What’s the best part of eating pancakes? The pure maple syrup. of course! March is the time of year that the maple producer is busy all the time. Syrup production is a time consuming project. The weather is a big factor in maple production. You must have days with temperatures above freezing and nights below. The producer says winds from the west make the sap flow the best. Even before the sap starts to flow preparation is done. The old fashioned method is to pound a spile into the tree and hang a covered bucket on the spout. The more modern collection method is a system of tubing run from tree to tree. Think of that maple producer having to get to each tree for tapping. 
There’s still knee-deep snow on the ground! Either way the sap is collected it needs to be boiled down to the consistency you use for the sugary sweet taste on food. Did you know it takes 40 gallons of sap to produce one gallon of syrup? Have you ever tasted maple cream spread on your favorite toast? How about those sweet shaped sugar maple candy leaves? I for one hope that we soon have some warmer days for a good production year, we only serve the “real” thing at this B&B!! If you would like to learn more about this agricultural product check out local producer Ron Shemanski. www.shemanskimaple.com
This time of year it’s fun to visit the sugar bush and learn in person, join the 2015 Self-Guided Maple Tour on March 21 and 22 to learn more about today’s producers of maple syrup, and enjoy locally produced maple products along the way. This event is free to the public.