KELSEY VANSICKLE

For this interview, I had the pleasure of tapping into the wonderful world of the King family. The King’s have cultivated a small scale maple syrup operation on their 25 acres of land in Markdale, Ontario, that resonates with both a reverence for nature, and a respect for cultural teachings. I was inspired by their commitment, their dedication to preserving tradition, and the profound connection they share with the land they call home. Join me in exploring some of their maple tapping rituals intertwined with the rich Indigenous influence passed down through generations.

How did your family initially get involved in maple syrup production?

When we were deciding to have children, we also knew that we wanted to find some property in the country to raise them. We never set out to specifically buy a property with a sugar bush but that’s just the way it worked out. So, our first year here we started with 20 taps and made a lot of mistakes and produced only a few liters of syrup. This will be our 4th season producing syrup and it has been a constant learning adventure.

Meg, you mentioned during our time together that you had a vision about your land prior to moving there. Can you share some of that vision with me?

This vision came to me in an Akashic record session I once had where I saw our land as a place for people to gather and build community. In the vision, people were barefoot and connecting with the land around them through ceremony. This is something that I know will take place at some point in our life here, I just don’t know when yet.

Can the public access the maple syrup you produce? Will you be at any markets this year?

Currently, we produce for our family and sell what’s left to friends and family. In our house we use maple syrup as our sweetener for almost everything. The kids love it on their waffles, French toast, yogurt and hot chocolate. If we have enough left after selling to friends and family, then we may try going to a market just for the experience and to introduce the kids to that part of the operation. For the last 3 years our yield has been pretty consistent. Next year I have plans to make a proper wood stove for our pan to sit on. This should make our set up a little more efficient and then we could add more taps to produce more syrup. If we can produce more then we can open up to more markets for sale.

This past winter in Southern Ontario has been warmer than most. Can you explain how or if that has affected your production process?

Every maple season has been different. The main difference has been how early we tapped the trees this year. We were 2 weeks earlier than last year and another week earlier than the year before. We haven’t been doing this long enough to make much of it but so far our yield has been the same as previous years.

Are there any unique memories associated with the maple syrup season that your family holds dear?

For us, the main memories so far are being able to share this experience as a family. To see how excited the kids get to go out and tap the trees and drink the sap straight from the tree. To watch the syrup, go from a light golden colour at the start of the season to a dark black colour and the end of the season. Every time we do a batch of syrup the kids love to get a spoon and eat the syrup stuck to the pots after we have filled all of the jars. Our dog Maple likes to play fetch with rocks so the whole time we are out boiling she gets excited to do that. It’s a good workout for your arm throwing rocks all day.

Are there any specific rituals or ceremonies you perform when tapping your trees?

When we tap the trees, we offer tobacco to each tree as we ask for permission to tap and give thanks for what it is giving us. We also speak in Ojibwe a greeting that introduces us to the tree. In the Ojibwe culture, it is believed that when doing this the tree will speak back to you and give you it’s blessing or not. My understanding of the language is at the beginner stage so I have not experienced this yet but I can’t wait for the day it happens.

GW, as a person of the Ojibwe Bear Clan, can you share with me how your culture and history has influenced you today?

Growing up, I was never introduced to the language or culture. I have some memories of my grandfather speaking the language but it was never something that was of importance. However, I would say that I have always felt the culture within me. 5 years ago, I took a course where we learned Ojibwe language, cultural beliefs and spiritual teachings. During the course, we heard elders tell stories in the language, participated in ceremony and were introduced to a traditional Ojibwe worldview. This experience has completely changed my life. It confirmed to me a way of life that guides my decision making daily. It’s hard to put into words the feeling I get when we as a family speak the language or put down tobacco. The best way to describe it would be a feeling of peace and gratitude.

To touch on that further, I understand you’re actively working to revitalize the Ojibwe language, can you tell me more about that?

I would like to say that I practice the language every day but unfortunately that isn’t the case. However, ever since I took the language course, I will often look through my notes if the kids want to look up a word for something we’re talking about. The main thing for me is that it is now part of my life and our family. I know I will continue my learning of it one day soon. As with everything, it’s a difficult balance between living in the “real world” and living in the life you want to create. I am still searching for that answer.

On the topic of revitalization and preservation, do you plan to pass on knowledge and rituals related to maple tree tapping to younger generations, and if so, how?

That is a great question. In my heart the answer is yes. As of now, we are passing this on to our children and their friends as we have had their school out during the maple season the last couple of years. Moving forward, as we build community, I could see us hosting people during the maple season where they could partake in our rituals and ceremony as Meg mentioned with her vision.

Going forward, do you plan on implementing any educational activities or projects related to maple syrup production on your land?

Our long-term plan would include maple syrup education and ceremony.  However, we are still in the planning stages for that.  Our immediate goal for this year is to build a small cabin in the forest, a small greenhouse for our garden as well as a platform for yoga and ceremony.  We have plans to rent out the cabin year-round and ultimately have a place where we can run retreats.  We would also like to expand and raise other animals for meat.  Pigs would potentially be our next venture because they should do well in our forested environment from what I’ve learned about them so far.  I think every homesteader’s dream would be to produce enough food to feed their family and not have to go to the grocery store very often or at all.  Becoming a producer instead of being a consumer has been an idea that I have really resonated with from all the research and learning I have done.  For us to learn how to preserve the food we raise and grow and how to store it for the winter.  Now that we are parents, these are skills we wish we had learned when we were young and feel very strongly about learning them now so that our kids can grow up with this knowledge.  Everything we do here is always about enriching our family life at home so that our children are best prepared to live the most fulfilling life possible.

Is there anything else you wish to share?

We are grateful and thankful for your interest in what we do and how we envision our life. This experience has been a great exercise for us to reflect on our life and to ground us as we move forward. Miigwetch (Thank you).