(Reposted, in order to push the Tech Blog ‘ghost posts’ out of the way!)
I was just chatting with my father this morning in the Laurentians – the heart of sugar bush country – and it looks like syrup producers are poised and ready for take-off this weekend.
Hey, it’s a bit early but who cares!
Man, there is nothing like the maple syrup time of year, if you ask me, and I have spent more years than I can recall working in the sugar bush. Times I will never forget..
What a hoot that used to be – running lines, repairing breaks, tapping, watching the evaporater, taking the syrup off, canning. The whole operation is a joy right down to the moment when that first batch of maple syrup comes off…..mmmmm
Yes, there is a certain amount of science involved, from knowing the sugar contents in sap at various times of the year, knowing the colour and taste of high grade syrup, to understanding how to maintain the perfect fire for your evaporator, to the moment when the ‘webbing starts’ at precisely 7 degrees above the boiling point of water when the syrup is ripe!
Old school syrup producers, though, do not use these modern gauges and I’m sure never worry about it. They can read more in the webbing off their ladle than a thousand sophisticated gauges could ever read..now that is pure science.
The final product, well, it is a thing of beauty and there is really nothing in the world that compares to the taste of fresh maple syrup, or taffy on snow for that matter.
It truly is nature’s perfect food!
I am told that Quebec and Ontario produce 80% of the world’s
supply of maple syrup – a fact we should be proud of. It is part of our heritage, like hunting or fishing or the fur industry.
So, here’s to Maple Syrup, now go out there and enjoy some this weekend, I know I will!
Outdoorsguy
I remember working with my dad in the sugar bush it was small only about 50 tress, but it was fun.I really loved at the end of the season we made sugar on snow.
Kevin, even the sugar bush we worked with approx 1000 trees is nothing compared to the huge operations out there with
the ‘vacuum system’. With those, you do not need to worry about collecting cans or the slope on your sap lines, as the pump pulls
all the sap back into a holding tank.
You’re right, it is a lot of fun and a great reward at the end!
Outdoorsguy
Huummmm! Hot maple sirup on snow and “oreille de Ch_ist” on a plate. Oh yeah! Also pass the beans.
Ahhh Legrand….those things are the best, aren’t they? So salty and crispy like little slices of salty heaven..and then you pour some syrup on them..
Outdoorsguy
I cannot abid by that artificial stuff, not even close to the real Maple Syrup. I probably go through 2 gallons a year and my brother in-law for through 4, his kids a maple syrup monsters.
Boil it down and drizzle it over snow for maple taffy, then there’s maple sugar pies, fudge, and on and on.
Truly mana from mother nature.
Dan thomey the original owner of ontario out of doors has a sugar bush down the road from me (1km) he has the vacumme system and osmossis (sp) machine that takes a huge portion of the water out of the sap cutting his boiling time down . it is quite the system
Hey Chessy..perhaps it would be a good time for Dan give up maple syrup and get back into the magazine business..hehe..inside joke, right Chessy.
I have heard of those systems but never seen one…they sound like the cat’s meow
when it comes to sap!
Outdoorsguy
mmm you are very very correct “watson” i will take a few pics and send them to you
Thanks Chessy, that would be great!
Outdoorsguy