Tapping into tradition on the Wettlaufer Farm

Carman and Debbie Wettlaufer stand outside their sugar shack on the family farm near Tavistock, where generations of tradition and hard work continue to flow as sweetly as the maple syrup they produce each spring. Diane Danen photo

By Diane Danen

For Carman and Debbie Wettlaufer, life has always been rooted in the Tavistock area. Both lifelong residents, they have a story closely tied to the land, family traditions, and a deep appreciation for rural life.

Carman grew up on the family farm located on Line 29, northwest of Tavistock, while Debbie was raised in the village itself. Today, the couple continues to live and work on the same farm that has been part of Carman’s family for generations.

The property was first settled in 1844 by Jost and Anna Schaefer, Carman’s great-great-grandparents, on his mother’s side.  The Schaefer's cleared most of the trees from the property, leaving 15 acres of bush, which has provided firewood and maple syrup for the family over the years.

A small wooden house was originally built behind the location where the barn now stands. In 1857, a two-storey fieldstone home was constructed on the property, the house that the Wettlaufer family calls home.

In 1944, the property was recognized as a Century Farm. The following year, Carman’s parents, Lorne and Marie Wettlaufer, purchased the farm from Marie’s father, ensuring that the land remained in the family.

Carman purchased the farm in 1981. The following year, he and Debbie were married at Trinity Lutheran Church in Sebastopol and began building their life together on the farm where they raised their three daughters, Sarah, Allissa and Shelby.

Previous generations of the Wettlaufer family had produced maple syrup mainly for their own use. Carman's grandparents had a printed label for their bottles that even included a licence number, suggesting that they produced enough maple syrup to sell commercially. Carman’s parents made syrup occasionally over the years, and Carman developed an interest in the process, often helping his neighbour and cousin Leonard Wettlaufer during syrup season.

Shortly after they were married, Carman and Debbie decided to try their hand at making maple syrup. Carman gathered the tin sap buckets and spiles that had been stored in the drive shed and began tapping trees.

In the early years, all the sap was collected by hand, a labour-intensive job that meant walking through the bush to empty every bucket. Carman often took their daughters along during syrup season. “I remember taking the girls to the bush and rushing to empty the buckets before a thunderstorm so the buckets wouldn’t get rain in them,” he said.

While building their maple syrup operation, both Carman and Debbie also worked off the farm. Carman first worked in construction, then at Bright Cheese House, and later at Tavistock Cheese, now Saputo, where he trained as a cheesemaker before retiring about 10 years ago to farm full-time.

Debbie began working at PeopleCare in Tavistock while she was in public school. When their children were young, she worked part-time as reception and office manager, later working full-time, advancing through several positions. She currently serves as the executive director and recently celebrated an impressive milestone of 50 years working at PeopleCare.

In 1988, Carman built a new sugar shack and began producing maple syrup commercially, tapping around 750 trees on the property. That same year, he installed a pipeline system that allowed sap to flow directly to a gathering container at the sugar shack, saving time and labour and making it possible to expand production. Currently they have 1100 taps on 900 trees.

Maple syrup production depends heavily on the weather. Ideal conditions occur when nighttime temperatures drop to about –2 or –3 degrees Celsius and daytime temperatures rise to 2 or 3 degrees above zero, creating the pressure changes in the trees that cause sap to flow. Typically, one tap can yield about one litre of syrup over the season, although results vary widely depending on the weather. A maple tree must be at least 12 inches in diameter before it can be tapped, while larger trees can support two taps.

At the end of each season, the spiles are removed so the holes can heal naturally, and new holes are drilled a few inches away the following year. The pipeline system remains on the trees year-round, but at the end of the season, the tubing is flushed and sterilized. While the system saves a great deal of labour when collecting sap, it also requires regular maintenance, as lines can be damaged by falling branches or animals.

In recent years, Carman added a reverse osmosis system. The system removes a portion of the water from the sap before boiling, making the process more efficient. Before installing the equipment, Carman could produce about 60 litres of syrup per day. With the new system, he can now produce around 100 litres in the same amount of time.

Despite the technological improvements, Carman still boils the sap using a traditional wood-fired evaporator. The reverse osmosis system reduces the amount of boiling required, which means less firewood is needed, but Carman still spends considerable time cutting and preparing wood for the season.

Turning sap into syrup requires patience. Maple sap contains only about three per cent sugar and must be boiled until it reaches a temperature of about 104 degrees Celsius. At that point the syrup reaches roughly 66 per cent sugar content, the perfect balance that produces the rich flavour maple syrup is known for.

Once the syrup reaches the proper temperature and sugar content, it is double-filtered, reheated in the finishing pan and poured into jugs and sealed.

All maple syrup produced today is graded as Canada Grade A, with different colour classifications that reflect flavour intensity. Early in the season, sap contains a higher sugar content, meaning it may take only about 30 litres of sap to produce one litre of syrup. Later in the season, it can take closer to 80 litres. Minerals in the sap contribute to the unique flavour of the syrup. Lighter syrup tends to have a delicate taste, while darker syrup has a stronger flavour, often preferred for baking.

During syrup season, the sugar shack is often a busy gathering place. Friends, neighbours and family members often walk back to the sugar shack to visit while Carman tends the evaporator.  As a special treat, Debbie will make maple candy back at the sugar shack by boiling the sap and pouring it into moulds.  Her maple syrup tarts are a favourite treat year-round.

Carman supplies maple syrup to family members and maintains a loyal list of regular customers in the Tavistock area. He also sells bulk syrup to Jakeman’s Maple Syrup.

While maple syrup production remains an important part of life on the farm, Carman also works the land, rotating corn, beans and wheat.

A large garden is planted each spring.  Strawberries, raspberries and blueberries are grown, along with a small orchard that continues to provide fruit for the family to enjoy.

Carman has spent his lifetime planting trees on the property. Today, he continues the tradition by ordering about 200 trees each year and planting them with his grandchildren. Some of the trees will eventually be used as Christmas trees, making the experience even more meaningful for the younger generation.

Through decades of hard work and dedication, Carman and Debbie have transformed the property into a beautiful home for their family. It has been the setting for countless neighbourhood get-togethers and family gatherings, including the weddings of their two oldest daughters.

Today, they enjoy spending time with their grandchildren on the farm, taking walks through the bush, picking berries from the garden and spending time together in the sugar shack during maple syrup season.

For the Wettlaufer family, their farm is a place where history, tradition and family continue to grow together.