The Kemptville Agroforestry Educational Centre is back in the maple syrup game.
After four years the maple facility is running again thanks to new ownership. Frank Heerkens is responsible for the sugarbush’s reopening after it was closed when the University of Guelph left the Kemptville Campus. Last year Heerkens repaired the vacuum tubes and trucked the sap back to his On the Bend Sugar Shack in Chesterville for processing.
Through an ongoing agreement with the University of Guelph Heerkens and his team have restarted a state-of-the-art oil-fired boiler at the Agroforestry Centre. The Vice President of the Ontario Maple Producers’ Association says he hopes to see residents stop in and see the restoration they’ve done to the forest.
Syrupmaker Peter Wensink says while sap flow has been high a wet and cloudy summer is resulting in less sugar content, which will likely mean an average year if the trends continue. Heerkens is confident the Municipality of North Grenville will keep production on going now that they own the campus, before adding hopefully for years to come.