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Local Executives and Board Representatives
Frank Heerkens – President (Provincial Board 1st Vice President)
Jules Rochon – Vice President (Provincial Board Director)
Bryan Exley – Past President (CHEO contact person)
Ozwald Linton – Director – CHEO physical ground organizer
Angela Coleman – Director (meeting host organizer, info day hostess)
Pam French – Director – auction fund raising organizer
Richard Mcmillan – Director - Russel Fair organizer
Sheri Gallinger – Director - meeting organizer
Gary Gallinger – Director - Treasurer
Fay Gallinger – Director - Treasurer and Maple Weekend assistant
Claude Castonguay – Directeur (francophone ambassador)
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Spotlight on a Local Producer
The McM Family Farm
The McM Family Farm
13770 Grace Road, Chesterville, Ontario
This Spotlight on Producer Edition focuses on The McM Family Farm located at 13770 Grace Road in Chesterville, Ontario and proudly owned and operated by Richard McMillan and family.
Maple syrup was first produced on Richard’s property at RR#1 Chesterville by James McMillan around 1900. Production continued by his son, John, as well as his grandsons Glenn, Grant and Earle until the late 1940’s. At that time, with the end of sugar rationing, John and the family found that it was no longer financially viable to continue.
It was later in the mid 1970’s Earle started making syrup as a hobby on the McMillan property but in a different bush. After Earle passed in 1986, Richard took over and continued to produce.
Numerous upgrades have been made over the years. The McM Family Farm now collects sap using a tubing system, vacuum and pumps. They concentrate the sap using reverse osmosis and boil the concentrate on a fan forced, wood fired evaporator. Nearly all of their syrup is sold and enjoyed locally.
The family involvement is continuing as Richard’s son William (Bill) and his grandsons Jacob and Tristan are involved in this favourite family springtime tradition.
You have to check out their Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/MCM-Family-Farm-353136608482901/., where you will find everything from awesome maple recipes and pictures of the sugar bush throughout the season. Richard has overseen production at the sugar bush and camp over the course of the last 40 years! Their operation is located nearly 1 km from his house and the road, but rest assured, they do have an access via an all weather laneway. The operation is managed by Richard and his son, but many other extended members of the family including his sister and a few of the cousins always come out to lend a hand during the busy maple season, as is the true tradition of the Ontario family maple sugar bush experience. Together they manage approximately 1800 taps, all on vacuum.
The maple bush on The McM Family Farm consists of a good mix – 60% soft maple and 40% sugar maple which provides that beautiful and splendid flavour to their product. Richard prefers to sell all his production as pure maple syrup, no product transformation here, as he prefers to sell that magnificent syrup in all its original splendor! Although there are not any planned and advertised official public activities given the location of both the sugar bush and the sugar house, Richard and his crew welcome any customers wanting to stop by and visit during syrup season and, of course, they never leave without at least one bottle of this pure Sweet Ontario Maple Syrup. And, in Keeping it Sweet! – The McM Family Farm now has started keeping honeybees and now sell a limited amount of honey, along with their Pure Ontario Maple syrup.
OMSPA is proud to include The McM Family Farm as one of its members, hats off to Richard and his crew, and keep up the great work!!
Grandfather, John, taken in the mid 1940's
The MCM Family Farm Sugar House Fall 2019
Richard and his grandson, Tristan working together during maple season
La ferme familiale McM
13770, chemin Grace, Chesterville, Ontario
Cette édition Pleins feux sur les producteurs se concentre sur la ferme familiale McM située au 13770 Grace Road à Chesterville, en Ontario et fièrement détenue et exploitée par Richard McMillan et sa famille.
Le sirop d’érable a été produit pour la première fois sur la propriété de Richard au RR # 1 Chesterville par James McMillan vers 1900. Son fils, John a continué cette pratique, ainsi que ses petits-fils Glenn, Grant et Earle jusqu’à la fin des années 40. À ce moment-là, avec la fin du rationnement du sucre, John et la famille ont constaté qu'il n'était plus viable financièrement de continuer.
C’est plus tard au milieu des années 1970 qu’Earle a commencé à produire du sirop comme passe-temps sur la propriété McMillan, mais dans un autre boisé. Après le décès d'Earle en 1986, Richard a pris le relais et a continué la production de sirop.
De nombreuses améliorations ont été apportées au fil des années. La ferme familiale McM collecte maintenant la sève à l'aide d'un système de tuyauterie, d'un système à vide et de pompes. Ils concentrent la sève par osmose inversé et font bouillir le concentré sur un évaporateur à bois à air forcé. Presque tout leur sirop est vendu et apprécié localement.
La relève de la famille se poursuit alors que le fils de Richard, William (Bill) et ses petits-fils Jacob et Tristan sont impliqués dans leurs tradition printanière familiale préférée.
Vous devez consulter leur page Facebook à: https://www.facebook.com/MCM-Family-Farm-353136608482901/., Où vous trouverez de tout, des recettes à l'érable impressionnantes et des photos de l'érablière durant la saison des sucres. Richard a œuvré à l`opération de l'érablière au cours des 40 dernières années! Leur exploitation est située à environ 1 km de sa maison et de la route, mais rassurez-vous, ils ont un accès par une petite route des champs toutes saisons. L'opération est gérée par Richard et son fils, mais de nombreux autres membres de la famille, dont sa sœur et quelques-uns des cousins, viennent toujours prêter main-forte pendant la saison acéricole bien remplie, comme le veut la vraie tradition de la famille acéricole de l'Ontario. Ensemble, ils gèrent environ 1800 entailles, le tout sous un système à vide.
L'érablière de la ferme familiale McM se compose d'un bon mélange - 60% d'érable rouge et 40% d'érable à sucre qui donne cette belle et splendide saveur à leur produit. Richard préfère vendre toute sa production sous forme de sirop d'érable pur, pas de transformation de produit ici, car il préfère vendre ce magnifique sirop dans toute sa splendeur d'origine! Bien qu'il n'y ait aucune activité publique officielle prévue et annoncée, étant donné l'emplacement de l'érablière et de la cabane à sucre, Richard et son équipe accueillent tous les clients souhaitant s'arrêter et visiter pendant la saison du sirop et, bien sûr, ils ne partent jamais sans une bouteille de ce sirop d'érable pur sucré de l'Ontario. En parlant de sucré! - La ferme familiale McM a maintenant commencé à garder des abeilles et vend maintenant une quantité limitée de miel, ainsi que son sirop d'érable Pure de l`Ontario.
L'AAO est fière d'inclure La ferme familiale McM comme l'un de ses membres, chapeau à Richard et son équipe, et continuez votre excellent travail !!
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Phone: (613) 446-5670
or
Phone: (613) 912-2014.
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Event : Request for Expressions of Interest (EOI)
Maple Tapping – Howard S. Mitchell Forest (Dalkeith Ontario)
EOI No: 2020-EOI-1
Issued: October 2, 2020
Submission Deadline: October 23, 2020
Introduction
The United Counties of Stormont Dundas & Glengarry (SDG) owns and manages 3,952 hectares of forest in eastern Ontario. The Corporation of the United Counties of Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry is requesting expressions of interest from maple syrup producers for tapping the Howard. S. Mitchell Tract, located near Dalkeith Ontario.
Howard S. Mitchell Tract:
The Howard S. Mitchell Tract is comprised of natural upland hardwood forest and conifer plantations. The upland forest is dominated by Sugar Maple and has historically been used for maple syrup production. The Counties wish to resume maple syrup production in this forest following a light thinning to remove diseased and low-quality hardwoods.
Forest Management Objectives:
All-aged management for diverse tolerant hardwoods, increase proportion of acceptable grow stock and medium and large sawlogs.
Current Prescription:
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Reduce basal area by up to one-third.
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Maintain minimum basal area of 18 m2/ha.
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Remove majority of ash and beech trees to retain scattered healthy pole-wood-sized trees on suitable sites.
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Potential for maple tapping after harvest: large maples classed as unacceptable growing stock can be retained if likely to thrive for 15 years.
Total Estimated Harvest Volume: 894.25 m3
Potential for Maple Tapping:
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Area 33.7 hectares
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Total Number of Taps:
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Traditional Standards: 3,740
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Conservative Standards: 2,173
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Note: The thinning prescription provides the option to retain large diameter Sugar Maple marked for removal.
Expression of Interest Requirements:
Interested parties are invited to respond to this Expression of Interest by submitting a letter to the United Counties of Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry that includes, at a minimum, the following information:
Section A: Cover Letter
Section B: Statement of Qualifications
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General Background and Overview
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Personnel
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Financial Capabilities
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Insurance
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Understanding of the Proposal
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Related Experience
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Partners (if any)
Section C: Proposal
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General Overview
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Schedule of Proposed Thinning Operations
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Compensation for Forest Products ($/m3)
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Schedule for Maple Sap Production
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Estimate of Number of Taps
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Equipment to be used.
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Rate of Payment per Tap ($/tap/year)
If a proposal is accepted by County Council, the successful firm will be required to sign a timber sales contract for thinning operations and a long-term lease agreement for tapping with SDG for a period not exceeding ten years. In the event that there is insufficient interest or unsatisfactory EOI’s are received, the United Counties of Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry may, but is not obligated to, reissue the EOI or initiate an alternative bidding opportunity.
Please note that all information supplied to the United Counties of Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry becomes the property of the Counties and is subject to the provisions of the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act. Please note the name and contact information of interested parties will be made public. Disclosure of any other information will be made in accordance with the Act. The Proponent must identify any information that is submitted in confidence.
Respondents are solely responsible for all expenses associated with responding to this EOI. Responses to this EOI will not be returned.
Responses should be delivered by hand, regular mail, facsimile or email to the following location before the date identified above.
United Counties of Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry
Transportation and Planning Services
c/o Karen McDonell, CPPB , Purchasing Coordinator
26 Pitt Street. Suite 223
Cornwall, ON K6J 3P2
Fax: 613-936-2913