Sweeeeeeet!

Feb 03, 2025
By Andrew Joseph
Assistant Editor, North American Content, Farms.com

Image by PublicDomainPictures from Pixabay

First Tapping Ceremonies are a symbolic way to celebrate the beginning of every new maple syrup season.

To celebrate in the Grey Bruce and District, area maple syrup producers have invited several local politicians and political candidates to drill a ceremonial tap in a maple tree and hang a bucket to collect some of the first sap of the 2025 season.

“Every year, we anticipate the start of sap flow in our sugar bushes so we can make more delicious maple syrup for our customers. The First Tapping Ceremony marks the formal start of Ontario’s first agricultural crop of the year. We look forward to another bountiful harvest,” commented Steve Smith, Director for Grey Bruce and District of the Ontario Maple Syrup Producers Association (OMSPA).

Date: Sunday, February 9, 2025
Time: 1:00 PM
Hosted by: Sarah and Mark Nicholls
Location: Nicholls Farms and Maple Products, 267021 South Line B, Grey Highlands

As one of 11 OMSPA Locals, the Grey Bruce and District Chapter represents maple syrup producers in Grey and Bruce Counties as well as those in the northern part of Huron County and the NW portion of Wellington County.

OMSPA is the official voice of sugar makers in the province. OMSPA represents approximately 600 maple syrup producers from across the province who are committed to producing a high-quality product for consumers to enjoy. Members are involved with a wide range of activities organized at the provincial level or through one of the 11 local chapters located across the maple-producing areas of Ontario.

For more information, contact Steve Smith at 416-795-7866 or by email at Gbdistrict.mapleproducers@gmail.com.

Video: California Farm Bureau 2025 Farm Dog of the Year Contest Winner - Willy - CAFB 107th Annual Meeting

Meet Willy: California Farm Bureau’s 2025 Farm Dog of the Year!

We’re excited to introduce Willy, a miniature long-haired dachshund with a big heart and even bigger courage, and the Grand Prize winner of this year’s Farm Dog of the Year Contest!

Willy may be small, but he’s become an indispensable partner on owner Marshal Hagedorn’s forestry and cattle operations in Shasta, Tehama, and Siskiyou counties. Adopted in 2023, he quickly found his place on the ranch, helping manage critters, tagging along for long days in the woods, and offering unwavering companionship during demanding logging work.

Willy has even taken naturally to moving cattle, surprising calves (and more than a few full-grown cows!) with his burst of energy from the tall grass. As Marshal put it: “He goes with me everywhere every single day.”

Congratulations to Willy and his family, a perfect example of how every good farm dog, no matter the size, helps keep California agriculture running strong.