'A little bit early': Mild P.E.I. weather has maple syrup taps flowing

This is one of maple syrup producer DewarMacLeod's favourite times of the year, andone of his busiest the time sap begins to flow through Island maple trees.

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The Ebenezer, P.E.I.,farmerhas already begun tapping his trees, thanks to below-freezing temperatures at nightfollowed by warmer days towardthe end of February.

Once the trees are tapped, you're committed. Richard MacPhee, maple syrup producer

"It's a littlebit early," MacLeod said. "The weather seems to have come along, so the weather forecast is looking good as well, so we decided to just go ahead and tap."

'Conditions are almost perfect'

MacLeod will tapabout 150 trees this year, doing most of the work aloneor withhelp fromfamily.

He's been tappingthe past five years, although he was unable to last year.

"We didn't tap last year or the year before because we didn't feel like it was worth going," he said. "There was too much snow and too difficult to get to the woods."

This year, it's avery different situation this will be one of MacLeod's earliest starts, and he said conditions are almost perfect.

"With the lack of snow on the ground, the sun has the ability to get heat into the roots, which will thaw the trees faster,"MacLeod said.

Ideally for the sap to run, the treesneed fluctuations of above zero, cooling off at night to below zero, he said, and that's what's in the forecast for the next few weeks.

'Guessing game'

Richard MacPheeof Woodville Mills near Cardigan, P.E.I., is also looking forward to getting his season underway. He taps about 500 trees per season.

"We haven't tapped yet, but we are watching the weather very closely," MacPhee said.

"It is a guessing game," he said. He looks at his historical data andthe long-range forecast, and triesto predict how long the season may be.

"Traditionallyit's run into April, and if we tap too earlyyour tap holes will dry up before you get that early April run, so it's a guessing game when to tap. Once the trees are tapped, you're committed," he shared.

'You have to be prepared'

The length of the season can vary from year to year, depending on the weather usually from three to as long as six weeks.

"Ifthe conditions are right, a lot of sap can come in quickly, and you have to prepared to do it and process the syrup," MacPhee said.

MacLeod,meantime, hopes to begin making maple syrup as early as this weekend.

"It's pretty good to eat," he said. "It's something I can do with my family every day."

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