It’s maple syrup harvesting time in northern Iowa.

The naturally sweet liquid sap from the area’s maple trees finds its way into tasty syrupy goodness. Maple syrup is one of the oldest agriculture commodities. Canada and the northeastern U.S. states carry most of the world’s production, with a handful of producers in the northeast corner of Iowa.

Great River Maple near Garn­avillo is one of those operations. Their sugar, black, red and silver maple trees ...