Maple syrup is a natural sweetener made from the sap of the sugar maple, a deciduous tree found in abundance in the Northeastern North America.

The Amerindians were the first to discover the secret of the maple tree. According to well-known Quebec botanist Frère Marie-Victorin (founder of the Montreal Botanical Gardens), early First Nations people discovered maple syrup by observing that red squirrels licked the sap off branches cracked by frost in winter. The warmth of the spring sun evaporated some of the water in the sap, making it even sweeter. Long before European explorers arrived, Amerindians were already happily making syrup by boiling down the sap.

Since then, "sugaring off" has become a popular tradition in
Eastern Canada. Every spring families head out to "sugar
shacks" to take part in the maple harvest, enjoy maple taffy
poured into the snow, and join in a hearty meal cooked with lots
of maple syrup.

Our 1500 maple syrup producers send the best of their harvest
to Shady Maple Farm. Delectable maple treats in all their purity
are enjoyed the world over because we ensure the integrity
of the syrup that goes into every product we make.