Maple syrup production – last week

Maple producers reported last week that several good sap flows occurred early in the week, again on Wednesday, and over this past weekend on Saturday, with sap flow slowing by Sunday.  Sap sugar concentrations ranged from 2 to 2.4 percent.   The maple syrup crop mid-season in Kent County up to Sarnia is reported 25 to 30% of a normal crop.  Niagara area reports up to 80% crop where sap ran well daily throughout last week.  Grey and Bruce counties report 45 to 75% of a normal crop so far.  Middle and eastern regions of the province report 45 to 50% of a normal syrup crop has been processed so far.   Light and medium grades of syrup, with excellent flavour is reported in most areas.  Dark syrup is beginning to show in earliest areas of the province.

Predicted weather and sap flow

For this coming week, maple producing areas in southwestern Ontario are having fairly good sap flow early in the week however, temperatures are expected to become too warm as the week progresses and little sap flow is expected in earliest regions for the remainder of the week.   Central, northern and eastern maple producing regions should see some ideal sap flow conditions with consecutive freezing nights and thawing days predicted.  Weather forecasts for the upcoming week in later areas predict that sap flow may be very good early in the week, again late in the week and continue into next weekend.

Food Safety and maple syrup

Remember to thoroughly clean and sanitize all work surfaces and equipment that will be in contact with maple syrup before each syrup production run.  Use only chemical sanitizers that have been approved for use in the maple syrup industry.  See the Canadian Food Inspection Agency Reference Listing website at http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/fssa/protra/protrae.shtml

 .   Fragrant household detergents, soaps and iodine-based sanitizers must not be used to sanitize maple production equipment, which can leave undesirable off-flavours in syrup.

Water that is used for cleaning and rinsing maple equipment must be potable, that is, it must meet safe drinking water standards.  Water samples should be tested regularly for the presence of unwanted contaminants, such as E.coli and coliforms.

Maple producers looking for more detailed information on food safety can get a copy of the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs manual called Food Safety Practices for the Production of Maple Syrup.  The manual contains detailed guidelines on food processing and handling to ensure maple syrup will be of high quality and safe for consumption.

Filtration of syrup

As the season progresses, proper filtration of maple syrup can become more difficult to achieve clear syrup.   Warmer temperatures encourage microbial growth in sap.  Higher microbial populations can create cloudy sap, cause shorter storage life and can result in lower quality syrup.  Proper filtering is a very critical step to ensure that all sugar sand and other particulate sediments are removed from the finished product.  Cloudy syrup after filtration means that the filtration process has a problem and requires repair or correction of the method of filtration.

Between each sap run, clean and sterilize cloth filters in boiling potable water.  Air dry cloth filters after boiling.  To prevent damage to cloth filter fibres, don’t wring out filters to remove water.  New filters should also be boiled in hot water before first use.  

For best results, it is best to change filters often.   Filters that are worn out should be discarded to prevent accidental re-use.  It is better to discard filters too early rather than too late.  In pressurized press-type filters, filter paper should be changed between and during syrup filtration as needed and plates cleaned and sanitized between each use.  

New stainless steel filters require special care to achieve proper cleaning without damaging the fine wire mesh.  Consult with equipment dealers for proper cleaning of stainless steel filtration equipment.

Sugar bush health

As the sap collection season progresses, maple producers may wonder whether their sugar bush could be in better health, or could be more productive for maple syrup production.   Regeneration of old stands of sugar maples or removal of large individual maple trees may be necessary to regain a productive and healthy maple syrup business.  Due to the long term nature of growing new sugar maple trees, it is important to plan for regeneration.  In comparison, commercial fruit and tree nut orchards maintain 10 to 20% of the total plantation area in a state of renewal at all times to ensure sustainable production, meaning their profitability will continue.   Managers of sugar bushes can also plan for regeneration on a continual basis, to maintain or improve the future health of the woodlot and a productive maple syrup business.  

Many professional foresters are available to assist with woodlot and sugar bush management planning.  Ontario Stewardship is a private land resource stewardship program that seeks to link private landowners with funding, information and expertise to ensure good management practices.  Ontario Stewardship maintains a woodlot council in each county where the primary goal is to assist woodlot owners with sustainable management of private woodlots.  
See their website at www.ontariostewardship.org.

Woodlot conference notices

The Ontario Woodlot Owners Association will be holding their annual conference Saturday March 28 in Acton.  See their website for details.  The Grey / Bruce Woodlot Conference will be held Saturday March 28 at the Elmwood community centre from 9 am to 3:30 pm. 

This maple production agriphone report has been prepared by Todd Leuty, Agroforestry Specialist with the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs.  Questions or comments regarding the report are welcome at e-mail todd.leuty@ontario.ca or by calling (519) 826-3215.