HomeMy WebLinkAboutHuron Expositor, 2005-03-30, Page 9News
THE HURON EXPOSITOR, March 30, 2006-9
Record crowds attend maple syrup festival
despite delay in local maple syrup season
By Susan Hundertmark
Expositor Editor
While the local maple syrup
season is running two to three
weeks behind, Staffa-area farmer
George Roney is still hoping for a
good season this year.
"We need a good year of syrup.
Nothing else in farming is doing
anything. Beef and crops aren't
doing anything. We need something
to pay the bills," he said Saturday at
the ninth annual Staffa Maple Syrup
Festival at his farm and the Hibbert
Township shed.
Because the sap started to run just
three days before the annual
festival, Roney says he was trying
to find maple syrup to ship in for
the festival.
But, as winter's cold loosened its
grip last week, the sap began to run
and Roney was able to boil enough
syrup of his own for the festival.
"We're definitely behind the
normal schedule for maple syrup, if
there's such a thing. It's been March
1 when we started to boil the syrup
for the past few years," he said.
For the sap to run, farmers need
nights of -4 C and days rising up to
8 C. ,
"It was too cold last night at -15
C. We're going back to the springs
of 15 to 20 years ago with this
year's cold weather," he said.
But, Roney said he's still
confident that he could produce a
good crop of maple syrup this year.
"We're making really good syrup
and we could still end up with a
decent season. We need a couple of
weeks of good weather but the
worse thing now would be a quick
thaw. A lot of producers are afraid
of it getting warm and staying
warm," he said.
As record crowds of 870 people
lined up for pancakes and maple
syrup during the festival, Roney
said the festival was benefitting
from an early Easter this year.
"That's the most they've ever
had. There's more people through
this year because people are home
and visiting for Easter," he said.
The pancake and sausage
breakfast was held by the Hibbert
United Church.
Susan Hundertmark photos
Sweet!
Peter Vingerheods and Greg Docking, both of Staffa, fry up some
sausages for the ninth annual Maple Syrup Festival at the
Hibbert Township shed on Saturday, while, at right, Olivia
Jackson, 9, of Dublin, enjoys a bite of pancake.
Your security is our #1 priority.
Together, we can make your travel experience more secure and hassle -free.
I0I
For the latest information on how to pack for your next trip,
visit our Web site at www.catsa-acsta.gc.ca or call 1-888-294-2202
Canadian Air Transport Administration canadienne
Security Authority de la surete du transport aerien
CATSA ACSTA
(ai ia(d7a