As the recent article in the Toronto Star outlines, we are EAGERLY awaiting the 2022 Maple Season.
Last year was a season unlike any we have had in our almost 120 year history. We are sure it was a strange year for everyone and it was likely extremely difficult for some. For us, we ended last season with a record low level of maple syrup after we found a number of different, safer ways of serving our guests while the pandemic persisted.
In the 2021 Maple Season, we made about 800 gallons of maple syrup which is down about 200 gallons from what we made in 2020 and what we would make in a ‘usual’ year. At the same time, we had a lot of demand for syrup. As a result, we found ourselves in the unusual position of having only four barrels of syrup left at the end of the season. According to Tom, this is the “absolute lowest inventory we’ve ever had going into the next maple season”.
Fear not! As excited as we are for the new sap to start running, we are equally excited to serve guests again in the Pancake House. Tom and Terri-Lynn are confident we have enough syrup on hand for guests to enjoy our fresh maple treats like pancakes, french toast and sausages. Tom will start packaging new syrup for sale as soon as it comes in. While it is hard to predict the weather, we are all hoping for a very good maple season in 2022.
Beyond the new sap run, there are a number of things that the team is excited about for the upcoming Maple Season. To start, we are excited to open the expanded seating area in the new building. The expanded seating will allow families more space to enjoy their pancakes and french toast should the COVID-19 protective measures continue through the spring of 2022. The sun-filled expanded seating area gives guests a great view of the sugar bush and an opportunity to take a look at the display of antique equipment used by our family over our 118 year history.
We are also excited to show off our new tables in the original Pancake House. Made by the Northern Joinery in Orillia, the new tables are all made exclusively from sugar maples fallen in our bush. While some are a solid slab with a live edge, others show cross sections of sugar maple trees in which the marks from decades of old taps can be seen. We think they are amazing and we hope you do too.
For all the reasons that we are eagerly awaiting the 2022 maple season, we are MOST excited to welcome our guests back and we hope you come and join us this Maple Season for some pancakes or french toast, a hike in our bush or a horse drawn wagon ride. We are open 8:00 am to 4:00 pm every day from February 15 to April 18, 2022.
Click HERE or on the picture below to read the full article from the Toronto Star.
