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Please Pass the Syrup<\/h1>\n
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By\u200b Jill Murphy<\/p>\n
New Britain, CT, United States<\/p>\n
[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_margin_tablet=”” custom_margin_phone=”||||false|false” custom_margin_last_edited=”on|phone” custom_padding=”0px||||false|false” da_disable_devices=”off|off|off” global_colors_info=”{}” da_is_popup=”off” da_exit_intent=”off” da_has_close=”on” da_alt_close=”off” da_dark_close=”off” da_not_modal=”on” da_is_singular=”off” da_with_loader=”off” da_has_shadow=”on”][et_pb_row column_structure=”3_5,2_5″ _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”3_5″ _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.5″ hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_enabled=”0″]<\/p>\n
Maple syrup is an emblem of Canadian identity. When people think about Canada<\/strong>, this gooey brown sweetness is often where their minds go. Loved by many, maple syrup has created a name for Canada. More than 60 countries each year import maple syrup from Canada, proving that the world cannot get enough of its taste.<\/p>\n From Tree to Table<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n Maple syrup is made from certain types of maple trees in the eastern part of Canada. They build up starch in their trunks during the winter. Once spring begins and the temperature starts rising, there\u2019s a perfect window of warmer days and below-freezing nights. The tree converts starch into sugar and collects water from its roots.<\/p>\n The pressure that builds within the tree during the early spring days causes the sap to leak through any cuts in the bark. As the pressure starts to drop, the sap flow slows until it stops for the night. This process continues for six weeks, until a carefully regulated amount of sap has been harvested.<\/p>\n Maple sap contains about 97 percent water, plus minerals, organic acids and maple taste precursors. Heating the sap to remove the water content can be done in several ways. It takes about 40 liters of sap to make one liter of syrup. The trees on 2.5 acres of land can yield up to 250 liters of syrup.<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.5″ custom_margin=”0px||||false|false” hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_enabled=”0″]<\/p>\n A Sappy Ending<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n Once the syrup is collected and condensed, it is exported throughout the world. In 2025, more than 13,000 maple farms produced 18.8 million gallons of syrup.<\/p>\n Quebec accounts for 89 percent of Canada\u2019s maple output, making it the most productive province. The United States is one of Canada\u2019s biggest importers, consuming 62 percent of the maple syrup exported from Canada.<\/p>\n During the COVID-19 pandemic, demand for maple syrup surged while warm temperatures reduced supply, leading to a significant drawdown from the strategic reserve. In 2021, the Federation of Quebec Maple Syrup Producers released 22.7 million kilograms of syrup to stabilize the market.<\/p>\n The maple syrup industry has now bounced back by using strategies to handle climate change. Farmers now use new technologies like vacuum tubing and reverse osmosis to collect more sap. They also take care of the forests by cutting trees carefully and maintaining a mix of plants and animals.<\/p>\n These efforts ensure that maple syrup production can continue for years to come…so you get to have your (pan)cake and eat it, too!<\/p>\n Have a suggestion for this story? We\u2019d love for you to\u00a0submit it<\/a>!<\/em><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”2_5″ _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/mathkind.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/Canada-Quebec-maple-syrup-GMS-600-x-400.png” alt=”Metal sap buckets hang from snow covered maple trees in a winter forest near a rural house during maple syrup tapping season” title_text=”Canada Quebec maple syrup GMS (600 x 400)” align=”center” force_fullwidth=”on” _builder_version=”4.27.5″ global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.5″ _module_preset=”default” text_font_size=”9px” text_line_height=”1.2em” custom_margin=”-40px||||false|false” custom_padding=”||||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n Photo credit: Winston Rost<\/em><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/mathkind.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/maple-70407_640.jpg” alt=”hot air balloon in the sky” title_text=”maple-70407_640″ align=”center” force_fullwidth=”on” _builder_version=”4.27.4″ global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_accordion _builder_version=”4.27.5″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_accordion_item title=”Blank” open=”on” _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_css_main_element=”display: none; ” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n Blank<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_accordion_item][et_pb_accordion_item title=”Math Resources” open_toggle_text_color=”#0a1766″ _builder_version=”4.27.5″ global_colors_info=”{}” toggle_text_color=”#0a1766″ toggle_font_size=”18px” open=”off”]<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_accordion_item][et_pb_accordion_item title=”Social Justice Question” open_toggle_text_color=”#0a1766″ _builder_version=”4.27.4″ global_colors_info=”{}” toggle_text_color=”#0a1766″ toggle_font_size=”18px” open=”off”]<\/p>\n Quebec\u2019s maple syrup output is controlled by a group that regulates how much syrup can be made and how much it costs. These rules are meant to keep the market stable, but small producers often struggle to keep up with bigger ones. What do you think could be the impact on small maple syrup producers, and what does this mean for fairness and opportunities in the industry?<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_accordion_item][et_pb_accordion_item title=”Explore Further” open_toggle_text_color=”#0a1766″ _builder_version=”4.27.4″ global_colors_info=”{}” toggle_text_color=”#0a1766″ toggle_font_size=”18px” open=”off”]<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_accordion_item][et_pb_accordion_item title=”Share Your Story” open_toggle_text_color=”#0a1766″ _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}” toggle_text_color=”#0a1766″ toggle_font_size=”18px” open=”off”]<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/mathkind.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/nadine-primeau-JbIw48XKLCE-unsplash.jpg\")
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