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68-527: Huronia may refer to: Huronia (region) , the historical homeland of the Huron/Wendat/Wyandot nation in Ontario Huronia (cephalopod) , a genus of mollusks Topics referred to by the same term [REDACTED] This disambiguation page lists articles associated with the title Huronia . If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change

136-706: A 10 mm sample. Golden must have 75 per cent or more transmittance, amber must have 50.0 to 74.9 per cent transmittance, dark must have 25.0 to 49.9 per cent transmittance, and very dark is any product having less than 25.0 per cent transmittance. In Canada, maple syrup was classified prior to 31 December 2014 by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) as one of three grades, each with several colour classes: Producers in Ontario or Quebec may have followed either federal or provincial grading guidelines. Quebec's and Ontario's guidelines differed slightly from

204-560: A chief. Indigenous tribes developed rituals around syrup-making, celebrating the Sugar Moon (the first full moon of spring) with a Maple Dance. Many aboriginal dishes replaced the salt traditional in European cuisine with maple syrup. The Algonquians recognized maple sap as a source of energy and nutrition. At the beginning of the spring thaw, they made V-shaped incisions in tree trunks; they then inserted reeds or concave pieces of bark to run

272-492: A density of 66° on the Brix scale (a hydrometric scale used to measure sugar solutions). The syrup is then filtered to remove precipitated "sugar sand", crystals made up largely of sugar and calcium malate . These crystals are not toxic, but create a "gritty" texture in the syrup if not filtered out. In addition to open pan evaporation methods, many large producers use the more fuel efficient reverse osmosis procedure to separate

340-448: A grade name or if it is exported out of the province in which it was originally manufactured. The basic ingredient in maple syrup is the sap from the xylem of sugar maple or various other species of maple trees. It consists primarily of sucrose and water, with small amounts of the monosaccharides glucose and fructose from the invert sugar created in the boiling process. In a 100g amount, maple syrup provides 260 calories and

408-471: A greater surface area for evaporation. Around this time, cane sugar replaced maple sugar as the dominant sweetener in the US; as a result, producers focused marketing efforts on maple syrup. The first evaporator, used to heat and concentrate sap, was patented in 1858. In 1872, an evaporator was developed that featured two pans and a metal arch or firebox, which greatly decreased boiling time. Around 1900, producers bent

476-454: A milder flavour than dark and very dark, which are both dark and have an intense maple flavour. The darker grades of syrup are used primarily for cooking and baking, although some specialty dark syrups are produced for table use. Syrup harvested earlier in the season tends to yield a lighter colour. With the new grading system, the classification of maple syrup depends ultimately on its internal transmittance at 560 nm wavelength through

544-447: A minimum font size of 1.6 mm. If the maple syrup is of Canada Grade A level, the name of the colour class must appear on the label in both English and French. Also, the lot number or production code, and either: (1) the name and address of the sugar bush establishment, packing or shipper establishment, or (2) the first dealer and the registration number of the packing establishment, must be labelled on any display panel other than

612-478: A portion of water out of the sap before it was boiled, increasing processing efficiency. Improvements in tubing and vacuum pumps, new filtering techniques, "supercharged" preheaters, and better storage containers have since been developed. Research continues on pest control and improved woodlot management. In 2009, researchers at the University of Vermont unveiled a new type of tap that prevents backflow of sap into

680-583: A similar grading system of colour, and is roughly equivalent, especially for lighter syrups, but using letters: "AA", "A", etc. The Vermont grading system differed from the US system in maintaining a slightly higher standard of product density (measured on the Baumé scale ). New Hampshire maintained a similar standard, but not a separate state grading scale. The Vermont-graded product had 0.9 per cent more sugar and less water in its composition than US-graded. One grade of syrup not for table use, called commercial or Grade C,

748-460: A small scale in some other countries, notably Japan and South Korea. However, in South Korea in particular, it is traditional to consume maple sap, called gorosoe , instead of processing it into syrup. Under Canadian maple product regulations, containers of maple syrup must include the words "maple syrup", its grade name and net quantity in litres or millilitres , on the main display panel with

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816-464: A variety of other maple products, including maple sugar , maple butter or cream , and maple candy or taffy . Off-flavours can sometimes develop during the production of maple syrup, resulting from contaminants in the boiling apparatus (such as disinfectants ), microorganisms , fermentation products, metallic can flavours, and "buddy sap", an off-flavour occurring late in the syrup season when tree budding has begun. In some circumstances, it

884-771: A work in progress for several years, and most of the finalization of the new grading system was made in 2014. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) announced in the Canada Gazette on 28 June 2014 that rules for the sale of maple syrup would be amended to include new descriptors, at the request of the IMSI. As of 31 December 2014, the CFIA and as of 2 March 2015, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service issued revised standards intended to harmonize Canadian and United States regulations on

952-422: Is a syrup made from the sap of maple trees. In cold climates, these trees store starch in their trunks and roots before winter; the starch is then converted to sugar that rises in the sap in late winter and early spring. Maple trees are tapped by drilling holes into their trunks and collecting the sap, which is processed by heating to evaporate much of the water, leaving the concentrated syrup. Maple syrup

1020-464: Is begun and periodically throughout the day. Syrup can be boiled entirely over one heat source or can be drawn off into smaller batches and boiled at a more controlled temperature. Defoamers are often added during boiling. Boiling the syrup is a tightly controlled process, which ensures appropriate sugar content. Syrup boiled too long will eventually crystallize, whereas under-boiled syrup will be watery, and will quickly spoil. The finished syrup has

1088-531: Is called a " sugarbush ". Sap is often boiled in a " sugar house " (also known as a "sugar shack", "sugar cabin", "sugar shanty", or cabane à sucre ), a building louvred at the top to vent the steam from the boiling sap. Maples are usually tapped beginning at 30 to 40 years of age. Each tree can support between one and three taps, depending on its trunk diameter. The average maple tree will produce 35 to 50 litres (9.2 to 13.2 US gal) of sap per season, up to 12 litres (3.2 US gal) per day. This

1156-538: Is controlled through a supply management system, with producers receiving quota allotments from the government sanctioned Quebec Maple Syrup Producers (QMSP; Les Producteurs et productrices acéricoles du Québec ), which also maintains reserves of syrup, although there is a black-market trade in Quebec product. In 2017, the QMSP mandated increased output of maple syrup production, attempting to establish Quebec's dominance in

1224-447: Is highly variable and will fluctuate even within the same tree. The filtered syrup is graded and packaged while still hot, usually at a temperature of 82 °C (180 °F) or greater. The containers are turned over after being sealed to sterilize the cap with the hot syrup. Packages can be made of metal, glass, or coated plastic, depending on volume and target market. The syrup can also be heated longer and further processed to create

1292-406: Is made by boiling between 20 and 50 volumes of sap (depending on its concentration) over an open fire until 1 volume of syrup is obtained, usually at a temperature 4.1 °C (7.4 °F) over the boiling point of water. As the boiling point of water varies with changes in air pressure, the correct value for pure water is determined at the place where the syrup is being produced each time evaporation

1360-421: Is possible to remove off-flavours through processing. Maple syrup production is centred in northeastern North America; however, given the correct weather conditions, it can be made wherever suitable species of maple trees grow, such as New Zealand, where there are efforts to establish commercial production. Climate change is dramatically impacting the production of maple syrup. A maple syrup production farm

1428-410: Is roughly equal to seven per cent of its total sap. Tap seasons typically happen during late winter and spring and usually last for four to eight weeks, though the exact dates depend on the weather, location, and climate. The timing of the season and the region of maximum sap flow are both expected to be significantly altered by climate change by 2100. During the day, sucrose stored in the roots for

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1496-646: The Penetanguishene peninsula, near the present day town of Midland, Ontario , in the northernmost part of Wendake. The total population of the Huron at the time of first contact with the French is usually estimated to have been about 30,000. Cahiague, the largest settlement, may have had a population of 4,000. The Huron were farmers, primarily of maize , which comprised 60 percent or more of their diet. They also cultivated beans , squash , sunflowers , and tobacco . Huronia

1564-514: The "Genoa Frilled" type associated with the Genoa Fort type site in modern-day western New York . The theory among scholars that the appearance of frilling motifs in western Huronia corresponds to the Wenro migration and potential spread of Wenro material culture to Huronia dates back to as early as 1973; however, chemical analysis results published in 2001 showed that frilled pottery in western Huronia

1632-580: The 1930s, the United States produced most of the world's maple syrup. Today, after rapid growth in the 1990s, Canada produces more than 80 per cent of the world's maple syrup, producing about 73 million kg (80,000 short tons) in 2016. The vast majority of this comes from the province of Quebec , which is the world's largest producer, with about 70 per cent of global production. Canada exported more than C$ 362 million of maple syrup in 2016. In 2015, 64 per cent of Canadian maple syrup exports went to

1700-602: The French as the Huron and to themselves as the Wendat was near the northern shore of Lake Ontario . Some Wendat began migrating 100 km (62 mi) or further northward to the historic Huronia area as early as the 13th century. The abandonment of the Lake Ontario area and the consolidation of the four peoples making up the Wendat confederation in Huronia was complete about 1600. Joining

1768-414: The Huron diet. Fish, procured from Lake Huron and smaller lakes, was an important food. The women collected wild berries and nuts. Acorns were a food in times of famine. Maple syrup as a late-winter food was known to many Huron neighbors and they too may have collected and concentrated the sap of the maple tree. Archaeological investigations have indicated that the ancestral home of the people known to

1836-725: The St. Lawrence River from the 1580s onward. The move northward gained them easier access to the Algonquin peoples and trade with the Algonquins for beaver pelts and other furs, the most valuable products sought by early European traders in Canada. The term Huronia, which was coined by later Europeans, is distinct from the term the Huron themselves used for their dwelling place, which is wendake ("the peninsula country"). Recurrent and catastrophic epidemics of European diseases from 1634 to 1640 reduced

1904-564: The United States (a value of C$ 229 million), 8 per cent to Germany (C$ 31 million), 6 per cent to Japan (C$ 26 million), and 5 per cent to the United Kingdom (C$ 16 million). As of 2022 , Quebec accounts for 91.6 per cent of maple syrup produced in Canada, followed by New Brunswick at 4.7 per cent and Ontario at 3.4 per cent. However, 96.8 per cent of exported Canadian maple syrup originated from Quebec, whereas 2.6 per cent of exported syrup originated from New Brunswick, and

1972-514: The United States, a syrup must be made almost entirely from maple sap to be labelled as "maple", though states such as Vermont and New York have more restrictive definitions. Maple syrup is often used as a condiment for pancakes , waffles , French toast , oatmeal , or porridge . It is also used as an ingredient in baking and as a sweetener or flavouring agent. Culinary experts have praised its unique flavour. Three species of maple ( Acer ) trees are predominantly used to produce maple syrup:

2040-592: The Wendat population to about 12,000. The Jesuit Relations record that in 1639, the Wenro relocated from their homeland to Huronia, with over 600 Wenro arriving at Ossossané . This migration may have occurred in waves and some Wenro were resident in Neutral (rather than Huron) territory as late as 1640–41. The time period of the recorded Wenro migration is similar to that of the appearance of pottery frilling motifs at sites in western Huronia; this has been commonly identified as

2108-483: The Wendat were at least 1,000 of the St. Lawrence Iroquoians who had disappeared from their homeland by 1583. The reason for the movement of the Wendat north from Lake Ontario to the Huronia area was possibly to move further away from the hostile Iroquois of New York . They may also have wished to take advantage of a riverine trade route, safer from Iroquois attacks, via Lake Nipissing to reach Europeans who were trading along

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2176-585: The bark, the Europeans used the method of drilling tapholes in the trunks with augers . Prior to the 19th century, processed maple sap was used primarily as a source of concentrated sugar, in both liquid and crystallized-solid form, as cane sugar had to be imported from the West Indies . Maple sugaring parties typically began to operate at the start of the spring thaw in regions of woodland with sufficiently large numbers of maples. Syrup makers first bored holes in

2244-449: The bottle size while still containing the net quantity of syrup product as stated on the label. Every container of maple syrup must be new if it has a capacity of 5 litres or less or is marked with a grade name. Every container of maple sugar must also be new if it has a capacity of less than 5 kg or is either exported out of Canada or conveyed from one province to another. Each maple syrup product must be verified clean if it follows

2312-488: The bottom. Following an effort from the International Maple Syrup Institute (IMSI) and many maple syrup producer associations, both Canada and the United States have altered their laws regarding the classification of maple syrup to be uniform. Whereas in the past each state or province had their own laws on the classification of maple syrup, now those laws define a unified grading system. This had been

2380-429: The buckets, and was then either transferred to larger holding vessels (barrels, large pots, or hollowed-out wooden logs), often mounted on sledges or wagons pulled by draft animals , or carried in buckets or other convenient containers. The sap-collection buckets were returned to the spouts mounted on the trees, and the process was repeated for as long as the flow of sap remained "sweet". The specific weather conditions of

2448-448: The classification of maple syrup as follows: As long as maple syrup does not have an off-flavour, is of a uniform colour, and is free from turbidity and sediment, it can be labelled as one of the A grades. If it exhibits any problems, it does not meet Grade A requirements, and then must be labelled as "processing grade" maple syrup and may not be sold in containers smaller than 20 litres (5 US gal). If maple syrup does not meet

2516-608: The earliest European written conceptions of Huronia, by the Jesuit Jérôme Lalemant in 1639, included the land of the Petun (a related people whose territory is sometimes retrospectively called the Petun Country), which lay to the west of the core Huron territory. This core Huron territory was termed "Huronia Proper" by the late 19th and early 20th century historian Arthur E. Jones. At the time of first European contact, Wendake

2584-482: The early stages of European colonization in northeastern North America, local Indigenous peoples showed the arriving colonists how to tap the trunks of certain types of maples during the spring thaw to harvest the sap. André Thevet , the "Royal Cosmographer of France", wrote about Jacques Cartier drinking maple sap during his Canadian voyages. By 1680, European settlers and fur traders were involved in harvesting maple products. However, rather than making incisions in

2652-515: The federal: A typical year's yield for a maple syrup producer will be about 25 to 30 per cent of each of the #1 colours, 10 per cent #2 amber, and 2 per cent #3 dark. The United States used different grading standards ⁠— ⁠some states still do as they await state regulation. Maple syrup was divided into two major grades: In Massachusetts, the Grade B was renamed "Grade A Very Dark, Strong Taste" The Vermont Agency of Agriculture Food and Markets used

2720-457: The first groups known to have produced maple syrup and maple sugar . According to Indigenous oral traditions, as well as archaeological evidence, maple tree sap was being processed into syrup long before Europeans arrived in the region. There are no authenticated accounts of how maple syrup production and consumption began, but various legends exist; one of the most popular involves maple sap being used in place of water to cook venison served to

2788-638: The flavour of the sap. A few other species of maple are also sometimes used as sources of sap for producing maple syrup, including the box elder or Manitoba maple ( Acer negundo ) , the silver maple ( A. saccharinum ) , and the bigleaf maple ( A. macrophyllum ) . In the Southeastern United States , Florida sugar maple ( Acer floridanum ) is occasionally used for maple syrup production. Similar syrups may also be produced from walnut, birch , or palm trees, among other sources. Indigenous peoples living in northeastern North America were

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2856-497: The grade changes passed the US Senate and House in 2013. Maine passed a bill to take effect as soon as both Canada and the United States adopted the new grades. In New York, the new grade changes became law on 1 January 2015. New Hampshire did not require legislative approval and so the new grade laws became effective as of 16 December 2014, and producer compliance was required as of 1 January 2016. Golden and amber grades typically have

2924-430: The link to point directly to the intended article. Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Huronia&oldid=1163518015 " Category : Disambiguation pages Hidden categories: Short description is different from Wikidata All article disambiguation pages All disambiguation pages Huronia (region) The geographic scope of Huronia has been fluid over time. One of

2992-449: The lower estimate for land that had deteriorated in fertility after being planted for many years. To feed their people, the Hurons required from .4 acres (0.16 ha) to .8 acres (0.32 ha) of land under cultivation per capita with more land required to attain a surplus for trading. French visitors commented on the extensive fields of maize near Huron villages. Meat was a minor item in

3060-464: The remaining 0.6 per cent from all other provinces. Ontario holds the most maple syrup farms in Canada outside of Quebec, with 389 maple syrup producers in 2021. This is followed by New Brunswick, with 114 maple syrup producers; and Nova Scotia, with 39 maple syrup producers. As of 2016, Quebec had some 7,300 producers working with 13,500 farmers, collectively making over 30 million litres (8 million US gallons) of syrup. Production in Quebec

3128-409: The requirements of processing-grade maple syrup (including a fairly characteristic maple taste), it is classified as substandard. This grading system was accepted and made law by most maple-producing states and provinces, and became compulsory in Canada as of 13 December 2016. Vermont, in an effort to "jump-start" the new grading regulations, adopted the new grading system as of 1 January 2014, after

3196-490: The sap into clay buckets or tightly woven birch-bark baskets. The maple sap was concentrated first by leaving it exposed to the cold temperatures overnight and disposing of the layer of ice that formed on top. Following that, the sap was transported by sled to large fires where it was boiled in clay pots to produce maple syrup. Often, multiple pots were used in conjunction, with the liquid being transferred between them as it grew more concentrated. Contrary to popular belief, syrup

3264-465: The sugar maple ( Acer saccharum ), the black maple ( A. nigrum ), and the red maple ( A. rubrum ), because of the high sugar content (roughly two to five per cent) in the sap of these species. The black maple is included as a subspecies or variety in a more broadly viewed concept of A. saccharum , the sugar maple, by some botanists. Of these, the red maple has a shorter season because it buds earlier than sugar and black maples, which alters

3332-419: The syrup. A large number of technological changes took place during the 1970s. Plastic tubing systems that had been experimental since the early part of the century were perfected, and the sap came directly from the tree to the evaporator house. Vacuum pumps were added to the tubing systems, and preheaters were developed to recycle heat lost in the steam. Producers developed reverse-osmosis machines to take

3400-753: The term Huronia; rather, Jesuit missionaries used terms such as Pays de Huron , or, later, Huronum . In his 1745 Huron–French dictionary, the Jesuit Father Pierre Potier defined the Huron term wendake ehen as " La Defunte huronie ", referring to the pre-dispersal homeland. In the 20th century, the territory lent its name to the Huronia movement, a northern-oriented political movement in Ontario which pursued regional autonomy. Some documented historical places and settlements in Huronia were: 44°41′13″N 79°55′52″W  /  44.686962°N 79.931059°W  / 44.686962; -79.931059 Maple syrup Maple syrup

3468-412: The thaw period were, and still are, critical in determining the length of the sugaring season. As the weather continues to warm, a maple tree's normal early spring biological process eventually alters the taste of the sap, making it unpalatable, perhaps due to an increase in amino acids. The boiling process was very time-consuming. The harvested sap was transported back to the party's base camp, where it

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3536-460: The tin that formed the bottom of a pan into a series of flues , which increased the heated surface area of the pan and again decreased boiling time. Some producers also added a finishing pan, a separate batch evaporator, as a final stage in the evaporation process. Buckets began to be replaced with plastic bags, which allowed people to see at a distance how much sap had been collected. Syrup producers also began using tractors to haul vats of sap from

3604-931: The tree's sap flows more slowly. British Columbia is home to a growing maple sugar industry using sap from the bigleaf maple , which is native to the West Coast of the United States and Canada. In 2011, there were 82 maple syrup producers in British Columbia. Vermont has long been the largest US producer, with a record 9.5 million litres (2.5 million US gallons) produced in 2022. In 2019 it led with over 7.8 million litres (2.07 million US gallons), followed by New York with 3.1 million L (820,000 US gal) and Maine with 2.2 million L (580,000 US gal). Wisconsin , Ohio , New Hampshire , Michigan , Pennsylvania , Massachusetts and Connecticut all produced marketable quantities of maple syrup. Maple syrup has been produced on

3672-648: The tree, reducing bacterial contamination and preventing the tree from attempting to heal the bore hole. Experiments show that it may be possible to use saplings in a plantation instead of mature trees, dramatically boosting productivity per acre. As a result of the smaller tree diameter, milder diurnal temperature swings are needed for the tree to freeze and thaw, which enables sap production in milder climatic conditions outside of northeastern North America. Open pan evaporation methods have been streamlined since colonial days, but remain basically unchanged. Sap must first be collected and boiled down to obtain syrup. Maple syrup

3740-420: The trees being tapped (the sugar bush) to the evaporator. Some producers adopted motor-powered tappers and metal tubing systems to convey sap from the tree to a central collection container, but these techniques were not widely used. Heating methods also diversified: modern producers use wood, oil, natural gas, propane, or steam to evaporate sap. Modern filtration methods were perfected to prevent contamination of

3808-400: The trunks, usually more than one hole per large tree; they then inserted wooden spouts into the holes and hung a wooden bucket from the protruding end of each spout to collect the sap. The buckets were commonly made by cutting cylindrical segments from a large tree trunk and then hollowing out each segment's core from one end of the cylinder, creating a seamless, watertight container. Sap filled

3876-491: The water from the sap. Smaller producers can also use batchwise recirculating reverse osmosis , with the most energy-efficient operation taking the sugar concentration to 25% prior to boiling. The higher the sugar content of the sap, the smaller the volume of sap is needed to obtain the same amount of syrup. To yield 1 unit of syrup, sap at 1.5 per cent sugar content will require 57 units, while sap at 3.5 per cent sugar content only needs 25 units of sap. The sap's sugar content

3944-455: The winter rises through the trunk as sugary sap. A hole is bored into the trunk of the tree to allow the sap to flow out of a spile that is tapped in the hole. The taps are left in place for the season, and the sap flows during the day when the temperature is above freezing. Some producers also tap in autumn, though this practice is less common than spring tapping. Maples can continue to be tapped for sap until they are over 100 years old. Until

4012-561: The world market. The Canadian provinces of Manitoba and Saskatchewan produce maple syrup using the sap of the box elder or Manitoba maple ( Acer negundo ) . In 2011, there were 67 maple syrup producers in Manitoba and 24 in Saskatchewan. A Manitoba maple tree's yield is usually less than half that of a similar sugar maple tree. Manitoba maple syrup has a slightly different flavour from sugar-maple syrup, because it contains less sugar and

4080-409: The world's output; Canadian exports of maple syrup in 2016 were C$ 487 million (about US$ 360 million), with Quebec accounting for some 90 per cent of this total. Maple syrup is graded based on its colour and taste. Sucrose is the most prevalent sugar in maple syrup. In Canada, syrups must be made exclusively from maple sap to qualify as maple syrup and must also be at least 66 per cent sugar. In

4148-516: Was "one of the most densely populated territories north of Mexico." It consisted of twenty to twenty-five settlements occupying about 2,100 square kilometres (810 sq mi) between Nottawasaga Bay and Lake Simcoe west to east, and Matchedash Bay and the Severn River and the swampy basin of the Nottawasaga River , north to south. Huron settlements and population were concentrated on

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4216-510: Was also produced under the Vermont system. In Canada, the packing of maple syrup must follow the "Packing" conditions stated in the maple products regulations, or utilize the equivalent Canadian or imported grading system. As stated in the maple products regulations, Canadian maple syrup can be classified as "Canadian Grade A " and "Canadian Processing Grade". Any maple syrup container under these classifications should be filled to at least 90% of

4284-522: Was among the most northern places in the Americas where maize could be grown. The northern border of Huronia abutted on the Canadian Shield , a rocky region of thin soils and cold climate in which agriculture was difficult or impossible. The Huron cleared forest from much of the land in Huronia and produced an agricultural surplus which they traded to their non-farming Algonquin neighbors. The soil of Huronia

4352-463: Was first made by the Indigenous peoples of Northeastern North America. The practice was adopted by European settlers, who gradually changed production methods. Technological improvements in the 1970s further refined syrup processing. Almost all of the world's maple syrup is produced in Canada and the United States. The Canadian province of Quebec is the largest producer, responsible for 70 per cent of

4420-652: Was likely not made in New York, and analysis of similarities in the style of frilling was inconclusive. In 1649, the Iroquois successfully attacked Huronia. The Wendake who survived the Iroquois attack fled the region. Huronia was left depopulated and controlled by the Iroquois. Following the dispersal of the Huron during and after the Beaver Wars , wendake came to mean new lands as far away as Quebec and Ohio where they resettled. Early European maps and accounts do not use

4488-406: Was not typically produced by dropping heated stones into wooden bowls, especially in northeast North America where Indigenous cultures had been using clay pots for thousands of years. However, modern and historic sources contain evidence that hot stones may have occasionally been used in the upper Midwest and Canada, where hollowed out logs and birchbark containers typically replaced clay pots. In

4556-427: Was sandy and low in productivity. The Huron practiced slash-and-burn agriculture, clearing a field of forest and farming it for 10 to 15 years until soil fertility declined and then moving both their farming and their village to another location a few miles away. Scholars have estimated that yields of maize were from 8 bushels (200 kg) to 22 bushels (560 kg) per acre with the higher estimate for land newly cultivated and

4624-613: Was then poured into large vessels (usually made from metal) and boiled down to achieve the desired concentration. The sap was usually transported using large barrels pulled by horses or oxen to a central collection point, where it was processed either over a fire built out in the open or inside a shelter built for that purpose (the "sugar shack"). Around the time of the American Civil War (1861–1865), syrup makers started using large, flat sheet metal pans as they were more efficient for boiling than heavy, rounded iron kettles, because of

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