Tapping underway in anticipation of maple syrup season in eastern Ontario
CTV
Sugar bushes in eastern Ontario are eagerly awaiting the season of sap flowing, and it could be early this year.
Sugar bushes in eastern Ontario are eagerly awaiting the season of sap flowing, and it could be early this year.
Maple syrup season usually begins in March, but Shirley Fulton-Deugo, owner of Fulton's Sugar Bush and Maple Shop in Pakenham, Ont., spoke to Newstalk 580 CFRA's "Ottawa Now with Kristy Cameron" on Monday, saying tappers are already out this week and she anticipates starting to see a flow in just a few days.
"We've got a crew of very energetic young men out there. Looks like possibly Thursday we're going to get the sap running," she said. "We need -5 at night to about +5 in the daytime, so we're really, really close."
The forecast bears this out. Environment Canada is predicting highs of around 5 C in eastern Ontario later this week.
Tappers in northern Ontario, too, are already seeing early production. Warmer weather this month has led to some sap already flowing in the Sault Ste. Marie area.
Colder weather has moved into eastern Ontario in recent days, which Fulton-Deugo says she's happy to see.
"We need the trees to go to sleep and have a bit of a rest before they wake up for the spring and it also gives us time to be totally tapped and ready for the sap to start running," she said.
