarton, Bayshore Country Feeds in Owen Sound, or Balmy Beach Convenience from March 4 to 25—get yours soon because space is limited.

Maple Sugar Festival at Brooks Farms

Need March Break plans? Take that sweet tooth to Brooks Farms and devour a delicious pancake breakfast, followed by a sugar bush tour every day over the break. (Tours are available throughout the day.) You’ll also have the chance to hop on a wagon ride, warm up at the campfire, and sample different maple syrup products.

Get your Maple Sugar Festival tickets here. 

Elmira Maple Syrup Festival

Join the Elmira community for a full day of demonstrations, activities, and pancakes with maple syrup (or maple syrup with a side of pancake) on April 1. Take a bus ride to explore the nearby sugar bushes to find out how to tap maple trees, collect the sap, and prepare it for tasting. 

Before the event, grab an Elmira maple syrup festival sap pail for $10 by contacting Kyle Bosomworth at 226-979-9146. 

Spring Tonic Maple Syrup Festival at Tiffin Centre for Conservation and Nottawasaga Valley Conservation Area

Check out the Spring Tonic Festival on April 1 and 2 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. to catch a historical demonstration comparing how Indigenous People first maple syrup to how farmers make it today. Leave room for a yummy pancake and sausage breakfast with fresh syrup, and take part in various activities like a horse-drawn wagon ride. 

Download the self-guided maple syrup tour on your phone to explore Tiffin Conservation Area’s sugar bush.

Maple Grove Syrup Tours in Severn

You won’t want to miss the self-guided sugar bush tour, family-friendly activities and lots of maple syrup tastings at the Maple Grove Syrup Tours on April 1 and 2 at 2448 Burnside Line. 

Lunch and refreshments will be provided, along with a demonstration of turning sap into syrup. Grab your tickets on the website today. 

Belmore Maple Syrup Festival at Belmore Community Centre

After a three-year hiatus, Belmore Maple Syrup Festival is back and ready to welcome everyone with a pancake breakfast, live music, craft show, and kid’s room on April 6 and 8. Don’t forget to take a peak at the outdoor maple syrup demonstration. 

Grab your tickets at the door—children under five are free. All events are wheelchair accessible. 

Maple in Muskoka on Huntsville’s Main Street

It’s back again! On April 29, Maple in Muskoka is bringing the community together to celebrate the maple harvest from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Entry is free and the day will be packed with a maple marketplace, game zone, live music, drumming circle, busker square, a Rotary Pancake Breakfast and more.

Stay the whole weekend and explore the Muskoka Maple Trail on your own, too!

Festival of the Maples in Perth, Ont.

Head on over to the Festival of the Maples on Saturday, April 29, to visit local vendors and sample all the tasty treats that Eastern Ontario offers. Enjoy a full day of entertainment, awards, and the sap-tapping and wood cookie competition.

Catch King of Swingers, Duke LeBold, and Jonathan Cao performing on the street and stock up on maple products to use in future recipes.

Elmvale Maple Syrup Festival 

If you need an excuse to eat more maple syrup, visit Elmvale’s Maple Syrup Festival on Saturday, April 29, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. All proceeds go to schools, music programs for children, and more. 

While you’re there, check out the Arts, Craft, and Quits Show, take your shot at the Annual Log Sawing Competition, stuff yourself full during the Pancake Eating contest, shop at the local vendors, and join in on the local tours.

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Here’s how much maple syrup you can expect this year

Photo by Andrew Cline/Shutterstock

Maple syrup farmers are facing yet another battle against Canadian weather. While some of us pray for mild winters, the farmers do the opposite—production of the sweet stuff depends on it. 

While some producers like Jamie Fortune of Fortune Farms and Temple’s Sugar Bush are adapting their strategies to meet regular production levels, other farmers cannot produce as much syrup because of warmer temperatures.

“In the last couple of years, there hasn’t been the biggest production because of warm weather,” says Frank Haveman, owner of Bata Maple Sugarbush. “The quality of syrup has been excellent, but the yield isn’t as high.”

The warmer weather didn’t change the production schedule for Fortune Farms.

“Once you tap a tree, the operation starts,” says Fortune. “Starting early can risk the end of the yield.” Taping too early can either risk sap holes healing or bacteria being introduced into the system. This is why some farmers stick to a set schedule.

On the other hand, John Williams, Executive Director of the Ontario Maple Syrup Producer’s Association and owner of William’s Farm in Midland, Ont., started the season two weeks earlier than usual. When it comes to producing syrup, there is never one right way. 

For the 2023 season, warmer temperatures have been the culprit of lower sugar content. “We need cold temperatures to convert starch—produced in the warmer seasons—into sugar,” says Fortune. Without temperatures consistently hitting below freezing, Fortune Farms will have to work harder to extract more sap to produce healthy levels of sugar. 

And with so many regional differences in weather, William says maple syrup farmers across the province must adjust because “sugar content varies even between bushes.” 

Here’s where resilience comes into play: Fortune Farms is using vacuums to help regulate production and draw out more sap from trees.

For cottagers and small-scale producers, who hang buckets on trees each year, Fortune recommends following traditional tapping schedules. “Sap holes exposed to oxygen will seal up, shortening the season,” he says. 

Temperature is just one challenge—many farmers are still recovering from the derecho storm in May 2022. Among the wreckage was a loss of maple trees. “We lost 200 big trees, from 100 to 300 years old. They all fell on the pipeline system. So we had to reestablish the woodlot,” says Jamie.

“The closer you were to the derecho path, the greater the loss in the sugar bush,” Williams says. “Many farms lost a third of their trees and around 30 members of the Ontario Maple Syrup Producer’s Association were severely affected.”

In spite of recovery efforts, it will still take four to eight years for a tree to reach a tappable diameter of at least 10 inches, yielding one litre of syrup.

“Weather will always be a big concern. It’s difficult because you don’t know when the storms are coming,” says Jamie.

Being an outdoor operation, Fortune Farms is always on the lookout to prevent further damage. “We planted a maple forest to increase our base production and encourage growth when big trees go down,” he says. “The key is having a forest management strategy.” 

Relying on production and weather trends will only solve one part of the puzzle. As Fortune puts it, “this year won’t dictate future years.” The maple syrup industry constantly evolves and innovates to overcome hurdles and deliver the liquid gold Canadians can’t get enough of. 

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Try a delicious Mandarin Margarita

Photo by Liam Mogan

This delightful cocktail is tangy and sweet, and is the perfect thing to brighten up your games night, cocktail hour, or afternoon drinks. 

Mandarin Margarita

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Print Recipe

Course cocktails, Drinks

Servings 1 serving

Ingredients

  

  • 1 ½ oz silver tequila
  • ½ oz triple sec
  • Juice of 1 mandarin orange reamed (2 tbsp juice and pulp)
  • ¼ tsp maple syrup
  • Mandarin orange peel twist

Instructions

 

  • To a cocktail shaker with a cup of ice, add tequila, triple sec, mandarin juice, and maple syrup.
  • Cover and shake hard for 20 seconds, then pour into a tumbler and garnish with a twist of mandarin.

Keyword alcoholic drinks, Cocktails, Drinks, Mandarin Margarita
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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9 sugar shacks in Ontario and Quebec for your maple indulgence

Photo by Shutterstock/Alina Reynbakh

Canada produces three-quarters of the world’s maple syrup (take that, Vermont!), so it’s not surprising that we take all things maple very seriously. Maple syrup season occurs between February and April—we always look forward to early spring when the sap starts running and the steam starts rising from sugar shacks. In the spirit of happy anticipation, here are some sugar shacks in Ontario and Quebec for you to discover this spring. (Keep in mind that COVID-19 restrictions may change hours or the availability of activities, so it’s best to check ahead before heading to your local sugar bush.) 

Sugar shacks in Ontario

Fulton’s Maple Syrup, Pakenham, Ont.
Less than an hour outside of Ottawa, Fulton’s 400-acre sugar bush offers eight kilometres of trails to walk, snowshoe, or ski. Plus, there’s a shop that carries maple syrup, maple sugar, and personal care items made with maple. In past years, Fulton’s has offered sleigh rides and campfire experiences—check their website to see what will be available for the 2022 maple season.

Stanley’s Olde Maple Farm, Ottawa, Ont.
Stanley’s makes its syrup the old-fashioned way: in a log cabin with a wood-fired evaporator. During maple season, their taffy shack creates traditional maple taffy, made from sweet syrup poured on clean, icy snow. Check out their animal barn and two kilometres of walking trails or, for the ultimate sugar bush outing: book a “slagon” (that’s a sleigh and wagon combo) experience for the whole family, complete with a ride, campfire, and hot chocolate.

Wheeler’s Pancake House, Sugar Camp and Museums, McDonald’s Corners, Lanark Highlands, Ont.
Wheeler’s land has been used to make maple syrup since the 1820s, so it’s no surprise that they’re devoted to all things maple—in fact, they even have a national historic plaque that explains the significance of maple syrup to Canada. To find out even more, check out Wheeler’s maple syrup museum, which holds the Guinness World Record for the largest collection of maple syrup artifacts in the world. Need to work off some of that maple indulgence? Check out their trails—perfect for walking, skiing, or snowshoeing.

Richardson’s Farm and Market, Dunnville, Ont.
Richardson’s offers a couple of ways to see their sugarbush and sample maple deliciousness. Self-guided sugarbush tours will take you along a groomed trail featuring interpretive boards that explain the history and craft of making maple syrup. Then you can visit the sugar shanty to see the sap in action. If you’re looking for a little more, book a family experience, where you can learn the whole process of making syrup from tapping to collecting to evaporating, then enjoy a delicious brunch.

Mountsberg Conservation Area, Halton, Ont.
The Sugarbush at Mountsberg has been producing maple syrup for over 150 years, tapping more than 300 maple trees and transforming the liquid gold into syrup in their sugar shanty. During Mountsberg’s sugarbush season, you can explore maple trivia in the maple maze, learn how the area’s Indigenous peoples shared their techniques for making maple syrup with settlers, and take a break around outdoor campfires. Kids can work off their sugar high at Mountsberg’s natural playground. 

White Meadows Farms, St. Catharines, Ont.
White Meadow Farms, located in St. Catharines, offers a guided tour of their sugarbush and the opportunity to explore on your own. Sample some maple taffy, then try your hand at pioneer woodcutting. Visit their petting farm, then take a peek in their shop for some tasty treats to take home. Details are forthcoming about their 2022 season.

Maple Weekend, Ontario-wide 
Maple Weekend, run by the Ontario Maple Syrup Producers, is a weekend-long cross-province festival of all things maple syrup. Running April 2-3, 2022, the weekend is a great way to explore local maple producers and (if you’re lucky) get a tasty free sample. Check out the interactive map on the Maple Weekend website to find a producer in your area. 

Sugar shacks in Quebec

Sucrerie de la montagne, Rigaud, Que.
Quebec produces about 90 per cent of all Canadian maple syrup, so it’s no surprise that it’s a big deal across the province. An hour outside of Montreal, Sucrerie de la montagne is a Quebec heritage site that celebrates all things related to maple syrup production in the province. Activities include a ride in a horse-drawn sleigh, maple taffy tasting, and a look into the maple syrup production process. 

L’Érablière du Lac Beauport, Lac Beauport, Que.
L’Érablière du Lac Beauport has been producing maple syrup in the Laurentian mountains for 150 years, and their cabane à sucre is steeped in tradition and history. Just 20 minutes north of Quebec City, this sugar shack includes a maple museum and a trapper’s camp with information about Quebec wildlife. There’s also traditional sugar bush music and dancing when COVID restrictions allow.

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The surprising way woodstove ashes can help your forest

Photo by bluejava1/ Shutterstock

Muskoka’s trees are famously colourful, but are not as strong or productive as they could be. The soil lacks calcium, a vital nutrient for growth, and an Ontario non-profit is working on a clever solution to fertilizing the soil: scattering recycled wood ash. 

“Calcium plays many of the same roles in trees as it does in humans,” says Norman Yan, a retired biology professor at York University. Yan is a board member of the Friends of the Muskoka Watershed, a not-for-profit group that is dedicated to researching and finding solutions to Muskoka’s environmental challenges. With their ASHMuskoka program, they hope to replenish the calcium deficient soils of the region in order to boost forest productivity.

Yan explains that in Eastern Canada, the Northeastern United States, and parts of Scandinavia, a history glacial retreat has towed much of the soil away, leaving behind low-calcium granite bedrock. “We’ve also had decades of acid rain. It took about a third, sometimes to a half, of the residual calcium away,” says Yan. He estimates that Muskoka soils have lost around half a ton of calcium per hectare, mostly due to acid rain.

Like in humans, calcium plays an important role in all kinds of physiological functions, from basic cellular processes to wound repair. Yan says that wood from trees that are deficient in calcium are actually 20-30 per cent weaker than their non-deficient counterparts, and the phenomenon of calcium-poor soils results in a condition called ecological osteoporosis.“The implications of that are lower photosynthesis, weaker wood, lower rates of oxygen production and sugar production, and weaker regeneration.”

To mitigate the calcium deficiency, the ASHMuskoka program is focused on research and sustainable solutions. Rather than importing limestone or dolomite to restore the lost calcium, the program proposes recycling wood ash from residential wood stoves. “Hundreds if not thousands of people out here heat with wood,” says Yan. “The ash that’s leftover is kind of a waste. It has more or less all the nutrients that the tree needs in the right proportions.” Except, he says, for nitrogen, which isn’t a concern because Muskoka soils already have plentiful amounts of that nutrient.

In the program’s study plots Yan and other researchers have already found that fertilizing forest stands increased calcium and potassium levels in foliage and dramatically improved calcium levels in root systems. “The most interesting result that we don’t quite understand yet is a dramatic increase in sap volume from sugar maples,” says Yan. In one experiment, some maple trees supplemented with wood ash doubled in sap flow.

12 little known facts about maple syrup

 The broader benefits of fertilizing forests with wood ash are multifold. For one, trees supplemented with wood ash transpire—or release water vapour through their leaves—25 per cent more than non-fertilized trees. The added water vapour in the atmosphere could influence the water cycle and mitigate the spring flooding issue the region often faces.

8 things every cottager can do to get ready for the next flood

Critically, boosted forest growth can be vital for capturing carbon dioxide from the Earth’s atmosphere. “This could make a real contribution to Canada’s goal to be carbon neutral by 2050 if we can roll out a program like this across the landscape,” says Yan. A study done in New Hampshire found that calcium-fertilized forests captured a ton more carbon dioxide per year per hectare.  

Now, the AshMuskoka program is looking to collaborate with logging companies that could oversee the widespread  implementation of wood ash fertilization. They’re also interested in raising awareness for recycling wood ash and involving the public in their project.

People interested in ASHMuskoka can contribute in several ways. For one the program is planning a citizen science project where property owners can volunteer some of their land as a study plot. ASHMuskoka also runs monthly wood ash drives where volunteers can drop off their ash at the Rosewarne Transfer Station in Bracebridge, Ont. Lastly, people that have groves of maples or other hardwoods can also sprinkle about a yoghurt container per square yard of wood ash in their forest stands. “You’ll see a real benefit for the health of your trees,” says Yan. Just be sure the ash is completely cold to eliminate any risk of starting a forest fire.

“If we look after our forests, our forests will look after us,” says Yan. “The forest could be a lot healthier in mitigating climate change and mitigating spring floods.”

 

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A Mediocre Year for Maple Syrup

Spring of 2008 qualified as a mediocre year for the maple syrup industry since certain producers have ended the season making less than half their usual production.

Gérald Brisebois, owner of a sugar bush in the Laurentides, said that he has collected 60% of his normal yield, reported Cyberpresse.ca.

The Federation of Maple Syrup Producers in Québec has confirmed the numbers, estimating that Québec has produced around 70% of the normal harvest.

The annual total is not complete, since the last drops of maple syrup will be harvested in Gaspésie and Bas-Saint-Laurent regions.

What is the consequence of low maple syrup production? A rise in maple syrup prices which will affect consumers.

According to Gérald Brisebois, the price for a can of maple syrup could reach $8 or higher in grocery stores.

 

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Another Virtue of Maple Syrup

Like soy, green tea and chocolate, maple syrup has been found to contain antioxidants.  According to dietician Marie Breton, maple syrup is better than other sweetening agents (white sugar, brown sugar, honey and corn syrup) because it also contains manganese, calcium, potassium and riboflavin.

Two studies of maple syrup show that it possesses antioxidants and anti-inflammatory ingredients, and fights the development of tumors.