@flowerfairyann. When the sap comes out of the trees it is warm. The Mennonites come along a few times a day with large barrels on their wagons and dump the sap before it has a chance to freeze. The wagons are pulled by horses. They take it back to their farms where the maple syrup process begins.
This is amazing and so new to me! is this really how they gather maple syrup and who are the Mennonites? I'm an Aussie and this is all new to me :) Fav
@gilbertwood this is one way to do it. They are definitelymore modern ways to gather the sap and I will post a picture of that another day. What are Mennonites? Wow...big question. They are a religious group that lives very simply. There are different "sects" but these ones do not use hydro or indoor plumbing. They live in a way that I cannot even imagine. They have many, many children. The women are devoted to their men and their wish is their command. They bake and grow all their own food. They dress in mostly black with sometimes a shot of colour for the younger girls. The men once married all have beards. They are extremely hard working. They however do not contribute much to the local economy or community as they have their own schools, do not participate in community recreation or social programs and are basically self sufficient. I will try and get a shot of their mode of transportation sometime soon.
@tracymeurs Thanks for that wealth of information Tracy. I look forward to more photos of "maple syrup" and the Mennonites. Are they original Canadians or a sect that has just evolved, and are they only in Canada? Sorry for so many questions! This is what I love about 365 - we continually learn so much about other countries :)
@gilbertwood I do believe that the Mennonites originated in the United States and migrated north to avoid - how do I say - crossing family bloodlines in their procreation. :) They have been in Canada for many, many years though. Like I said, there are different sects which have different beliefs. Amish are another sect and there are also so-called "modern Mennonites" which are ok with power and plumbing and more involved in the community but still are very religious. Their houses are very plain but you could eat off of their floors from what I understand. And I enjoy answering the questions. That is also just one more reason to love this site.
@tracymeurs Thanks again Tracy :) I have heard of the Amish so now have an understanding of it all and the many varied sects. I look forward to many more interesting photos :)
Lovely shot which makes me want to go out and get some vegan vanilla ice cream to have with maple syrup. @gilbertwood The Mennonites actually originated in Europe and came to Canada in various migrations. Growing up in the Niagara Peninsula, my best friend, and still one of my closest and dearest, was from a Mennonite family. I believe her parents came as young people from Russia, although the family had originated in Germany. You can read more about Canadian Mennonites here: http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/mennonites/
@tristansmum thanks so much for providing a bit more information on this. I knew they had originated in Europe originally....didn't we all lol. Many of the ones in my area speak dialects of German. They certainly are interesting and their self sufficiency and simple way of life is certainly amazing.
March 17th, 2015
Leave a Comment
Sign up for a free account or Sign in to post a comment.
