March 31st, 2016
The Laurel Creek Outdoor and Environmental Education Centre has been hosting grade 3’s for maple syrup programs the last few weeks. We were concerned that this spring was going to be a bust as far as syrup production goes, due to a string of above-seasonal temperatures. At one point in early March, the Weather Network had a two-week forecast that did not have the temperature dropping below zero, even at night. If the trees believe that winter is finished, they will start processing the sugar in the sap to grow leaves, and then your maple syrup season is over. The sugar content in the sap drops, and the sap tastes bad. A couple of unpredicted dips in temperature probably saved our season.
We are probably reaching the end of the season now, even though the weekend temperatures may reach -10 Celsius. We expect to finish the syrup season having made about 80-90% of a normal year’s production. I think that the Camp Heidelberg Outdoor Centre is probably going to finish this year with a similar output. Over the last 39 years, the Laurel Creek sugar bush has produced, on average, 153 litres of syrup per year.
Classes have been learning about the history and science of maple syrup production, and students have been helping to collect sap when the buckets are full. Here are some quotes from letters we received from students at Driftwood Public School…
“Thank-you for letting us come to Laurel Creek. I love pure maple syrup so much, I am never going back to fake maple syrup!”
“I had a great day yesterday. When I grow up I’ll buy a property in a maple tree forest and make maple syrup.”
“Thank-you for showing us around the farm and for making us carry sap.”
“Dear Sean, the sugar bush was like, the best thing that ever happened to me.”
“I had a great time. I loved bringing the sap. I loved the activities and how it made me feel like a maple syrup person.”
“That was the best trip ever. Thank-you for doing this. If you did not do this, you would be working at McDonalds.”
