With one of the earliest and most inconsistent seasons ever experienced firmly in the rearview, the County’s irrepressible maple syrup producers hosted Maple in the County last weekend with style.

As usual, thousands of visitors flocked to to maple bushes, sugar shacks and sap shanties to purchase maple goods of all description, taste test syrup on a pancake or two, and reconnect with their agricultural roots, if only for the day.

For the farmers, it took patience and persistence to get through the 2024 syrup season.

At Vader’s Maple Syrup on East Lake, Todd Vader confirmed the season wrapped up just over a week ago. Due to the wildly inconsistent winter weather, tapping started a few days after New Year’s Day and sap collection started in February.

“We did manage to get 100 per cent of a crop,” Mr. Vader said. An abundance of dark and amber syrup this year was attributed to the warm winter. “We were able to boil some light syrup but not nearly as much as the dark and amber.”

Over at LOHA Farms in North Marysburgh, the early season stymied Chris and Jessie Armstrong, but they soon caught up.

“We were caught off guard a little bit this in January but we were able to catch up later in the season,” Mr. Armstrong said. He and Ms. Armstrong hurriedly served up pancakes and sausages to throngs of hungry visitors at the farm on Saturday.

On Sunday, the top secret pancake recipe of the late Margaret Foster had folks lined up out the door at the Fosterholm Farms sap house. Another welcome sight was family patriarch, Clifford Foster, who welcomed guests both new and old with a warm smile and friendly handshake.

“We will be sure to see you next year!” Mr. Clifford exclaimed as he sold yet another half dozen taffy tarts to a delighted visitor.