Monday, March 12, 2007

It's Maple Syrup Time in Canada!

With the onset of Spring's daytime temperatures above freezing, and night temperatures below, the sap is starting to flow in the sugar maple trees. Though many sugar bush farms are too busy now to host tour groups, other groups step in to show how to collect maple sap, boil it down and make delicious syrup and maple candy.

In Mississauga (where I live), there's Maple Magic; a half hour's drive west is Oakville's Bronte Park, and the grandaddy of them all, billed as the World's Largest, in Elmira, Ontario. Last spring, I went to the Mississauga festival. If you'd like to see how old timers collect and process the sap, see my story and photos posted at Snapshotjourneys.com. There are also links to some of the local festivals for dates and times.

If you DO plan to head out and take in the fun, bundle up: It's still pretty nippy in this part of the country. But once the maple sap starts flowing, we know Spring is not far off.