Godfrey and Jean Tyler and their children, Joanie and Sam, operate Waverley Brook Farm at 6359 Gelert Road, a 15-minute drive from WL.

The Tyler family generously (and patiently) let me photograph them making their first batch of maple syrup of 2022.

They use both traditional buckets to gather the sap as well as an intricate network of pipelines. Joanie Tyler took me on a walk in the deep snow to check the buckets in their sugar bush. Their family farm was established in 1912 and Joanie is the fifth generation to work the land in this hilly corner of Haliburton County. Some folks will remember Joanie from when she worked as a summer student at William's Landing.

It takes 40 gallons of sap to make one gallon of liquid gold. Once the sap starts running, there are long days and nights stoking up the wood fire underneath the stainless steel evaporator. Once the sap is evaporated, it has to be filtered to remove the sand that is naturally in it, and then bottled. It's a labour of love and a tradition passed down to each generation. Maple syrup is one of many discoveries made by Indigenous peoples that they generously shared with the pioneers who settled in what was then Lower and Upper Canada. Visiting a local sugar bush is now a rite of Spring and a way of supporting our county farmers.

 The Tylers have cords of firewood stacked at their sugar house ready for maple syrup time.

Waverley Brook Farm on Gelert Road was established in 1912. Their sign is decorated for St. Patrick's Day.

First batch of 2022 fills the sugar house with the sweet aroma of maple.