Andrea Zadow, in the office with her dog Sheldon, operates the new maple syrup supply shop at Mississippi Station.

Charles Summers
Farmers Forum

Mississippi Station really seems like the middle of nowhere. In the rugged hills, and winding roads “North of 7,” in North Frontenac Township, you have to go a ways to get gas or a cell phone signal. But sometimes you can’t see the forest for the trees: despite its seeming remoteness, it’s actually in the middle of something very special.

Some of Ontario’s largest and most productive sugarbushes dot those hills, in a belt that runs from Bancroft to Pakenham. 10-, 20- and 40,000-tap operations are common. And the newly minted Mississippi Maple Supplies sits right smack in the middle of it. Andrea Zadow hung out her shingle in February.

Conceptually, making maple syrup is simple enough: you collect sap and boil off the water until you wind up with the cherished nectar. Practically, making it on scale requires a plethora of specialized equipment specific to the maple industry: from the taphole to the bottle. In the short-lived chaos of the maple season, sometimes you need something right now. If you’re losing sap, you’re losing money. And so, Andrea wants to be there to get her fellow producers up and running when they need it most, and her new, well-stocked store has almost everything a producer could need.

An authorized dealer for Dominion Grimm: one of Canada’s oldest equipment companies, out of Montreal, Andrea has worked on sugaring operations from backyard to big business. When not serving customers, she looks after 1,800 taps she leases down the road. A busy woman, Andrea’s been keeping the shop open 8 am to 8 pm, seven days a week while the season is on.

Now, while the dealership is hers and hers alone, she also has an ace up her sleeve. If you’ve been around maple in Ontario for any length of time, you’re probably familiar with Steve Skinner. Andrea is his better half. Now, Steve might not be as bubbly as Andrea, but he brings a lifetime of experience to the table. After years of working with CDL Equipment (another maple juggernaut), Steve has recently taken on the role of Ontario Business Development for Dominion Grimm. Working from their warehouse in Barrie, and helping producers across the province keeps Steve away from Mississippi Station most of the time, but his expertise is only a phone call away.

Whether you’re looking for some pails to get started with, tubing and mainline to expand your operation, some shiny new stainless, or bottles or jugs for the finished product, get in touch with Andrea. You can find her at 1462 Shiner Road, and reach her 613-585-6871