Maple syrup sales off to slow start
The bottles of premium-quality maple syrup are neatly lined up inside a shed at the Lansdowne Outdoor Recreation Development Association park.
But sales have been slow this year for park curator Jim Crawford, who collects the maple sap in plastic buckets fixed to trees close to where he’s been camping out this winter.
Money earned from maple syrup sales helps cover expenses at the park, which is designed to be accessible for both people with disabilities and the elderly.
“It’s just the way it is I guess, there’s not much we can do about it,” said Crawford.
He was hopeful that sales will pick up heading into the spring, but the park was deserted and chilly on Saturday afternoon. Snow still lay on the ground and many trees were bare.
As Crawford spoke, he showed The News the buckets where maple sap is collected, which is then poured into barrels. Some buckets have lines leading back to the camp where they connect to a barrel.
The syrup sales are a major fundraiser and Crawford did not know why there had been no sales as of Saturday afternoon, as people preferred this year’s maple product over last year’s.
Other revenue streams for the LORDA park include a fishing pond where each fish costs $2, which helps pay for liability insurance.
Otherwise, the park does not charge for camping or fishing on its grounds, but encourages people to make voluntary donations.