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FINALLY! The sap is running!

March 17, 2019 By admin Leave a Comment

For several years now, we have tapped in February and made maple syrup before the end of the month. Last year we tapped in January, believe it or not and made syrup in February. This year… not! Here it is mid March, St. Patrick’s Day, and we’ve finally made some maple syrup. The sap finally started running about mid-week and we are very happy, needless to say!

The season “start up” is always busy. Finding all the pieces and parts of our equipment that has been stored away is a challenge. Every year I promise myself I will do a better job of organizing all the nuts, bolts, fittings, taps, connectors, tanks, and widgets. We are also busy fixing leaks in the pipeline system. Those cute little squirrels with the bushy tails chew pin holes in our pipeline causing vacuum leaks and poor efficiency of our sap collection system. The wind damage last weekend also toppled more dead ash trees. There’s never a shortage of work to do!

Don’t forget that we are participating in Maple Weekend, hosted by the Ontario Maple Syrup Producers’ Association on April 6 and 7, 2019 from 10 AM to 4 PM. Stop by for a first-hand opportunity to see how maple products are produced, from tree to table, along with the chance to taste and purchase quality maple products.

We’ll also be hosting our annual Family and Friends Day on Saturday March 23. Starting about 9 am we’ll have pancakes hot off the griddle and lots of fresh maple syrup. Come out for a visit to our little cabin and appreciate the goodness of our maple tress! There’s limited parking in the driveway so you might have to park along side the road. Oh, and if it’s muddy, wear your rubber boots! 8759 Toll Gate Rd.

I ♥ maple!

Wendy

What’s with the weather?

March 5, 2019 By admin Leave a Comment

Ok…what’s with the weather? I’ve said many times this winter that I like winter. I do. I like it when winter acts like winter and spring acts like spring and summer acts like, you get the picture. So winter is definitely acting like winter and it’s about time it was warming up.

We tapped the trees nearly 2 weeks ago and have been waiting for milder temperatures. If we can trust the forecast, it looks like the weather will be more favourable for the sap to start running soon. It’s about time!

Have you seen the Elgin County Economic Development & Tourism facebook page? We’re really pleased to be participating in the Elgin County Maple Trail. Check out their facebook page to find all the cool places in Elgin County that make maple syrup (especially OurSugarBush!)

When someone asks me how is the maple syrup going this year, I reply “in this farming business, we hurry up and wait for the weather.” That’s what we are doing right now. With any luck and if the forecast is right, next week promises some milder temperatures. I hope so. In the meantime, I’m busy making maple sugar, maple candy and maple butter.

Give us some time to get started and we’ll have a Family and Friends Day on a weekend very soon. Watch here or our facebook page for the date and time. We are also participating in the Maple Weekend on April 5 and 6 from 10 am -4 pm so you can be sure and visit us on that weekend. Maple syrup producers from across the province are participating. Check out https://mapleweekend.ca/ and you’ll find our location on the map.

I ♥ maple and I hope you do too!

Wendy

OurSugarBush Maple Butter is ready!

February 23, 2019 By admin Leave a Comment

Do you love maple? Then OurSugarBush Maple Butter is a must try for you soon! This creamy maple goodness is made from one ingredient – 100% OurSugarBush maple syrup heated, cooled and stirred to creamy perfection.

Maple butter, also known as maple cream is a confection that is made from 100% pure maple syrup with a smooth spreadable consistency. Spread it on your toast, waffles, pancakes, or crepes and savour the delicious maple flavour. Try a spoonful on your sweet potatoes or steamed carrots or just pop it right in your mouth! If you are a maple lover, you will ♥ maple butter.

Yes, the season has started for us. We worked in the bush last weekend and every afternoon this past week tapping trees. We hope to be done tapping today or tomorrow and we will then be ready to start collecting that sweet sap.

We will be hosting our annual Family and Friends Day in March. Watch our Facebook page for dates in March.

Let the maple fun begin!

Wendy

Let the tapping begin!

February 17, 2019 By admin Leave a Comment

Our weather has been crazy for the past month. From sub zero temperatures to snow, then rain, then freezing rain, and sub zero temperatures again is the definition of a Canadian winter weather roller coaster! But as I look at the 14 day forecast, I figure this craziness can’t last forever and the temperatures are predicted (hahaha!) to be closer to the freezing mark. Does anyone remember what the groundhog said? I say it’s time to start tapping!

Chris had his left carpal tunnel surgery last Tuesday but I didn’t let him stay on the gimp, I mean invalid list for very long. He’s being careful (I hope!) and his right hand is running the drill just fine.

We’ll spend the next few days tapping the trees and repairing the pipeline system throughout the bush. The rodent damage (those darned squirrels!) is a challenge to say the least. And the ash borer is very real and has killed all the ash trees in our bush. With each wind storm, more ash trees have fallen, many of them across the pipeline. When I count the growth rings on the fallen ash, some are nearly 100 years old. It’s sad to see so many dead ash trees.

Tomorrow is Family Day and we’ll be busy at OurSugarBush getting ready for our maple syrup season. Watch our facebook page for upcoming Family and Friends Day. We hope to see you soon!

We ♥ maple!

Wendy

Maple Season 2019

February 10, 2019 By admin Leave a Comment

Welcome to OurSugarBush’s new website!

Here it is February already! I have no idea where the time goes. My latest saying is “the hours are long but the years are short.” And sometimes the days are short too. It sums up my life!

We have been busy working in the sugar bush. We have over 13 cords of wood split, piled and ready for burning in the evaporator to make all that maple goodness! Chris built a new inside door in the cabin and we’re cleaning. There’s never a shortage of work to do.

On the business side, we have been working with a local machine shop and have designed and manufactured a stainless steel pump that we will be using in our maple production as well as selling it to other producers. Our focus is on food safety and we believe this pump is going to perform very well.

We are excited to launch a new product called Maple Butter. We only use the word “butter” to describe the smooth and spreadable nature of this maple sweetness as it contains no dairy or any other ingredient. It’s made by further heating 100% maple syrup to the perfect temperature and stirring to obtain the smooth mapley creaminess that I’m sure you will love! You can spread it on toast, pancakes, waffles or even your sweet potatoes. Watch our facebook page for availability

We are constantly watching the weather roller coaster and anticipate that we will start tapping the trees in the next week or so. Keep an eye on our facebook page www.facebook.com/oursugarbush for the start of this maple season. And if you are in the area and the gate is open, stop in and say hi!

Thanks for visiting our website and check back often for updates!

I love Maple!

Wendy

FINALLY! The sap is running!

What’s with the weather?

OurSugarBush Maple Butter is ready!

Let the tapping begin!

Maple Season 2019

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