An Ode to the Maple Tree - theHumm March 2021

By Ray Fortune, Fortune Farms Maple Sugar Bush

Have you hugged a maple tree today? I know not everyone can do this, but it’s the thought that counts. And here’s why…

We are so fortunate at Fortune Farms fortunefarms.ca to have two majestic sugar bushes, both of which have been tapped for well over one hundred years. The picture shows one of our largest trees, which we have named the Fortune Giant. We have others larger but not as close to a trail. Sadly, we lost several of our large old trees due to ice storm damage. The Fortune Giant is a survivor and is estimated to be over 300 years old. It is about 42 inches (107cm) in diameter at the base and about 120 feet (36m) tall with no limbs until the crown. It is a massive tree. There are trees growing in the open that are larger in diameter, but they are short and their crowns are bushy. A tree this size is rated at 5 taps. We do not insert that many taps in order to avoid undue stress on the tree. Over the 300 years we think this tree was of tappable size it would average at least two taps per year. Each tap produces enough sap to make one litre of syrup. So the lifetime production of this tree would be 600 or more litres of syrup, with a market value at today’s prices of $12,000. A most remarkable output for just one plant.

We average about 65 taps per acre in our sugar bushes. That represents an income of $1,300 per acre which compares favourably to cereal crops and other uses of agricultural land. However, and it is a very significant however, maple trees grow well on rocky ground, require no tilling, no fertilizer, no heavy machinery to compact the soil, no irrigation and no pesticides unless there is a caterpillar infestation. In addition, each tree is a major source of carbon sequestration, it emits oxygen, its seeds are food for wildlife and its leaves enrich the forest floor for other plants. Now I think that is a good deal. Even we at Fortune Farms, and I think the public in general, do not fully appreciate the value of maple trees and other tree species.

Now let’s consider maple syrup. It is an unexpected source of essential minerals including calcium, zinc, magnesium and potassium. A unique polyphenol called quebecol is also found in maple syrup — it helps reduce inflammation and supports a healthy immune system. Syrup also has antioxidant properties which help protect against cardiovascular disease and cancer. Dr. Navindra Seeram, PhD, is one of the world’s premier maple scientists. Employed by the Quebec Maple Syrup Producers Association, he has done much of the research to support these claims. He is quoted as saying “Maple syrup is an incredibly unique plant food, obtained entirely from deciduous tree sap, not only for its natural composition but also because it is minimally processed from a pure botanical provenance with no additives. That would be unique in itself, but now add that it is indigenous to a relatively small region of North America, it’s a culturally iconic food produced by thousands of local farmers practicing sustainable forestry. That’s what makes it so special”. And, of course, it’s all due to the magnificent maple tree.

O maple tree, O maple tree

How glad we are you came to be

Your yearly crop of sap doth flow

With no complaint you bestow

this springtime tonic on man and beast

on which they both do drink and feast

When turned to syrup ‘tis oh so sweet

A healthy food and a tasty treat

May you grow to gigantic girth

and long to live on Mother Earth.

This will be another year when visits to the local sugar bushes will be constrained. Masks and social distancing will be in effect, there may be limits on attendance, and reservations may be required. Curbside pick-up will be available at most camps. Best to check with the sugar bush operator before heading out.

Katherine Muir Miller — Falling in Love with Art - theHumm March 2021

By Sally Hansen

Art… and Soul

Landscape artist Katherine Muir Miller’s brilliant paintings tap into the same subject matter that inspired Canada’s beloved Group of Seven artists — the great northern Canadian landscape in all its seasonal glories. This is where she finds her inspiration — rooted in her mother’s deep love of trees and fostered by her own and her five children’s passion for the magnificent and wild Canadian outdoors.

Many Canadians can’t look at a painting of stark pines outlined ag......

An Ode to the Maple Tree - theHumm March 2021