The first harvest of the season is underway here in southern Québec. The success of this harvest is dependent on the perfect combination of below freezing nights and mild days. We’ve had a few of those perfect days, but in the last week or so the daytime temperatures didn’t go above freezing. The sap flow stops on those days and the busy maple syrup producers, who are often farmers as well, continue on cutting wood, birthing calves, plowing driveways… I think you get the picture. They’re very busy people.
Drinking the first sap is built into our DNA – at least my DNA. Here are my parents circa 1948 doing just that. My mother is recently arrived from England in this picture and obviously hasn’t purchased her Canadian “going out in the woods” clothes yet.
We haven’t been to a “cabane à sucre” this year to see the sugaring process in full swing, but we did tap a lone tree not far from the house and stopped at it yesterday on our way back from a cross country ski to quench our thirst.
Another nor’easter has blown in today. It is snowing heavily now and the fire is lit. We’re staying close to home to wait it out. The trees will be waiting it out too. It’s like that this time of year.
Pebbles and Clay 