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This Quarterly Spotlight on Producer we sat down with François Brunet:

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François Brunet

Domaine Chalinelle / Représentant LS Bilodeau

22400, Glen Robertson Road, Glen Robertson, Ontario, K0B 1H0

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Nous sommes situés dans la région sud-est de l’Ontario, un secteur propice à la production de sirop d’érable. L’agrotourisme se développe de plus en plus dans Prescott-Russell et nous collaborons avec différents secteurs de l’industrie agroalimentaire afin d’accroître notre présence sur le marché tant avec le produit brute, le sirop d’érable qu’avec nos produits dérivés (beurre d’érables, caramel, sucre, noix, bonbons, tartes, etc.).

We are located in the southeastern region of Ontario, an area conducive to maple syrup production. Agritourism is developing more and more in Prescott-Russell, and we are collaborating with various sectors of the agri-food industry to increase our presence on the market with the raw product, maple syrup and with our derivative products (maple butter, caramel, sugar, nuts, sweets, pies, etc.).

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La production de sirop d’érable fait partie de la famille depuis 4 générations. Le processus a évolué et innové avec les années, en passant par la récolte de l’eau d’érable à la main à l’aide de sceaux et de chevaux jusqu’à aujourd’hui avec la fine pointe de la technologie. Cependant, le même bon goût de cuisson au bois fait partie de nos meilleures pratiques.

Maple syrup production has been part of the family for 4 generations. The process has evolved and innovated over the years, from harvesting maple water by hand with buckets and horses until today with the cutting edge technology. However, the same good taste of wood cooking is part of our best practices.

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Nous sommes une entreprise familiale présentement en collaboration entre la 3e et 4e génération.

Ma femme (Joëlle Roy) et moi (François Brunet) sommes à temps plein dans l’entreprise avec la participation de nos 2 filles (Caroline Brunet et Natacha Brunet) ainsi que leurs conjoints.

Que ce soit l’entretien de l’érablière, la production du sirop d’érable et la transformation de celui-ci en produits dérivés, nous y trouvons tous notre place.

 

We are a family business currently in collaboration between the3rd and4th generation.

My wife (Joëlle Roy) and I (François Brunet) are full-time in the company with the participation of our 2 daughters (Caroline Brunet and Natacha Brunet) and their spouses.

Whether it is the maintenance of the sugar bush, the production of maple syrup and the transformation of it into by-products, we all find our place.

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Nous avons agrandi l’érablière avec les années en passant de la récolte de l’eau d’érable à la main jusqu’à la tubulure depuis quelques années. Présentement, nous avons 1500 entailles sur tubulure et nous travaillons à atteindre plus de 20 000 entailles d’ici quelques années avec la participation de nos filles et leurs conjoints. Il s’agit un projet familial dont nous désirons garder ainsi pour les futures générations à venir.

 

We have expanded the sugar bush over the years from harvesting maple water by hand to tubing in recent years. Currently, we have 1500 taps on tubing, and we are working to reach more than 20,000 taps within a few years with the participation of our daughters and their spouses. This is a family project that we want to keep for future generations to come.

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Dorénavant, nous recueillons l’eau d’érable à l’aide de tubulure. Nous transportons cette eau d’érable à la cabane à sucre à l’aide de remorques et tracteurs. Une fois à la cabane à sucre, nous entreposons l’eau d’érable que nous passons par la suite à travers une osmose et ensuite bouillie sur un feu de bois à l’aide d’un appareil à la fine pointe de la technologie.

 

From now on, we collect maple water using tubing. We transport this maple water to the sugar shack using trailers and tractors. Once at the sugar shack, we store the maple water that we then pass through an osmosis and then boiled on a wood fire using a state-of-the-art evaporator.

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Nous avons un système de tubulure à l’aide de pompe à vacuum située à l’érablière. L’eau recueillie dans les bassins sera transportée à la cabane à sucre afin d’être transformée en sirop d’érable.

 

We have a tubing system using vacuum pump located at the sugar bush. The water collected in the basins will be transported to the sugar shack to be transformed into maple syrup.

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Nous avons seulement un type d’érables, soit à bois dur.

 

We only have one type of maple, hardwood sugar maple.

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Lors de la construction de la nouvelle cabane à sucre, nous avons prévus une section pour la transformation du sirop d’érable en plusieurs produits dérivés. Voici la liste se tous les produits que nous transformons :

• Beurre d’érable

• Caramel à l’érable

• Sucre d’érable mou

• Sucre d’érable dur

• Sucre d’érable fin

• Cassonnade à l’érable

• Gelée d’érable

• Bonbons à l’érable

• Fudge à l’érable

• Cornet à l’érable

• Tarte au sirop d’érable et avec variétés de noix

• Et autres

 

During the construction of the new sugar shack, we planned a section for the processing of maple syrup into several by-products. Here is the list of all the products we process:

• Maple butter

• Maple caramel

• Soft maple sugar

• Hard maple sugar

• Fine maple sugar

• Maple brown sugar

• Maple jelly

• Maple candy

• Maple Fudge

• Maple cornet

• Maple syrup pie with nut varieties

• And others

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Nous sommes aussi propriétaires d’un centre équestre offrant un service de pensions, randonnées équestres et cours. Nous avons un projet d’ouvrir éventuellement la cabane à sucre au public pour dégustation et ventes de produits d’érable ainsi que la possibilité de faire une promenade en traîneau avec les chevaux.

Nous participons aussi à des foires agroalimentaires dans la région afin de faire connaître notre entreprise et vendre nos produits.

Nous offrons le service de bouillage à forfait. Il s’agit d’une entente entre un producteur qui envoie son eau d’érable ou son concentré d’eau d’érable chez un producteur ou dans un centre de bouillage pour qu’il soit transformé en sirop d’érable.

 

De plus, je suis représentant pour l’entreprise LS Bilodeau, fabriquant/distributeur de produits acéricoles, produits de chauffage, produits en acier et autres. Je couvre le territoire de l’est ontarien ainsi que le sud-ouest du Québec.

 

We also own an equestrian center offering a service of pensions, equestrian hikes, and courses. We have a plan to eventually open the sugar shack to the public for tasting and selling maple products as well as the opportunity to take a sleigh ride with the horses.

We also participate in agri-food fairs in the region to promote our company and sell our products.

We offer the boiling service on a contract basis. It is an agreement between a producer who sends his maple water or maple water concentrate to a producer or to a boiling center for processing into maple syrup.

In addition, I am a representative for LS Bilodeau, manufacturer/distributor of maple products, heating products, steel products and others. I cover the territory of eastern Ontario as well as southwestern Quebec.

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We thank François Brunet for taking the time to share information on his maple operation with us. OMSPA is proud to shine the Spotlight on Francois Brunet as one of its members, hats off to François and his crew, and we encourage you to keep up the great work!

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EASTERN ONTARIO MAPLE DAY

Sand Road Maple Farm - Saturday, November 19, 2022

 

 8:00 a.m. – 9:00 a.m.                   Registration at the Door & Membership Info

View exhibits and opening bids in our silent auction

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Program Details:

9:00 – 9:15                         Welcoming Opening

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9:15 – 9:45                         Eastern Local Annual General Meeting

- Year end review report, review of finances, small review of web archives.

 

9:45 – 10:15                      Exhibitor Introductions & Networking Break

- Meet our local suppliers providing the latest in equipment, products, and services for maple operations of all sizes.

- Participate in our silent auction for rare and hard to find maple items you aren’t likely to see very often.

 

10:00 – 11:00                   Carbon credit section

                                    -Paul Renaud – Paul specializes as a consultant for carbon related issues.

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- A quick overview about how the trees accumulate carbon, how to calculate carbon credits and how this could benefit Omspa members.

-Question period included.

 

11:00 – 11:30                   RTO – regional tourism Ontario

- Bonnie Ruddock , RTO 9 executive director.

- Bonnie will explain how RTO operates and she will explain how they can help maple syrup producers

- Also overview about how maple industry can become a tourist attraction.

 

11:30 – 12:00                   OMSPA Update

- Frank Heerkens President of OMSPA , Randal Goodfellow provincial government and governance rep, vp.

- Updates on what your provincial organization is currently working on and our successes.

-Follow up on maple sector development study leading to upcoming strategic plan review. Pilars discussion included.

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12:00 – 1:00                      Lunch Break & Networking

- Enjoy a fabulous hot lunch provided by Sand Road Maple Farm including pancakes, bacon, sausage, beans, scrambled eggs, home fries, and coffee or juice.

 

1:00 – 2:00                         Electric evaporators and Nectar production

- Steve O’farell and Maryse Bernier from CDL. 

- Overview of this technology and how it works. Comparison carbon emission vs other evaporators.

- Review Nectar development process in relation with electric evaporator.

- Question period included

 

2:00 – 2:25                          Economic Development

- John Candie from PR economic development. 

- John will discuss what this organization is all about and how they can help maple syrup producers.

- Question period included

 

2:25 – 2:45                          Forest Replanting and Derecho update

- Cheyenne Brunet South Nation Conservation authority. 

- Jules Rochon and Jean St-Pierre (Boise-Est) will do a very quick summary about Derecho situation.

- Cheyene Brunet will discuss about the tree planting project.

 

2:45 – 3:00                          Networking Break

- Meet with the dealers again for additional questions or to catch up on summer maple news.

- Pam to remind about updating your final bid in our silent auction to ensure you go home with the items you want.

 

3:00 - 3:15                           Omafra update

- Jenny Liu OMAFRA Maple, Tree Nut, and Agroforestry Specialist. 

- Via zoom pre-recorded Jenny will provide clarification on labelling and packaging regulations for maple syrup substitutes.  Question period included.

 

 

 

3:15 – 3:40                         Dealer Presentations

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- Short presentations from the various dealers on what is new and improved in their various product lines.

 

3:40 – 3:45                         Maple Weekend-Fall in love with Maple events Update

- Anne Zoeller, Eastern Chair

- With producers from most of the 11 OMSPA Locals now participating in these provincial events, Anne will give a quick review.

 

3:45 – 4:00                         Closing and Adjourn

- Oswald Linton, Pam French and Rick Mcmillan

- Quick reminder of upcoming activities  and closure.

                Possible chainsaw course and other courses, first tapping event, Maple Weekend.

- Auction closure and payments, Pam to report winners of door prizes if available.

 

 

 

Safe journey home everyone and best of luck

with the 2023 sugaring season.

Save the postage!

New memberships and renewals accepted.

 

Registration Fee for the day (includes an awesome sugar shack style hot lunch)

Members $35.00 / Non-Members $45.00 (join OMSPA for members’ rate)

Children 12 and under $20

Presenters only will receive free admission. Dealers (members) will pay membership admission fee.

 

Directions from Ottawa

Take Highway 417 east toward Cornwall. Just after Casselman, take Highway 138 (Cornwall exit 58) and head south for 10 km. After the sign for Moose Creek you will see a sign for Sand Road. Turn right on Sand Road, and we're on the south (left) side.

 

Directions from Cornwall

Take Highway 138 north and continue 5 km past Monkland (County Road 43). Turn left on Sand Road from Highway 138. We're on the south (left) side. Watch for our signs.

 

Eastern Local 2019 Board of Directors:

 

Jules Rochon, President                                                               Anne Zoeller, Director , Provincial director

Nathalie Castonguay, Vice Pres.,                                             Frank Heerkens, past president, Prov director

Richard McMillan, Director                                                         Claude Castonguay, Director

Oswald Linton, Director                                                               Pam French, Director

Angela Coleman, Director                                                           Gary Gallinger, Secretary/ Treasurer

Sherry Gallinger, director                                                           

 

For further information please contact: fh@sympatico.ca , jules.rochon@videotron.ca

 

For more information on maple in Eastern Ontario visit: https://www.omspa.ca/eastern

 

Many thanks to our local maple syrup equipment dealers and realtor rep for their support!

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May 10, 2022

We are still offering the following two seminars this fall. Last year pandemic kind of kept everybody at home and there was not enough registered people for us to host the seminars. We believe  and hope that this year we should have enough people join for us to give the seminars.

 

Beginners course

The Beginners course will take place on Oct 15, 2022 at Sand Road Maple Farm. It is expected to run from 9 am to 3 pm with lunch and refreshments provided.

The topics covered will be: 

• Tree identification and tapping

• Sap handling and storage

• Boiling

• Density

• Filtering and bottling

• Regulations and grading

A number of equipment dealers will be present to display and discuss maple syrup equipment for beginners.

The fee will be $30 for OMSPA members and $45 for non-members.

If you would like to participate, please contact Gary at 613-448-2742 or Frank Heerkens @frankheerkens@gmail.com. Pre-registration deadline is September 2,2022.

 

Maple Judging Course

The Maple Judging Course will take place on Oct 16, 2022 at Sand Road Maple Farm. It should run from 9:30am to 3:00pm.

It will be facilitated by Brian Bainborough, and will cover density, colour and clarity as well as detecting off-flavours.

The fee will be $40 for OMSPA members and $55 for non- members. This fee will include lunch.

Participants should bring one 250ml Kent bottle of their syrup to be used at the event.

If you would like to participate,  please contact Anne Zoeller at afzoeller@gmail.com. Pre-registration deadline is September 2,2022.

 

OMSPA Strategic planning

              We have been looking at this project for the last months and it is moving along quite well. Some very informative reporting sessions are still happening. We should be getting into next phase in the upcoming month or so. Stay tuned and stay abreast by reading omspa.ca website for further developments.

 

Summer tour

             It was a great success!!

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Do not forget to check in on our fall festival Film. Check the website for more info.  https://www.ontariomaple.com/fall-in-love-with-maple/

If you would like to participate in either festivals or just for information on these festivals,  please contact Anne Zoeller at afzoeller@gmail.com. Anne has been our Eastern champion for some time, she knows everything about these two festivals.

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Infoday

Even though its summer we still want to have an interesting infoday. Our tentative day this year is Nov 19th and we already have a couple of presenters lined up. Put this in your calendar. If you have any subject of interest that you would like us to think about, please email me or any of our directors with some ideas….if there is a large influx of ideas we will need to toss a coin. Any don’t be shy and respond to any of the directors.

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Merci, many thanks,

Jules Rochon

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This year, the Fall In Love With Maple/L'Amour de L'Érable en Couleur event will run from September 24-October 2, and it looks like it will be a wonderful opportunity.

With the International Plowing Match taking place in Kemptville this year, the FILM event will have the potential to attract visitors from all areas. It is our second year holding this event, and we hope it will be a great success for our participating producers.

 

There will be some information about FILM in the next E-News, but here is some background. We hope to take advantage of the warm days before winter sets in to welcome visitors to our sugar houses. They will get the opportunity to see the forest, learn about maple syrup production and purchase maple products directly from the producer. Since we won't be producing syrup at this time of year, it might give the visitors a good chance to interact and ask questions.

Visitors can have the opportunity to walk through the forest, sample products, and learn from the hosts. Every producer will have a different operation and a different experience, so visits to many different producers will be encouraged. 

 

For those OMSPA members interested, the cost will be $50.00. A profile of your sugar operation will be available on the Fall In Love With Maple website, and a map will show your location.

 

If you would like to participate, please let me know via email at afzoeller@gmail.com and, as usual, the earlier your profile is available the better for website views.

 

We hope that this becomes a favorite Fall outing for the public and leads to many repeat visits to our OMSPA producers.

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Anne

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Membership renewal for 2023

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Note that you now can renew for up to 2 years! If you know of someone who wants to join, please pass on the info:

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1.      You can renew online at the omspa.ca site:  https://www.omspa.ca/become-a-member

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2.      You can also call our executive director John Williams who will be more than happy to help out. 

 

          Email at: admin@ontariomaple.com or call at: 613-258-2294

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3.      You can call one of our EOMSPA Directors from our web page for assistance:

         https://www.omspa.ca/eastern

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PLEASE NOTE:  AS OF MARCH 31ST, CURRENT MEMBERS WHO HAVE NOT RENEWED THEIR MEMBERSHIPS WILL CEASE TO RECEIVE NEW ASSOCIATION INFORMATION