Maple Month Tap-out in Township Leeds and 1000 Islands

We will kick start the season on March 3 with a traditional tapping of the first maple tree at the Sugar House on the Horton Homestead Farm at 354 Sand Bay Road in Lansdowne, ON George Horton, owner of Horton Homestead Farm, was recently awarded the prestigious Sugar Maker of the Year Award 2017_by the Lanark District Maple Syrup Producers Association.

Tapping out fun is planned for all ages from one o’clock until 4 p.m. and it’s all free!!

The honour of the first tap will be done at 2 pm.

Vendors of all things maple will be showing and selling their wares. There will be maple products, winter gear for sports or protection in the syrup bush, and anyone who uses maple syrup ingredients in their operations is encouraged to set up a display. Soap and maple- shaped quilting items are just a couple of the items on offer…to say nothing of maple syrup at its finest.

Free advertising and registration is offered for those vendors directly involved at http://www.leeds1000islands.ca under Workshops and Events.

Trail tours will be offered. Snowshoe demonstrations will be happening….or you may strap on your own.

The Frontenac Arch Biosphere group will provide an educational component on the cycle of maple syrup and how it is made. They will also present their winter trails strategy. We are excited to have guest presenter Algonquin/Oneida Aboriginal Paul Carl, whose parents originally lived in the area of the Horton sugar bush.

Paul presents a fascinating interactive display in which he demonstrates his skills and explains how his ancestors harvested and used ‘sweet water’ in ceremonies to make maple syrup and sugar.

Enjoy watching as Paul works with just a trough dug out of a log and antlers and stones in a firepit. Then savour the smell of the sap as it heats up. He will also share his Anishinaabe (Algonquin) stories on how the First Nations people were gifted the knowledge to make maple sugar. ‘Paul’s great sense of humour, patience and passion leave visitors with a greater awareness of the ancient ways of being in relationship with the land.’ (Thank you CRCA for that quote.) Paul’s first commitment in March is to the Cataraqui Region Conservation Authority’s (CRCA) Maple Madness festival, so we are very lucky to have ‘tapped’ Paul for our first tapping out party in TLTI. When Paul asked if we would be serving pancakes, he informed me that he ‘puts pancakes on his syrup.’ I told him that we will be looking forward to many a pancake meal from our community groups in the following days of March, but that we will be offering some tantalizing tapping tidbites with maple syrup to enhance the tastes.