Myra Spiller, a conservation education and community partnership technician with the St. Clair Region Conservation Authority led one of three tours held throughout the day going through the process of tapping a tree, collecting the sap and boiling it to produce the maple syrup.

March 24, 2023

Blake Ellis/Local Journalism Initiative Photos

Part One of the annual Maple Syrup Festival was held at A.W. Campbell Conservation Area near Alvinston was held on the weekend of March 18 and 19. On Saturday, Myra Spiller, a conservation education and community partnership technician with the St. Clair Region Conservation Authority led one of three tours held throughout the day going through the process of tapping a tree, collecting the sap and boiling it to produce the maple syrup. The Indigenous people and pioneers of the area perfected many of the techniques she demonstrated Cold, damp and muddy conditions may have kept many away on Saturday. It was also the first time in three years, the maple syrup festival beause of  pandemic restrictions. The Alvinston Fire Fighters Association usually holds its pancake breakfast on the same weekend, but due to a scheduling conflict, the fire fighters will be holding its pancake breakfast on the weekend of March 25 and 26. The maple syrup festival has been a tradition since the 1970s.  

The Local Journalism Initiative supports the creation of original civic journalism that covers the diverse needs of underserved communities across Canada.

Share This

Image
Front Page

Lambton lands part of 30×30 project

July 11, 2025

Heather Wright/The Independent Almost 700 acres of land along the Sydenham River, including some in Petrolia and Wawrick, will be recognized as conservation lands in Ontario. It’s part of an international plan to protect 30 per cent of the earth’s land and sea by 2030. Tim Payne, manager of forests for the St. Clair Region Conservation Authority, was contacted by

Read More

Image
Front Page

No PW park fees for severed farm lots

July 11, 2025

The Independent Farmers severing a house from their land won’t have to pay a park land fee in Plympton-Wyoming. The idea came up for discussion at June 30 council meeting after the Committee of Adjustment suggested the town consider the idea. Developers of subdivisons must provide park land or pay a fee in lieu of land. Farmers severing homes don’t

Read More

Image
Front Page

Learning about wood turning at Petrolia’s Art in the Park

July 11, 2025

Heather Wright/The Independent Petrolia’s downtown is filled with people for Art in the Park. Artisans and artists line Victoria Park and there are demonstrations going on as well. This is Brian Houf of The Houf Workshop in Corunna. He takes green wood and turns them into bowls and utensils using a lathe he made himself. Houf, who works for the

Read More

Image
Front Page

Model trains and planes take over Mooretown Museum

July 11, 2025

The Independent There was a big turnout for Model Train Day at the Mooretown Museum on Sunday. It is the 80th anniversary of Victory in Japan Day and the end of the Second World War and a recent donation to the museum of 30 military and 7 warships models were incorporated into some of the train layouts. Also on hand

Read More