New Brunswick’s Fifth Season

Maple Syrup Season is New Brunswick’s fifth season.

It’s the “thaw” that comes every year.  When the sun suddenly feels much warmer than it did the day before, with the familiar winter chill most nights.

This change in the temperature is what allows the sap to “run.” We harvest this maple sap and turn it into the maple syrup we all enjoy. There are certainly a few more steps to the process … But you can learn more about them when visiting one of our local New Brunswick maple syrup producers.

My family loves taking advantage of the fifth season — the extra daylight hours and the Maplelicious treats. There are a few traditions we do every single year, but this year I’ve crafted a few more things to do during maple syrup season. Afterall, why not make the most of something so sweet!?

Here is my list of family friendly maple syrup season activities:

1. Make Learning Fun with a Game:

1. My 5 year old is extremely curious, like many children his age. Learning about maple products, where it comes from and the methods behind turning the sweet sap into four grades of New Brunswick Maple Syrup can be a fun activity to do at home. “What-Cha Doing?”, by New Brunswick author Kim Renton makes a great reading choice for curious little minds and is a good way to learn at home. 

Another option is this maple syrup bottle connect the dot game that is part of my Canadian Travel Activity Booklet. The booklet has fun activities like coloring, search and find, connect the dots and is designed to spark conversation and learning.

2. Visit a Sugar Camp: Maple Syrup Season is not complete without a visit to a Sugar Camp (locally referred to as a sugar shack). If they hold a brunch, you will want to get there early and be sure to arrive hungry. Menu’s often include breakfast staples, like eggs, bacon, ham, meat pie, baked beans, sausage, pancakes and more all with the sticky sweetness of maple syrup. Maple brunch is a meal and an experience you will not forget.

3. Try something new with maple taffy on ice: There is a good chance you’ve asked your child at least once this winter not to eat the snow… I know, me too… but what if we really shake things up by pouring hot maple taffy over snow and then rolling it onto a popsicle stick to make a Maplelicious lollipop?! It’s fun for the kids and a tasty tradition I look forward to year after year.

5. Make a new recipe: Maple Syrup Season is the perfect time of year to try something new. With the coldest part of the winter behind us there are many recipe options to choose from whether you’re cooking dinner, baking a new treat or trying your hand at a family favorite with a maple twist. From specialty coffees, to roasted pork to crème brulée there is sure to be a recipe that interests you and your family from the Maplelicious recipe book.

New Brunswick’s fifth season is a special time of the year. Whether you read about it, color pictures, visit a sugar camp or enjoy maple syrup on waffles all year long we’d love to see how you are enjoying the season. 

Be sure to share your pictures and tag #mapleliciousNB 
Jenna @theresashoeforthat

Contributor

Jenna Macdonald, There’s a Shoe for That

Jenna is the voice behind “There’s a Shoe for That”, a family and travel blog. She believes there is no “one size fits all” when it comes to parenting, travelling or living – but that there is a shoe for everyone, everything and every moment in life. She provides helpful tips, printables, inspiration for your next adventure (at home or on the go) and always knows where to get the best ice cream. Jenna and her family live in northern New Brunswick where they take on each new adventure and live life one step at a time together.

You can follow along with their adventures on www.theresashoeforthat.com and social media.

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