Wednesday, April 13, 2016
Last Maple Syrup Visits
We have one more place to visit, and I'm going to add one more from last year that we didn't get to this time. But we enjoyed them all, one of the big markers of the changing seasons here. And I'm enjoying maple syrup in my coffee in the morning too!
This is a nice new sugar shack and attached woodshed; unfortunately the old one burned down a few years ago.
That's the sugar bush in the distance, where the plastic tubing all runs downhill to be collected, but they just transfer it manually to the farm using their tractor, whereupon it gets pumped into that vat outside the sugar shack in the first picture.
The inside was like most sugar shacks, with the big evaporator occupying most of the space and the steam rising through the vents in the roof.
They were down to the last layer of firewood in the woodshed, and hoping for a few more freezing nights and warmer days this week to get the last of the run this year.
It isn't usually a problem being cold when working in the sugar shack!
And next year's supply of wood is waiting outside, drying in the fresh air and sun.
They did have an interesting display of all these different types of spiles for collecting sap. We always used the aluminum ones with buckets when we made sap years ago.
This is the spot where we usually buy some syrup, a bigger 2 litre jug on the right, and a 1 litre bottle that's already well started!
None of the five places I've shared with you so far actually had buckets on trees that we could see and touch, so this is the last place from last year. We just didn't get that far this year.
This was the simplest outdoor family operation on the tour, an old modified wood stove with a motley collection of pans on top.
They had an extended firebox welded on the back, and had room for several pans on top. they tapped 25 trees altogether.
Out of all these pictures, this is the one that makes me think of maple syrup season. It's not uncommon to see a few pails hanging from big old Sugar maples along the roadsides at this time of year. In spite of our wacky April weather, it's been a good season for producers apparently, and we really enjoyed getting out to share the excitement.
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Thank you for the tours. I have really enjoyed them.
ReplyDeleteWonderful photos . All I can say is YUMMY ! We are enjoying maple syrup from down here one of Hubs AKA Papa's co workers runs a small sugar shack and brought in a lot of freshly made batches for his co workers and of course Papa got some he also runs his own veggie farm in the summer and we get baskets of fresh home grown veggies . Thanks for sharing , have a good day !
ReplyDeleteWonderful tour. When I used to live in Montreal, our family would go to those Sugaring Off parties. The food yummy with maple syrup all over the food. Great memories!
ReplyDeleteI've enjoyed this series of posts as maple syrup does not feature on the menu in Britain - you can buy it but you need to search it out. I think I like the simpler set-ups best.
ReplyDeleteThat stuff really is liquid gold!
ReplyDeleteMaple syrup does seem more of an American/Canadian food, so it has been good to see your posts.
ReplyDeleteThank you
All the best Jan
Sweet posts! Like Stephanie, this reminded me of my Montreal days and all of the sugaring off parties. We even had a car rally end up at one, one spring and it was a blast! (it was the folks at Zeller's head office, where I worked back in the day, who arranged it) Great photos representing a great tradition.. there's nothing like pure maple syrup.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed the entire series of maple sugar production. Nothing tastes like it, and now I know why. :-)
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