Town & Country

C M Y K WINNIPEG FREE PRESS, SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 14, 2019 3 UFSC Heritage Life Insurance for All of Life's Stages www. ufsc.ca 43 8 % OFF ALL 0/TURNS IN STOCK McCREARY TAPPING MAPLE TREES How sweet it is in Manitoba's maple syrup capital A t the foot of Riding Mountain National Park there are a number of little creeks in the McCreary area that feed hundreds of acres of Manitoba maple trees. These trees supply the sap that provides the foundation for the area's maple syrup industry and have given rise to the Manitoba Maple Syrup Festival. "If you look at a map, you'll see the small creeks that flow year-round," says Bob Gass, a local maple syrup producer. "There can be flooding in that area and if it floods for more than a month, then poplar trees will likely die, but maple trees can handle it for a few months. So anytime you look around any significant creek, you're going to find maple trees." Another reason why there are plenty of maple trees in the area is because maple was a common choice for shelterbelts or wind- breaks. They were often given away free and became well-established. When Gass, a former RCMP officer, noted the maple trees, it reminded him of his childhood in New Brunswick and he de- cided to tap the trees. "Our family has been doing this for a very long time," he says. "It was something my grandfather did and my dad did. I real- ized that there were Indigenous people here who were making maple syrup and that kind of inspired me to give it a try." Gass has been producing maple syrup for more than 30 years. He's tapped as many as 5,000 trees in a year, but is currently tap- ping about 2,000. The number of trees that can be tapped is usually weather-dependent. In order to make maple syrup, you need to identify your maple trees and wait for the right temperature. After you tap the trees and gather the sap, it is placed in an evapo- rator which boils and filters the sap. The processed sap can then be bottled for use. When Gass started his operation, he took his finished product to craft sales, gift stores, and health food outlets. Over the years, he has relied primarily on wholesaling to retailers. Shortly after Gass began tapping trees, his neighbour Claude Desrosiers took note and started his own maple syrup business. Desrosiers grew up in the maple syrup in- dustry in Quebec and was familiar with the process. The two have collaborated over the years on different techniques and ideas. Desrosiers has tapped up to 1,300 taps a year and bottles his product in various quantities. "Every community has a craft sale, so I used to do the craft sale circuit each fall. I have also sold in some stores in Winnipeg and Brandon," he says. Both Gass and Desrosiers have pur- chased sap from local producers to meet de- mand. They say they can sell whatever they make, but they are limited by the amount of time and effort they can spend on the busi- ness. Over the years, the McCreary area has become known as the Maple Syrup Capi- tal of the province and is now home to the Manitoba Maple Syrup Festival. Similar to other festivals in Eastern Canada, it shares the experiences of local producers, the cul- ture, heritage and land required to produce maple syrup. The next festival will take place April 4 and 5 and will feature tree tap- ping clinics, bannock on a stick, music all day, children's games and crafts. Desrosiers and Gass are heavily involved in the festival. Gass will feature his sugar bush so people will be able to travel by horse and wagon to the bush. Then he, along with his son-in-law Justin and daughter Amanda, will help educate visitors on all aspects of the industry. Desrosiers is well-known at the festival for providing maple taffy on snow and his education sessions. "In February I have to start placing box- es of snow in the freezer because I can't rely on the weather to have clean snow in April," he says, laughing. Gass says there is a different flavor and texture to maple syrup in Manitoba com- pared to what he remembers in New Bruns- wick, but he added that unless you're truly knowledgeable about maple syrup, the typi- cal person won't notice any difference. It will likely taste different than store-bought syr- up since it doesn't include other ingredients. After several decades in the industry, the duo suggests that there is plenty of opportu- nity for other producers to become involved. It's not an overly lucrative endeavour, but for a small investment, it can provide decent returns over a limited growing season. "For the guys that have smaller farm- ing operations or looking at retiring and have the time, they can supplement their income," Gass says. "They can make more money if they attend farmers' markets and sell directly to consumers." "I wish people would get into it," adds Desrosiers. "It's just before seeding so there's time before gearing up and getting into the field." For more information on the Manitoba Maple Syrup Festival visit ºwww.mbmaplesyrupfest.com. BY PAT REDIGER PHOTO CREDIT: THÉRÈSE DESROSIERS Claude Desrosiers (above) has been producing his own maple syrup for the better part of three decades and taps an estimated 1,300 trees each year. Historical Preservation and Promotion awards this May. PHOTO CREDIT: THÉRÈSE DESROSIERS Tapping trees is the first step in producing maple syrup. McCreary has become a hotbed for maple syrup production in Manitoba. Are you between 15-30 living with Schizophrenia or Psychosis? The Manitoba Schizophrenia Society has H.O.P.E.S. Call 204-786-1616 for details. "Our family has been doing this for a very long time. It was something my grandfather did and my dad did."

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