Maple Syrup Montreal: Spring 1927 to 1933

Every year with the beginning of the spring thaw, Peter Ewart, with father Clarence and neighbour Bev LaBaron, trekked into the woods, a healthy distance from their homes in Montreal (N.D.G.), to tap the sugar maples and boil the sap down for syrup. This "sugaring off" process was an event enjoyed over the course of several days.
Here you see the process from the first drip of sweet sap into the can, through collection and evaporation, to the sticky syrup and taffy after it was boiled down over an outdoor fire. Clarence, Peter's father, is the primary photographer. The woman is Peter's mother. Peter is the boy with all his teeth and Bev is the boy in the leather cap. You can see the time-lapse between the different clips. In some Peter is c 9 years old, and in the others he is 13 or 14 or even older.

Category:

People & Blogs

Tags:

• Peter Ewart maple syrup
• sugar bush
• sugaring off
• Montreal Québec
• Canada
• sap
• 1927
• 1933
• spring thaw March
• 16mm home movies

[Hollrobb]

I agree with sunonstone. This is a treat to watch and it also breaks my heart the way things are today, it would be hard to get a kid out of the house in the snow let alone get them to work. Thank you for sharing this video,Rob

[zyxwvutsrqponml12345]

i love how they are wearing suits and ties while doing this, classic !

[Quesneltube]

Fantastic!

[omyajt]

Thanks for taking us back in time.

[xGreenEyedAngelx]

This is a beautiful video.

[sunonstone]

Rare to find this kind of authentic amateur record made as early as 1927. Interesting to watch the steps, and gratifying to see them filmed with an artistic eye. It feels like an intimate glimpse, watching these home movies. Encouraging his son in outdoor activity and taking the time and effort to film each step, was Clarence's gift to his son, as well as to the granddaughter he never had a chance to meet.