Many of you know how much I love the farm; I miss it terribly these days. COVID-19 is keeping me away from my family, the cows, and my favourite spring ritual – making syrup!
Last week, my brother Ronnie called to tell me he was tapping the trees: I was happy and sad at the same time. We don’t have a big fancy operation; we tap by hand, hang buckets and boil in a quaint sugar shack that we built together about 30 years ago.
There’s something magical about getting the fire going, watching the steam rise off the pans, and smelling the sweetness that fills the air as the water slowly turns to liquid gold.
Every year, not long into the new year, the conversation in the barn turns to the spring weather. Trying to gauge when we should start tapping was always, and still is, quite tricky.
The weather is the most important factor in the final maple syrup product. Night temperatures need to drop below freezing. Temperatures near -4 degrees Celsius are ideal so it doesn't take too long for the sap to warm up the next day. Day temperatures need to be at least 4 or 5 degrees.
Some farmers have noticed that the quantity and quality of their maple syrup is changing with climate variability. Cold nights and warm days trigger sap flow, and too much warmth brings an end to the season, with budding maple trees that make for more unpalatable maple syrup.
Producers say they are seeing less light-coloured syrups, historically classified as "fancy grade," and more dark and amber syrups during warm years. At the same time, producers are beginning to tap their maple trees earlier in the year because of sap flow triggered by winter thaw. They are also experiencing an earlier end to the maple syrup season with a warming spring.
Climate change may also affect the health of sugar maple trees. Research into this is ongoing, but studies have shown that reduced snowpack— which is projected with warmer winters — can lead to root damage and reduce the growth of tree shoots.
Made from the boiled-down sap of maple trees, pure maple syrup is, in most cases, a great example of sustainable food. Even dead and diseased trees are used, either as lumber or, if it's syrup season, to fuel the evaporator.
Treat yourself to a taste of spring by supporting the dedicated maple producers of Atlantic Canada. If you have a favourite maple recipe, feel free to share it. You can never have too many of those!
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Cindy Day is the chief meteorologist for SaltWire Network