BRENDA O’FARRELLThe 1019 Report Dozens of maple syrup operators across the province opened their doors to the public last Sunday to mark the Journée Nationale de l’Érable, a celebration of the iconic Quebec product and how it is fuelling a growing agricultural sector. Among the maple producers participating in the event was the Érablière St-Henri, one of the largest commercial maple operations in the region that is nestled along the side of Rigaud Mountain in Ste. Marthe. François Beliveau, one of the co-owners of the operation, took the occasion to welcome visitors into his self-styled syrup-making museum, a room behind the outlet’s dining area where artifacts of a long history of maple syrup traditions are kept. The Érablière St-Henri began producing maple syrup in the 1940s. After a time, the operation ceased. In the late 1980s, however, the production was restarted, and expanded to include a commercial venue that serves traditional sugar-shack meals. Today, the maple operation taps 20,000 trees, welcomes guests in its restaurant and sells a list of maple products. According to the Producteurs et productrices acéricoles du Québec, the province’s maple syrup producers group, the Journée Nationale de l’Érable encourages consumers to learn about the production of maple syrup, and encourages the purchase of maple products and for consumers to incorporate them in their cooking. There are about 8,400 maple syrup producers in the province, according to the association, which operate 55.5 million taps, making Quebec the largest exporter of syrup in the world. Cutline:François Beliveau, a co-owner of Érablièr St-Henri in Ste. Marthe, shows visitors wooden moulds that were used to form maple sugar bars in the early days of maple production during an open house event last Sunday to mark the Journée Nationale de l’Érable. Credit:The 1019 Report You are unauthorized to view this page.
