Fluctuating temperatures make for intermittent maple sap run

Local maple syrup producers began running sap from their trees this week, but the return of frigid temperatures means the season isn't off to a great start.

Scott Deugo, a maple syrup producer at Fulton's Pancake House and Sugar Bush in Pakenham, just southwest of Ottawa, was cooking the first batch of the season on Tuesday.

But dropping temperatures — down to -11 C Wednesday morning — are once again making the sap too thick to collect.

The sap season can be as short as a few days, can last more than a month, or in this case, take place intermittently.

Ideal sap flow conditions call for temperatures that don't go much lower than -5 C at night and don't go much higher than 5 C during the day.