First Harvest of the Year...Maple Gold (and a word about Winding Road Maple Products)

Today I visited my brother-in law to congratulate him and his business-partner, a cousin-in-law, on winning the award for Best-tasting Maple syrup in Woolwich Township. It really is The Best. I find myself sneaking a little nip from the jug now and then;-) because it so syrupy and sweet and maple-perfect!

  

Paul Martin(left) and Dale Martin (middle) own and operate Winding Road Maple Products

Follow link to read more on the details of who-what-where-when and so forth.

Not only is their product top-notch, so is the setting, nestled in among winding roads in rural serenity. Please use the 'how to buy' info to find out how you can taste this healthy Maple Goodness for yourself.

 

The blue lines you see are the lines through which the sap runs, replacing the traditional method of tapping with buckets(not as nostalgic but far more efficient), allowing producers to increase the number of trees tapped and then the volume of sap gathered to boil into syrup...don't worry! Tapping a healthy tree will not hurt it.

 Warmer temperatures turn sap too dark, so the process of boiling it into syrup is over for this year but they are working at 'canning' it now;

... putting it into containers and sealing it, readying it for retail.

Their Store

Some of their product

Down country lane and winding road

Through thawing winter-wood retreat

The first harvest of every year

Is drip-drip-dripping, slow and sweet

Before the dog-tooth violet flaunts

Its dappled leaf in haunts of green

Before Jack takes his pulpit and

Gold prim-rose dots the meadow-stream

A spring-crop gleams, not from the field

Still barely waking from its rest

But from the maple-limb, a hymn

Of drip-drip-dripping harvest best

For every sugar maple-tree

Is like a vault of amber-gold

Within the dark of bark a sea

Of sweetness trembles in its hold

Then, just before the world turns green

After winter eases its grip

In that brief, gladsome in-between

We glean its maple drip-drip-drip

For pancakes, fritters, donuts, toast,

Popcorn and ice-cream, oatmeal,yum

 Maple syrup is spring's sweet boast

Come on now, won't you sample some?

© Janet Martin