ONmaplesyrup

Overview

Producers in some of the southern regions of the province have gotten some decent flows and have begun to make syrup. Most producers got sap brix of around 2 and made golden syrup, although some made Amber. Syrup generally had good flavour. Producers in colder regions experienced negligible or no sap flow events. Many producers continue to note that deep snow is making things tough out in the bush.

Southwestern (8 – number of respondents)

All respondents had all their taps in. Most producers experienced moderate to great sap flows until the cold returned, with average sap brix ranging from 1.8 to 2.1. Most producers made golden syrup, with a couple making amber. Flavour was generally good. Most producers have made between 10-30% of an average years crop so far, reporting between 0.1 – 0.35 L/tap. One producer reported outstanding yields, 50% of their average crop with 1.5 L/tap, from 3.5 brix sap. One producer noted lots of niter, another noted the first run of sap was cloudy before boiling, and another noted that the first boil flavour was only okay.

Grey-Bruce & District (3)

All respondents had all their taps in. A minor sap flow was noted, just enough to flush the lines for some and enough to boil for one producer. That producer made golden syrup from 1.9 brix sap, about 2.5% of their average crop. Flavour was good.

Waterloo-Wellington (4)

Half of the respondents are fully or nearly fully tapped, and half have not started tapping. Minor to good flows were reported. One producer made amber syrup from 1.8 brix sap, about 5% of their average crop at 0.1 L/tap.

Simcoe & District (8)

Most producers with around 500 or more taps are fully or nearly fully tapped. Mostly minor sap flows were reported. No syrup has been made yet, but one producer who experienced a couple decent runs, with an average sap brix of 2.4, has refrigerated their concentrate.

Algoma (2)

One producer with about 70% of their taps in noted that some sap was flowing with vacuum on, but not without vacuum. The other producers plans to begin tapping soon.

Algonquin & District (12)

Large producers (8,000 +) have all or nearly all their taps in, but have reported no sap flows.

Haliburton-Kawartha (8)

Most respondents have not tapped yet. One producer who tapped experienced a 2-day run and got 1.8 brix sap, but didn’t make syrup yet. Many producers noted deep snow making things difficult.

Ottawa Valley District (3)

One producer is fully tapped and has recorded no sap flows.

Quinte & District (5)

A larger producer (approx 8,000 taps) is fully tapped and made about 5% of their average crop so far from 11000 gallons of 2.5 brix sap. That translates to about 0.1 L/tap so far. Syrup was golden and had excellent flavour.

Lanark & District (8)

Some producers are fully tapped, but the majority are either in the early stages of tapping or have not tapped yet. No flows noted.

Eastern (8)

Most respondents are fully tapped, although some smaller producers haven’t started yet. One producer noted a negligible flow event, but most experienced nothing.

Good morning all!

Things began to warm up last week, but there was a bit of ice rain in some regions and the week ahead looks like it will be colder. I look forward to hearing how people’s operations are progressing. Here is the link to this weeks survey: Ontario Sap Flow Survey – February 23, 2026  – Fill out form.

For those who are unsure which region they reside in for the purposes of the survey, please see the map on the Ontario Maple Syrup Producers Association website. It is on their “About OMSPA” page. Here is the link: About OMSPA | Ontario Maple Syrup.

Also, if you have any questions, please email me at john.steele@ontario.ca or call at 519 835 8493. I can’t reply to any questions in the survey as all responses are anonymous.

Take care,

John

Overview

There were 60 responses to the survey in total. Many, but not all, of the larger producers (>1000 taps) have begun tapping across the province. Many producers noted snow was still very deep and expressed their desire to tap next week after things have thawed a bit. Minor flows were reported in some regions of the province, with no boiling taking place.

Southwestern (4 – number of respondents)

Producers with 2,000-3,000 taps have all or nearly all of their taps in an have noted minor flows. No boiling yet.

Grey-Bruce & District (2)

Respondents with 500 and 5,000 taps have tapped significant portions of their bush.

Waterloo-Wellington (5)

A few of the larger operations have begun tapping, one with 75% of their taps in. No Flows reported.

Simcoe & District (6)

Producers with over 1,000 taps have tapped significant portions of their bush. Some negligible sap flows noted.

Algoma (5)

Some producers with around 3,000 taps have begun tapping.

Algonquin & District (7)

One producer with approximately 8,000 taps has 30% of their taps in.

Haliburton-Kawartha (4)

A large producer with 25,000 taps has almost all of their taps in, and noted there was just enough sap to get the lines wet. One producer under 1,000 taps is planning to start tapping this week.

Ottawa Valley District (5)

Producers with around 3,000 – 4,000 taps have significant portions of their bush tapped.

Quinte & District (5)

One producer with around 8,000 taps and one producer with under 1,000 taps has nearly all their taps in. Minor flows noted.

Lanark & District (7)

A producer with around 7,000 taps has about 90% of their taps in.

Some producers in the 1,000 – 3,000 tap range have begun tapping, while other haven’t

Eastern (9)

All respondents with over 1,000 taps have tapped significant portions of their bush. One producer with under 100 taps has also tapped all their trees. No flows reported.

Overview

There were 39 responses to the survey in total. About half the respondents have less then 1,000 taps, with the other half having between 1,000 – 10,000 taps. The majority of producers have not begun tapping. Many producers noted the deep snow cover in their bush, making operations difficult. Some producers in the Southwestern and Waterloo-Wellington region are thinking of tapping soon, depending on the weather.

Southwestern (2 – number of respondents)

Producers with 2,000-3,000 taps are looking to begin tapping soon, depending on the weather

Grey-Bruce & District (2)

No taps in yet.

Waterloo-Wellington (2)

No taps in yet, but some producers are thinking about tapping next week, depending on the weather.

Simcoe & District (6)

1 producer with between 1,000 – 2,000 taps has 60% of their taps in.

Algoma (3)

No taps in yet.

Algonquin & District (6)

No taps in yet.

Haliburton-Kawartha (4)

None of the respondents have tapped yet.

Ottawa Valley District (2)

A producer with around 4,000 taps has begun tapping.

Quinte & District (3)

A producer with around 8,000 taps has 75% of their taps in.

Lanark & District (5)

A producer with around 7,000 taps has about 50% of their taps in

Some producers in the 1,000 – 3,000 tap range have begun tapping, while other haven’t

Eastern (3)

All respondents had between 1,000 to 3,000 taps. One producer has 100% of their taps in, while the others haven’t tapped yet. The producer with all their taps in noted they were comfortable tapping early because of measures taken to prevent sap backflow into tapholes.

Overview

Sap flow has been sporadic in most regions over the past week as warmer weather moved in and many producers have noted that they are 2-3 weeks ahead of their typical season. There have also been quite a few comments on a significant drop in Brix levels from the previous week, which is not uncommon to occur in warmer weather conditions.

Thank you again for all your responses to the survey! And best of luck in the rest of the season! It’s been great working with all of you 🙂

Southwestern (3 – number of responses)

Producers continue to pull their taps in this region, but a few have continued to make syrup (amber and dark) this past week. The average sap Brix ranged from 1.3-2.0. 90-100% of an average year’s crop has been made by these survey respondents.

Grey-Bruce and District (5)

One of the survey respondents have already pulled their taps while the others are still producing syrup with slow to moderate sap flow. Average sap Brix ranged from 1.4-2.3 and golden to dark syrup has been made. 40-110% of an average year’s crop has been produced by these survey respondents.

Waterloo-Wellington (6)

There are mixed reports from survey respondents in this region. Some have experienced strong sap flow over the past week, others haven’t had any flow, and some have pulled their taps. Average sap Brix ranged from 1.4-2.5 and amber to dark syrup has been made. 50-100% of an average year’s crop has been made.

Simcoe and District (5)

Sap flow has been slow over the past week for these survey respondents. Average sap Brix ranged from 1.6-2.1 and amber to very dark syrup was made. 10-85% of an average year’s crop has been made. Some respondents noted high sugar sand levels while filtering.

Algoma (3)

Good strong sap flow has been reported by these survey respondents with an average sap Brix range of 0.8-2.4. Amber syrup has been produced and 20-66% of an average year’s crop. One producer noted a drop in sugar content over the past week after a big run (1.2 down to 0.6).

Algonquin District (10)

Sap flow ranged from slow to very good over the past week with an average sap Brix of 1.7-3.0. Golden to dark amber syrup has been made and 10-85% of an average year’s crop. A few of these producers noted high amounts of sugar sand over the past week.

Haliburton-Kawartha (9)

Sap flow ranged from slow to good over the past week, although sporadic. Average sap Brix ranged from 1.0-3 and amber to dark syrup has been produced. 15-70% of an average year’s crop has been made.

Ottawa Valley District (5)

Sap flow has been sporadic in this region and ranged from slow to good. Average sap Brix ranged from 2-3 and golden to dark syrup was produced. A few producers have noted some filtration issues. 10-40% of an average year’s crop has been made.  

Quinte and District (2)

Sap flow ranged from poor to excellent for these survey respondents. Average sap Brix levels ranged from 1.3-2, one producer noted a drop of 1.2 Brix from the previous week. Amber to very dark syrup has been produced and 25-75% of an average year’s crop.

Lanark and District (9)

Sap flow, although sporadic, ranged from poor to very good for these survey respondents. The average sap Brix ranged from 1.4-2.7. Amber to dark syrup was produced and 29-63% of an average year’s crop.

Eastern (6)

Similar to the Lanark area, sap flow has been moderate and sporadic. The average sap Brix ranged from 1.9-2.5. Amber and dark syrup was produced and 20-55% of an average year’s crop. A few producers noted some filtration issues this past week as well.

Hi everyone! I hope you had a great weekend.

Please fill out the Sap Flow Survey by noon on Wednesday if you would like to contribute to this week’s report.

You can also text, call or email me at:

sophie.krolikowski@ontario.ca

226-962-6710

Overview

As we enter March, the season continues to be unpredictable and inconsistent with big temperature swings that have impacted sap flow in a number of areas of the province. There have been many reports of snow melting, mud, and/or dry conditions in woodlots. In the south, there have also been signs of budding in soft maple.

In terms of clarity and filtration, there continues to be minimal issues among most survey respondents. Producers in the southwestern region are starting to wrap up for the season while those in the eastern and northern regions starting to ramp up.

On another note, it is with mixed emotions that I share that next week will be my final Sap Flow Report as I move on to new opportunities – however! The report will continue in my absence for the remainder of the season. It’s been wonderful working with and getting to know you all over the season. All the best going forward!

If you have any comments on how the survey or report can be improved upon, please feel free to send me an email at sophie.krolikowski@ontario.ca

Thank you again for all your responses to the survey! It’s been a blast!

Southwestern (5 – number of responses)

Many producers in the region are wrapping up for the season or are finished all together with 80 to over 100% of an average year’s crop produced. Buds are starting to break on soft maple but not yet on hard maple. Amber to very dark syrup has been made in the past week.

Grey-Bruce and District (6)

Sap flow has ranged from moderate to good among producers and the average sap Brix ranged from 2.1-2.6. Golden to amber syrup has been made and 30-100% of an average year’s crop.

Waterloo-Wellington (4)

Sap flow has been strong for these producers. The average sap Brix over the past week was 1.8-2.5. Golden to amber syrup has been made and 20-70% of an average year’s crop.

Simcoe and District (8)

Sap flow ranged from good to excellent for these respondents, although inconsistent in many cases. The average sap Brix ranged from 1.9-2.5. The colours of syrup made ranged from amber to very dark. Some of the respondents in this region have experienced higher than normal sugar sand when filtering. 20-75% of an average year’s crop has been made.

Algoma (1)

The respondent in this area has had steady sap flow with an average Brix of 1.8 and produced amber syrup. Filtering has been a challenge for this producer as well. They have made 45% of an average year’s crop.   

Algonquin District (10)

Sap flow has ranged from very slow to good with an average sap Brix of 2.1-2.7. Producers have made golden to dark syrup with minor sugar sand issues in a few cases. 10-25% of an average year’s crop has been made. A few producers are starting to lose snow in their bush.

Haliburton-Kawartha (12)

Sap flow has ranged from very slow to strong with an average sap Brix of 2.0-2.2. Light to amber syrup has been made. There have been little to no issues with clarity or filtering for these producers as well. 10-60% of an average year’s crop has been made to date.

Ottawa Valley District (6)

Most respondents are tapped but sap flow has been minimal and sporadic. One producer has started to make syrup while the others are waiting for stronger flows.

Quinte and District (7)

Sap flow has been good to excellent for these producers with an average sap Brix of 2.0-3.5. Golden to dark syrup has been made over the past week with some producers experiencing difficulties filtering. 10-80% of an average year’s crop has been made. Some producers have noticed bud swelling on their soft maple.

Lanark and District (11)

Sap flow has ranged from poor to excellent for the survey respondents with an average sap Brix of 1.7-3.5. Light to dark syrup has been produced and up to 30% of an average year’s crop.

Eastern (4)

There has been minimal sap flow over the past week. 2.0-2.3 Brix. Amber to golden syrup has been produced by the few that have produced syrup. 2-20% of an average year’s crop.

Hi everyone! I hope you had a great weekend.

Please fill out the Sap Flow Survey by noon on Wednesday if you would like to contribute to this week’s report.

You can also text, call or email me at:

sophie.krolikowski@ontario.ca

226-962-6710

Overview

Most regions have been back at it over the past week!

Golden to amber syrup is being made and dark to very dark in a few regions as well. Overall, there have been very few clarity or filtration issues. In the southwest, some producers have already made up to 70% of an average year’s crop.

As always, a big thanks to all those that participate in the survey!

Southwestern (2 – number of responses)

Sap flow has picked back up for these respondents with good flow (0.9-0.98 L/tap). Average sap Brix was 2.0-2.1. 60-70% of an average year’s crop has been made to date. Dark syrup is being made.

Grey-Bruce and District (5)

Sap flow has been moderate to very good (0.2-1.0 L/tap). Average sap Brix was 1.9-1.7. One producer has been dealing with high levels of sugar sand but overall, there have been minimal clarity and filtration issues. 10-56% of an average year’s crop has been made to date.

Waterloo-Wellington (4)

Sap flow has been good to strong for survey respondents in the region (up to 0.8 L/tap). Average sap Brix ranged from 1.6-2.4. 15-55% of an average year’s crop has been made to date.

Simcoe and District (7)

Sap flow has ranged from minimal to excellent (0.13-1.5 L/tap). Average sap Brix ranged from 2.0-3.0. 10-60% of an average year’s crop has been made to date. Dark to very dark syrup is being made.

Algoma (2)

One of the survey respondents has had moderate sap flow and started to make syrup.

Algonquin District (7)

Most respondents are tapped, and a few have had moderate runs this week. Average sap Brix was 2.3-2.8. Two producers have made 15 and 60% (smaller producer) of an average year’s crop but the majority have not boiled yet.

Haliburton-Kawartha (5)

All respondents are tapped and have had moderate to excellent sap flow (0.25-4 L/tap). Average sap Brix was 2.1-2.2. Those that have boiled have made light golden to amber syrup. 10-50% of an average year’s crop has been made.

Ottawa Valley District (4)

Only one respondent has tapped and had one day of moderate sap flow. Average sap Brix was 2.2 and they made amber syrup. The remainder of the survey respondents have not yet tapped but plan to soon.

Quinte and District (5)

All respondents are fully tapped and had moderate sap flow on and off over the past week. Average sap Brix ranged from 2-3.3. One producer had a lot of sugar sand, but the majority have not had any filtration or clarity issues. 5-40% of an average year’s crop has been made to date.

Lanark (7)

All survey respondents are fully tapped but sap flow has varied from minimal to good. No syrup has been made by these producers. Sap Brix ranged from 1.7-2.0.

Eastern (2)

Both survey respondents had smaller sap runs this week and produced golden to amber syrup. The average sap Brix ranged from 2.2-2.9. 2-12% of an average year’s crop has been made to date.