The Rural Voice, 1999-03, Page 23usually over in six weeks or so,
though Gingerich finds, like most
farmers, that the maple syrup harvest
is at the mercy of the weather.
With the sap pails filling, by
afternoon teams of Belgians and
Percherons are hitched to the two
sleds. While Ed Gingerich stokes the
fires and starts to boil the sap, his son
Jonas, son-in-law Joe Miller and
neighbour Eli Stutzman go from tree
to tree emptying sap buckets into two
square tanks. The depressed top with
holes keeps out twigs and leaves.
After 18 -year-old Jonas
empties the pails hung on the
spiles in his area, his horses
move ahead and stop without being
told. Once the 150 -gallon tanks are
full, the horses head to the shed.
The number of tankfuls needed to
empty all the pails varies, from 10
one day to four or five on a day with
a lighter run. He says the run depends
on the temperature difference
between day and night as the spring
approaches.
Checking and emptying up to
1,500 pails, (newer seamless
aluminum pails or older shorter metal
pails that burst seams when frozen),
takes most of the afternoon.
Gathering the sap is labour-intensive,
and Ed says he could tap more trees
if he could get more help.
Over the season, they usually get
about one litre of syrup per tap, after
harvesting and boiling.
The sugar shed is full "f the aroma
of wood, smoke and maple steam.
The evaporator pans have a wooden
hood and a metal flue at the end with
rungs to the top of the chimney.
The horses and sleds go up the
gangway beside the sugar shed where
the maple sap is dumped into a
circular cement tank connected to the
evaporator with plastic piping. Then
the sap runs down to the flue pans
and starts to boil almost immediately,
as soon as it comes into the flue pans.
The newer pans are stainless steel,
without solder to melt and leak when
the pans get too hot. The maple sand
falls to the bottom as the boiling sap
courses through the trays or is
filtered in felt bags with paper liners.
Besides being filtered, the boiling sap
is skimmed. After the finishing pans,
the syrup is cooled. Ed Gingerich can
boil about 100 gallons of sap in an
hour.
Come to
'Maple Madness'
Saugeen Bluffs
Conservation Area
March 27 & 28
10 a.m. - 4 p.m.
27th year of
fabulous fun &
activities
(519) 364-1255
CRIME
STOPPERS
1.800.222 -TIPS
WATERLOO/SMALL
Quality, Performance, Service -
TRADITION
Eccles Maple Syrup
Supply
FOR YOUR
BROCHURE
GIVE US A
CALL.
MAPLE
SUGARING
EQUIPMENT
CATALOGUE
1999
32nd Annual
Visit BELMORE
the Hamlet with a Heart
during our
MAPLE SYRUP FESTIVAL
Thursday, April 8, 1999 9:30 - 2:00
(on Thursday we cater to Seniors
but ALL are Welcome')
Saturday, April 10, 1999 10:00 - 7:00
Belmore Community Centre
No Admission Charges
MEAL PRICE
Adults - $7.00
Children (6 - 11) - S4.00
Children 5 & under - FREE
You can have all the MAPLE SYRUP and
PANCAKES you can eat.
Homemade sausage, applesauce and butter
for your pancakes and a beverage are
included in the cost of your meal.
"All are served with a SMILE
and Country Hospitality."
For your further enjoyment ... • Food Booth
• Displays & Demonstrations • 'Share the Wealth'
Bingo • Souvenirs • Entertainment for young and old
throughout the day • Craft Show
• Farmers sausage. pork chops and nbs • Homemade
bread, rolls, pies. cakes. cookies. etc • Local lood
products.
SATURDAY EVENING ..
Dance t0 "LULU'S ROADHOUSE BAND"
(Age of mafonty - 0 P.P. inspected)
Call 335-6233 for advance dance tickets.
All events/lacilites are indoors - Handicap Accessible.
For further Festival info call 335-6551 or 367-5699
POLY TANKS
STRONG, DURABLE
CONSTRUCTION
FOR TRANSPORT OR
STORAGE
Sizes from 12 gallons -
12,000 gallons
Hundreds of tanks in stock
ALPINE
PLANT FOODS CORP.
30 Neville St.
New Hamburg, Ont.
NOB 2G0
(519) 662-2352
1 (800) 265-2268
Fax: 1 (800) 807-4668
MARCH 1999 19