Things are getting sticky in Essex County. Here's how one farm turns maple sap into syrup
Ruscom Maple Products is making butter, syrup and candies
A small maple syrup farm in Essex County was busy boiling its first batch of maple sap this week — but it plans to turn it into more than just syrup.
Ruscom Maple Products, owned and operated by Rob Nadeau, is collecting sap and using it to create butter and candy.
On Friday, the weather hit 5 C in the day and -9 C at night, which, according to Nadeau, is the "ultimate" weather for maple sap flow.
Nadeau told CBC News that he's committed to running his syrup operation the same way his French Canadian ancestors ran theirs in years past.
"For us, growing up with it, maple syrup was in the house - pure maple syrup - from our trees, from morning till night, we use it for everything," he said.
This year, Nadeau tapped just under 400 trees, but next year he hopes to get the sap from about 500.
When he first bought the farm five years ago, he said making maple syrup started off as something he would do for fun and for his family to enjoy. But he soon expanded and is now getting calls from people across Canada who want some of his syrup.
The other day, Nadeau said he sent cases of syrup out to Toronto and has gotten interest from people in Manitoba and Saskatchewan.