Sugaring Off!

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By News Canada

Canadian Traditions- It's sugaring off time again

(NC)-Why not celebrate the arrival of spring by taking your family to a maple syrup festival?

Most people know that maple syrup is sweet syrup made from the sap of maple trees and often enjoyed with pancakes or French toast.

Lucky for us, Canada has a lot of maple trees and we are one of the world's largest producers of maple syrup. The vast majority comes from Quebec but Ontario, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick farms also produce maple syrup.

Traditionally, maple syrup was made by tapping a maple tree and letting the sap run into a bucket. It's during this 'sugaring off' time in the spring that many maple syrup farms and communities roll out the red carpet and invite visitors to enjoy fun family activities and delicious maple syrup foods. Activities include horse drawn sleigh and wagon rides and maple syrup demonstrations. There are usually pancake breakfasts as well as traditional music and special activities that put the focus on local culture and history.

To find a maple syrup farm and/or festival near you, search online for 'maple festival', 'maple syrup' or 'sugar shacks'. Also, visit www.northamericanmaple.org, www.bonjourquebec.com and www.ontariomaple.com. And, for more delicious maple syrup recipes, visit www.robinhood.ca.