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Maple syrup and Ontario, Canada - The perfect match

7th March 2013 Print
Maple syrup

Canada accounts for more than 80 per cent of worldwide production of maple syrup and nowhere more so than in the Province of Ontario, the world's fourth largest producer.

As the daytime temperatures rise above freezing and nights remain cold in March,  sap flow begins in the maple trees of 'sugar bushes' across Ontario.

Modern techniques are used in its production but a large part of the province's culture is the traditional bucket method of tapping trees. Buckets attached to tapped trees enable the flowing sap to be collected.

The sap is then tipped into a large kettle over an open fire where the slow boiling process and evaporation creates the 'liquid gold' we know today.

The production of maple syrup will be celebrated across the province at more than 20 annual maple syrup festivals in 2013. Here is a guide to just a few.

The Elmira Maple Syrup Festival - Elmira, Ontario, April 6, 2013

The Elmira Festival has been recognised in the Guinness Book of World Records as the world's largest maple syrup festival. Started in 1965, every year festival-goers devour 15,000 piping hot pancakes and 725 litres of Waterloo County Maple Syrup.  Visitors can try their hand at pancake making at the spirited pancake flipping competition, stroll along the pedestrian friendly city centre past stalls peddling pancakes and hot drinks or jump on a sugar bush bus and head to one of the local sugar bush farms to view syrup making in action.

For more details, visit elmiramaplesyrup.com

The Fulton Pancake House and Sugar Bush - Pakenham, Ontario, Late Feb/April 2013

The historic Fulton's Farm, founded in the 1840's by Scottish immigrant John Fulton, has been operating as a sugar camp (commonly known as a Sugar Bush) every since John Fulton and his brothers learned the art of Maple Syrup making from the local aborigines.  The farm was opened to the public in the 1900's selling sweet treats and savoury breakfasts and the Fulton's Pancake House and Sugar Bush was born.  Fulton shines in the winter time with February-April offering the most dynamic days out.   Enjoy a self-guided maple tour to discover how the more than 3,000 maple trees onsite are tapped and then head to the Maple Shop for some rare maple inspired spa treats.

For more details, visit fultons.ca

Buckhorn MapleFest - Lakefield, Ontario. Late March, 2013                                                                                            

Located in the heart of the Kawartha Lakes, northeast of Toronto, the Mclean Berry Farm offers a rustic day out like no other. In addition to producing some of the finest strawberries in Ontario, Mclean Berry Farm chases away the winter with a sweet Maple Syrup celebration.  The festival incorporates community arts and great food with lively musical performances, maple demonstrations, celebrity chefs and ice carvings.

For more details, visit mcleanberryfarm.com

Moon Shadows Estate Winery - Haliburton, Ontario.

Less than two hours north of Toronto, this maple syrup operation has evolved to become Ontario's first maple winery. In 2005, they cleverly began introducing maple syrup in the fermentation process and now offer more than 20 varieties of maple and fruit wines.

For more details, visit moonshadowswinery.com

The province of Ontario is located in east-central Canada and is bordered by the Canadian provinces of Manitoba to the west and Quebec to the east, and five U.S. states to the south. With a population of more than 13 million, Ontario is home to one in three Canadians and is one of Canada's largest provinces, covering more than one million square kilometres (415,000 square miles). Toronto, the capital of Ontario, is Canada's largest city. It is also the commercial, industrial and financial centre of Canada. Ottawa, the capital of Canada, is also located in Ontario. Ontario is home to 400,000 lakes and contains one-third of the world's fresh water.

For more information, visit ontariotravel.net/uk

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Maple syrup