Book is in French 1930. Augustin Rivard pursues a great dream passed down from generation to generation: to exploit the vast family maple grove to its full potential. Under the watchful eye of his father, the young man does not count the hours and tackles the task with enthusiasm. Soon, the lovely Marie-Laure, for whom his heart beats stronger every day, shows him her true feelings. After some reluctance, he decides to get involved with her and gradually involves her in his ambitious project. The entire clan works to make the business prosper. Indispensable, the women of the household pitch in: Marie-Laure and Béatrice, Augustin's mother, have the idea of ​​preparing meals for visitors. Quickly, success is achieved and the dining room of the small wooden cabin has to be enlarged. As the years pass, the couple's children help to continue the tradition. While Edouard prefers to take care of the fields where he grows wheat, oats and hay for the animals, Henri instinctively knows which trees to cut down to create paths and, like a sorcerer, makes the best syrup of the region. But the boy is suffering from a terrible illness, considered by many to be an intervention by the Devil, which upsets those around him. Will the whims of nature, the slander of the villagers and illness compromise the success of the Rivard sugar shack?