It’s sugarbush season! Enjoy pure Ontario maple syrup

The cold, snowy winter that hit Ontario this year can only mean one thing — it’s going to be a good year for maple syrup.

As Canada’s second-largest maple syrup producing province, Ontario produces approximately 1.7 million litres of maple syrup each year, a carefully handcrafted and delectable natural treat that is an excellent replacement for sugar, a tasty sweetener and an irreplaceable topping.

“The sap is running in the maple trees and sugarbushes are opening across the province, offering tours, sweet maple treats and pancake breakfasts dripping in pure maple syrup,” says Steve Brackenridge, maple syrup producer and director with the Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA). “The start of maple syrup season is a sure sign that spring isn’t far away and it’s a great opportunity to visit some local farm businesses and enjoy the Home Grown goodness produced right here on our farms.”

The OFA’s Home Grown campaign raises  awareness of the importance of preserving Ontario farmland to produce local food, fuel, flowers and fibre.

The first step to ensuring the maple syrup you are buying is from Ontario? Look for the “Sweet Ontario” label. This is an assurance that the nectar in the bottle is a true Ontario product reflecting the terroir or unique soils and climate of our province. It also means the sap was collected and boiled using clean, efficient technologies that support forest sustainability.

Buying Ontario maple syrup also preserves the traditional practices and heritage of maple syrup production in the province. Many of Ontario’s maple syrup producers are family-owned businesses that have been passed down through generations, maintaining time-honoured methods of tapping trees and boiling sap into tasty goodness.

“Sweet Ontario maple syrups have zero preservatives or additives, so rest assured, Ontario maple syrup is one of the most pure farm products around, offering a taste of Home Grown goodness that is unmatched by mass-produced alternatives,” adds Brackenridge. “By choosing local, you are supporting these small businesses and helping to keep these traditions alive.”

Curious to see it for yourself? Maple Syrup producers across Ontario will be welcoming guests on April 5^th and 6^th as part of Maple Weekend, offering visitors a glimpse behind the scenes of making maple syrup. Enjoy pancake breakfasts, hikes through sugarbush trails, maple sugar-making demonstrations, taffy on snow, and more. Many will also be offering free samples of fresh maple syrup and confections.