As an agricultural appraiser, I spend my days walking Ontario farmland and sitting at kitchen tables with the families who work it. I see how much of themselves they put into the land, often with very little recognition.

Maple syrup has always struck me as one of the most special things these farms produce. It can't be rushed or forced. It depends entirely on the weather: a string of freezing nights and thawing days that gets the sap running. The whole harvest happens in a few short weeks each spring, and then it's over until next year. Every season tastes a little different, from the delicate golden syrup of the first run to the dark, bold syrup at the end.

It's also about as Canadian as it gets. Something grown here, made here, by people who live here.

Family Tree Maple is my way of bringing people closer to that. When you adopt a tree, you're connected to a real sugar maple on a real family farm, and every spring you get to taste what your tree and its farmers made together.

And yes, my toddlers are our most enthusiastic taste-testers.

— Alli, founder