The International Strategic Reserve

[randomness]

From http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/quebec-maple-syrups-strategic-reserve/article1972076/:

The tiny, picturesque village of St-Antoine-de-Tilly has a secret.

In a nondescript warehouse on the outskirts of town, some 40 kilometres southwest of Quebec City, there is a stash of maple syrup.

A 6.3-million-kilogram stash of maple syrup, to be exact.

About 60 kilometres further south, another 1.4-million-kilogram cache is squirrelled away in Plessisville, a town proclaimed as the World Maple Capital in 1976.

Together, these stockpiles are officially called the International Strategic Reserve, which works like a Fort Knox for Canada's most-cherished breakfast condiment – a massive arsenal of sweet, liquid gold ready to be deployed to feed a rise in global demand while maintaining price stability.

(Via D-squared Digest.)

North Country Public Radio has a six minute segment on the International Strategic Reserve.

A couple years ago, a friend of the station e-mailed us to say she had heard something about a "strategic maple reserve"--a vast bunker of maple syrup hidden somewhere in the Great White North just in case of--well, we didn't know.

Finally, the Montreal Gazette has some recipes.

Comments

[marmota.livejournal.com]

Now *that's* preparing for a French Toast Emergency.

[gale-storm.livejournal.com]

At first glance, I thought it was toilet paper. Different kind of reserve, strategic or otherwise.

[bedfull-o-books.livejournal.com]

OMG maple sorbet. I must try this....

[browngirl.livejournal.com]

This is so incredibly awesome. The STRATEGIC MAPLE RESERVE.

[marginaleye.livejournal.com]

There ought to be a James Bond parody about this.

[mizkit.livejournal.com]

*Completely* off topic, but author barbara_hambly needs to talk to someone who's been to Beijing, and I of course thought of you! http://barbara-hambly.livejournal.com/81286.html

[tyellas.livejournal.com]

As a maple syrup smuggler, I adore this.

[digitalemur.livejournal.com]

Best strategic reserve EVAR!

[chain saw with a magician (from livejournal.com)]

The quantities don't look right to me in that picture. Maple syrup weighs 11 lb/gallon. Each 55 gallon drum is 605 lb, or 275 kg. 6.3 million kilograms is 23,000 drums.

There are 18 columns of drums at 5 drums high in the picture. Depth is harder to measure, but let's say from looking at the roof that it's about as deep on average as it is wide, so another 18 barrels. That's 1,600 barrels, or 14% of the supposed reserve.

I declare an INTERNATIONAL MAPLE SYRUP CONSPIRACY!

[rajobrim.livejournal.com]

Great work keep it coming, best blog on earth

[decipole.livejournal.com]

This article was vey helpful to me. It helped me to be informed and more aware. The details were such a blessing, thanks.

[achinhibitor.livejournal.com]

A typical boondoggle, government money buying up a commodity to keep the price high.