'A little bit early': Mild P.E.I. weather has maple syrup taps flowing
Tom Steepe | CBC News | Posted: February 28, 2017 10:54 PM | Last Updated: February 28, 2017
Warm days have producers working hard to make the most of a few critical weeks
This is one of maple syrup producer Dewar MacLeod's favourite times of the year, and one of his busiest — the time sap begins to flow through Island maple trees.
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The Ebenezer, P.E.I., farmer has already begun tapping his trees, thanks to below-freezing temperatures at night followed by warmer days toward the end of February.
Once the trees are tapped, you're committed. — Richard MacPhee, maple syrup producer
"It's a little bit early," MacLeod said. "The weather seems to have come along, so the weather forecast is looking good as well, so we decided to just go ahead and tap."
'Conditions are almost perfect'
MacLeod will tap about 150 trees this year, doing most of the work alone or with help from family.
He's been tapping the past five years, although he was unable to last year.
"We didn't tap last year or the year before because we didn't feel like it was worth going," he said. "There was too much snow and too difficult to get to the woods."
This year, it's a very different situation — this will be one of MacLeod's earliest starts, and he said conditions are almost perfect.
"With the lack of snow on the ground, the sun has the ability to get heat into the roots, which will thaw the trees faster," MacLeod said.
Ideally for the sap to run, the trees need fluctuations of above zero, cooling off at night to below zero, he said, and that's what's in the forecast for the next few weeks.
'Guessing game'
Richard MacPhee of Woodville Mills near Cardigan, P.E.I., is also looking forward to getting his season underway. He taps about 500 trees per season.
"We haven't tapped yet, but we are watching the weather very closely," MacPhee said.
"It is a guessing game," he said. He looks at his historical data and the long-range forecast, and tries to predict how long the season may be.
"Traditionally it's run into April, and if we tap too early your tap holes will dry up before you get that early April run, so it's a guessing game when to tap. Once the trees are tapped, you're committed," he shared.
'You have to be prepared'
The length of the season can vary from year to year, depending on the weather — usually from three to as long as six weeks.
"If the conditions are right, a lot of sap can come in quickly, and you have to prepared to do it and process the syrup," MacPhee said.
MacLeod, meantime, hopes to begin making maple syrup as early as this weekend.
"It's pretty good to eat," he said. "It's something I can do with my family every day."
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