Maple syrup producers breathe sigh of relief after productive tapping season

Many maple syrup producers around the region have had a successful season and are satisfied with the output.

Fallen tree branches and debris can still be seen throughout Shaw’s Sugar Bush but that has not slowed down the sap as maple syrup producers around the region have had a successful season.

Tom Shaw from Shaw’s Sugar Bush said they were wary of the conditions this year but as the season progressed, they were satisfied with the output.

“We were apprehensive about how the season was going to go. Last year, we had thousands of branches ripped off during the ice storm and when I walked through here in the summertime, there was a lot of sunlight coming into this forest, which is very unusual,” said Shaw. “So it made us worried about how the season was going to go and it’s just unbelievable. I can’t believe how it has produced.”

As Shaw spoke with CTV News, another boil was in progress, bringing up their total production to what they usually see year over year.

“This is one of our last boils,” said Shaw. “You’re talking about some cold coming in the next couple of days and (we could) make a little bit more of that, but basically, the year is all over with.”

Hutchinson’s Maple Syrup also had a successful season despite limited taps running due to the ice storm last year.

“We took all summer to clean everything all up,” said Orval Hutchinson from Hutchinson Maple Syrup. “So we’re down this year because we didn’t get all the lines up yet.”

Hutchinson added they usually have more than 1,600 taps running during this season. The ice storm last year took down close to 1,000 taps leaving them with 570 taps for this season.

Hutchinson hopes all the lines will be fully back up and running for next year.

The limited taps have not stopped production.

“People coming by all the time. This past weekend we had a real good turnout,” said Hutchinson.

John Steele, Ph.D. Maple, Tree Nut and Agroforestry Specialist Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Agribusiness said Simcoe County had a slower start to the season, but the up and down temperatures made it ideal for syrup producers.

“It’s the amount of freeze thaw cycles that’s the biggest impact on syrup yields. Little things like stresses the tree will feel through in previous seasons - those effects can be discernible, but they can easily get masked by a great production year,” said Steele.

International turmoil and tariffs have impacted businesses worldwide, which Shaw said, thankfully, does not impact business.

“We retail to basically the same customers, generations of customers, and so that’s our model where people come out, visit us, have some pancakes, go for a walk in the forest, take a jug of syrup on home,” said Shaw. “So, what’s happening elsewhere really doesn’t affect us too much.”

Hutchinson added some costs have gone up but nothing has been blown out of proportion.

“So, everything just goes up. Bottling bottles has gone up a wee bit, but everything keeps going up,” said Hutchinson.

Producers are expecting to continue to tap over the next few days if sap keeps on flowing, but with the weather trending upwards, the season will soon end as trees start to bud.