Sap collection ends for 2009 

Sap collection and maple syrup production ended over the April 10 to 12 weekend in most northern and eastern late-season areas of Ontario.  The Maple Production Agriphone report will be updated once per month during the off season with tips on woodlot management, sugar maple plantation management and important meeting announcements.  

Many maple syrup producers are reporting 100% of a normal crop, while other producers are reporting the 2009 maple season was the best season in 5 years with more than 100% of a normal crop produced.  Reports on syrup quality from late areas appears to cover all syrup grades including extra light, light and medium, all with excellent flavour.  Many producers report that sap sugar concentration was a bit lower this year requiring extra boiling to achieve the minimum density of 66 ºBrix, with moderate to large amounts of nitre to deal with.  Most maple producers across Ontario are very satisfied with syrup production for 2009.

New sap may continue to flow for a few more runs this spring however, the dormant buds on sugar maple trees in all regions of the province have now started to break dormancy and grow, which means that any sap will be off-flavour and no longer of good quality for making maple syrup.

Storing maple syrup

The primary objective for storing maple syrup in bulk containers is to preserve the quality of the syrup for as long as possible, prevent spoilage by mold and other microorganisms and to maintain the safety of the syrup as a food product.

To preserve quality it is best to only pack or bottle into small containers, enough maple syrup from bulk storage containers to accommodate 2 to 3 weeks of sales.  Additional syrup can be packed as markets demand it.  Containers that are sealed and ready for marketing should be stored in a cool room out of sunlight unless they are used for short-term display purposes.

For bulk storage of maple syrup, syrup should be stored in food grade containers that are dedicated only to storage of foods, preferably dedicated to maple syrup only.  Food grade containers include stainless steel drums, food-grade plastic drums, glass containers or steel drums lined with food-grade plastic sheeting.  Bulk containers should be sealed tightly to maintain the syrup in a sterile condition in as cool and dark a storage room as possible.  The storage facility should be suited for safe storage of food where animal pests and livestock are excluded.

The best way to preserve the quality of maple syrup for bulk storage is in refrigerated rooms or in freezer room storage.  Cold temperatures in refrigerated or freezer storage will prevent growth of microorganisms and germination of any spores that may be present in the syrup, where microbes will be subsequently killed during hot-packing.  Where refrigerated or freezer storage is not available, bulk containers should kept in as cool a room as possible, such as in a dark cool basement that is suited for food storage.

End of season cleanup

For the remainder of April, many maple syrup producers will be busy packing or bottling syrup for immediate markets or securing bulk storage for sale at a later date.   It is also important to clean sap collection equipment and prepare it for off-season condition as soon as possible now that warmer temperatures are occurring.

In the sugary residue, bacteria and molds can grow quickly inside sap collection equipment, which can make cleaning at a later date very difficult.  Wash buckets, spouts, hoses, sap tubing and sap storage tanks with approved cleaners and rinse thoroughly with clean potable water as soon as possible.  Allow the equipment to thoroughly dry and then place it in dry clean storage out of direct sunlight in a well-ventilated area for the off-season.  Sap tubing that is permanently installed in the sugar bush should be pressure washed with clean potable water and blown clear of remaining water to allow tubing to be dry and sealed during the off season.

Pulling spouts from trees

The objective of tapping sugar maple trees and other syrup trees is to collect the sap with as little injury to the trees as possible, and then allow the trees to grow and heal the drilled tap holes freely as spring and summer progress.  All spouts should be pulled from trees before the trees begin to grow new wood this coming spring.  Spouts should be removed from trees prior to new green leaf tissue appearing from dormant buds.  The fastest wood growth and tap-hole healing occurs in the spring and early summer.  Spouts that remain in the trees during spring and summer will not allow the tap holes to heal and close properly.  The sooner spouts are removed from trees the better.  Many experienced maple producers have already completed spout removal this year in early areas of the province.   

This has been prepared by Todd Leuty, Agroforestry Specialist with the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs.  Questions and concerns regarding the agriphone messages can be directed to e-mail todd.leuty@ontario.ca or to telephone (519) 826-3215.