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As Canadians, we all get excited during the early spring months as the maple trees are ready to tap and extract that beautiful sugary sap to boil down and turn into maple syrup. But did you know, there's another delicious way to consume sap?

WHAT IS MAPLE WATER?

As the name suggests, both maple syrup and maple water come from the same source: maple trees.

Maple tree water, known more commonly as "sap", is a thin, clear, liquid by-product of the natural growth process of maple trees. Maple trees draw moisture up through their roots and trunk and acts as a natural filter while also adding nutrients and a subtle sweetness to the water. This sap is stored in the tree all winter, providing the tree with hydration and nourishment that it needs for growth and rejuvenation in the Spring.

 

MAPLE WATER IS SUSTAINABLY HARVESTED

Maple tree water harvesting requires just the right temperatures. Temperatures need to be below zero at night but above zero during the day to collect maple sap. The cool spring air means the trees still have stores of energy from winter, while the thawing of the earth provides warmth for the sap to flow freely. For this reason, early Spring (during March and early April) is the ideal time to collect maple sap. 

Maple tree water harvesting practices are sustainable and eco-friendly. The maple tree harvest process, when done correctly, does not harm the maple trees and allows them to continue to produce sap throughout their natural lives, which is up to 200 years, without disrupting underground water resources (and, as a bonus, it naturally absorbs CO2 the whole time, which is a win for the environment!). 

Maple sap production also helps keep hardwood forests standing and healthy, rather than cutting them down for lumber or development.

NATURALLY SWEET & NUTRIENT RICH

Maple tree water is naturally sweet and enriched with a number of nutrients. While sap travels up and down the maple tree, it collects a variety of minerals, electrolytes and amino acids from the Earth such as magnesium, potassium, calcium, and zinc which work to boost immune health. 

SAPSUCKER'S INNOVATIVE SPARKLING MAPLE WATER

Innovative businesses have seen the opportunity to turn maple tree water into a game-changing beverage and Sapsucker is one of these businesses that has definitely changed the hydration game! Whether you use it in place of sodas or tonics in your favourite cocktail recipes or choose to sip it straight from the can, Sapsucker's sparkling maple water is not only unexpectedly refreshing, but incredibly delicious! 

Sapsucker is an organic, plant-based sparkling tree water that contains no added sugar with only 7 grams of naturally occurring sugar (this is half that of coconut water!). Sapsucker's beverages are slightly carbonated with a "subtle bubble" for easy drinking.

Sapsucker comes in a variety of flavours including: The Lemon One, The Lime One, The Original One, The Grapefruit One, and The Orange One with a new addition coming VERY soon that we can't wait to get our hands on for you to enjoy.

Sapsucker is truly locally-tapped. It is made from maple trees tapped right here in Ontario at farms, located just 40 minutes outside of Toronto.

Sapsucker passionately supports local farmers and as a result, their maple water has a lower carbon footprint than other plant-based beverages on the market. Sapsucker doesn't use underground aquifers which means that the water in your Sapsucker can originates as rain and ambient moisture in the air and soil.

Sapsucker's maple water is also gluten-free, preservative-free, sodium-free, nut-free, soy-free, GMO-free, vegan, and contains 46 naturally occurring nutrients, minerals and electrolytes that support immune health.

Try their sparkling maple water, available by the case from 100km Foods!

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Brenda and Wes Sovereign from Sovereign Farms recently retired from farming and the farm is now under new ownership! We wanted to thank Brenda and Wes for their years of partnership with 100km Foods producing greenhouse tomatoes, as well as many varieties of zucchini, peppers, and beans!

We also wanted to take this opportunity to introduce you to the new owners of the newly named Boston Springs Farms and share their story.

Debbie Scheeringa is passionate about horticulture, and it was a long-held dream of hers to run a family farm.

A few years ago, Debbie and her husband Shane began searching for farms in the Southern Ontario region. It was around this time that Brenda and Wes Sovereign, who have been farmers for many years, decided it was time to sell their farm and retire.

Debbie and Shane were viewing at a recreational horse farm near Sovereign when their realtor mentioned offhand that a farm nearby might be of interest to them.

They met Wes and Brenda and instantly hit it off. Debbie and Shane liked the idea of an established farm, and it was important to Brenda to sell their beloved farm and greenhouse operation to a family who wanted to continue to use the land for agricultural production!

Debbie, Shane and their two children moved up to Sovereign Farm this past winter. Brenda is on hand each week to help Debbie and Shane with the transition for this first growing season.

They also employ a team of dedicated, hard working and efficient migrant labourers from Jamaica who have been a tremendous source of support as Debbie and Shane learn more about greenhouses and field crops!

The New Boston Springs Farms Operation

We went up to visit Boston Springs Farms this week to learn more about their current operation, as well as get a sense of their future.

Upon arriving at Boston Springs Farms, we were greeted by Shadow and Luna, their two friendly dogs. We also briefly met some new kittens. After meeting their kids, Debbie and Shane took us around the greenhouses and the farm.

Their energetic young son Nolan also accompanied us on this adventure – he’s a mischievous vegetable lover known to pilfer tomatoes, rhubarb, and zucchini on occasion!

Boston Spring's Tomato Greenhouse

Boston Spring's Farms' main crop is greenhouse tomatoes. These are the grape tomatoes, mosaic, beefsteak, roma, and heirloom tomatoes you all know and love! 

Boston Springs has faced some challenges in their first season. Controlling temperatures in the tomato greenhouse has been very tricky. Tomato greenhouse production has been slower than usual because of the lack of sunlight.

Although Boston Springs is an older greenhouse, it’s a very efficient facility. Debbie showed us the computer system that monitors the PH levels of the soil, temperature, and humidity to maintain optimal growing conditions.

The optimal temperature for a tomato greenhouse is 18-19 degrees Celsius! We all know about the importance of sunlight in farming, but did you know moonlight is also a very important.

The greenhouse tomatoes are picked by labourers who sit on little carts that run on tracks between them.

They use integrated, natural pest control methods for the micro climate of the greenhouse. Situated around the greenhouses are mullen plants. Mullen plants are the homes of the parasitoid wasps that keep caterpillar infestations at bay.

They do this by laying their eggs inside the caterpillar, and once the wasps hatch, they devour the caterpillars from the inside out. Kind of gross, kind of cool, kind of sinister, yet very efficient!

Boston Springs Farms also have lots of bumblebee homes in the greenhouse to aid with flower pollination.

They also have some field crops outside of their tomato greenhouse including zucchini, beans, and hot peppers!

For a relatively small acreage, the farm is very productive!

The Future of Boston Springs Farm

Though they are still quite busy getting into farming, Debbie has many exciting plans for the future of their farm!

She's keen to experiment with new varieties and crops that may do well with their soil type and weather patterns. A new variety of zucchini they’re growing this season is Ishtar zucchini, a light green, sweeter Lebanese variety.

Debbie and Shane are transitioning towards using even more ecological practices to ensure top notch, healthy soil quality.

Debbie and Shane know that there will be challenges ahead, but they feel excited to meet them. They also noted the generosity of the new farming community they’ve entered.

Debbie and Shane both stressed how helpful helpful fellow farmers have been in answering questions, helping out, and teaching! Shane told us farmers markets have quickly become a valuable hub for impromptu troubleshooting as challenges arise.

We are really looking forward to continuing to work with Debbie and Shane and their tomato greenhouse, and we wish all the best for Brenda and Wes in their retirement!

Many thanks to Debbie and Shane for hosting us on their farm.

Checkout their producer profile and available products!

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