Springwater hosts maple syrup tour

Kathy’s Catering staff members Betty Froese of Aylmer, left, and Marlene Herb of St. Thomas served Palmerston maple syrup producer Rob Grubb with maple apple crisp topped with whipped cream outside Springwater Conservation Area’s sugar shanty during the Ontario Maple Syrup Producer’s Association annual tour on Saturday, July 12. Several maple syrup producers from across the province toured Springwater Forest and the maple syrup operation there on a wagon ride and had a maple syrup-themed lunch of maple mustard glazed ham, scalloped potatoes, maple baked beans and a garden salad with a maple, raspberry and cranberry ranch dressing. After lunch the visitors stayed for a presentation by a Ministry of the Environment scientist who had done tests on a plot of maple trees at Springwater to show the effects of climate change. Springwater made 105 litres of maple syrup during the spring thaw tree tapping season.