A small start to a large and wonderful tradition!
Maple syrup is often referred to as the first agricultural crop of the year. The process can begin when there is still a large amount of snow on the ground, as long as the temperature is right. The flow of maple sap is a much better indicator of spring than the ground hog!
Moore’s Maple Syrup is available in many different sizes.
I recently spoke with Jim and Carolyn Moore, who began producing maple syrup in 1985. All good stories have a beginning – and it began with 25 taps on the maple trees along their driveway. They boiled the sap down in an enormous cast iron pot outdoors over an open fire. The result? 19 litres of smoky, dark and delicious syrup!
I couldn’t resist adding a picture of myself enjoying Sunday morning pancakes with Moore’s Maple Syrup!
The next year they tapped 100 trees, using a variety of pails to collect the sap, followed by boiling in an old flat bottomed pan on a homemade furnace. Three short years after their first efforts they went all out and tapped the whole 17 acre maple bush! They installed pipeline, and renovated a farm shed to be a sugar shack for their new stainless steel evaporator.
The Moore’s Maple Syrup Shack in action!
Now, for more than 27 years they have produced around 900 litres per year from 1,000 taps.
Depending on the weather, they generally tap in early March, and boil whenever the sap runs — anytime up to mid-April, whenever nights are freezing and days are above 0.
I asked how much sap was needed to produce 1 litre of syrup and I was amazed at the answer – 40 litres of sap produces 1 litre of syrup! That is a lot of sap, a lot of boiling, and a LOT of firewood!
Jim Moore tending to the Sugar Shack fire!
Right now Jim and Carolyn are tapping the trees, helped out by their two sons from Toronto. They will be working on snowshoes because the snow is unusually deep.
After the tapping it will be time to focus their energy on washing the collection tanks, re-washing and re-assembling the evaporator, and generally getting everything ship-shape for the first boil. The race is on to be ready for the first good sap run!
Fun for the whole family at Moore’s Maple Syrup Farm!
The sap comes out of the tree with a sugar content of approximately 2.5%. It is then boiled until it reaches a sugar content of between 66% and 67.5% – a huge difference!
Don’t miss your chance to get some of this year’s fresh, local natural maple syrup.
$7 for 250ml
$12 for 500 ml
$21 for 1 litre
$64 for 4 litres
To order call 705-277-3471 or email Jim and Carolyn at moore.jc6@gmail.com
Tell them Jeff sent you!
Bethany Ontario 