By: Serge Guenette
Sugar Bush Roundup
TAGS: SUGAR BUSH, MAPLE SYRUP
You know spring is not far off when maple syrup season arrives. Starting in February or March, depending on the weather, sugar bush operators begin extracting sap from their maple trees to make the sweet spring treat. Here in Ottawa, we are blessed by having easy access to many top sugar bush locations in the area and they love to celebrate the season.
There’s nothing quite like spending part of the day immersed in the experience, which is great fun for the whole family. Here are a few sugar bushes to check out this year.
- Vanier Museopark: Vanier boasts what’s billed as North America’s only urban sugar bush at Richelieu Park and offers you a great way to get the sugar bush experience without leaving the city. The annual Sugar Festival runs Mar. 30 to Apr. 5, with food, music and more.
Location: Vanier
Dates: until Apr. 5
- Proulx Maple & Berry Farm: The Proulx family has been running the farm and producing maple syrup since 1920. Take a guided tour explaining how maple syrup is made and visit the small animal petting farm that they have for the whole family to enjoy. And, of course, there’s food!
Location: Cumberland
Dates: until Apr. 13
- Fulton’s Pancake House and Sugar Bush: Just a one-hour drive from Ottawa, Fulton’s Maple Season offers sugar bush tours on syrup-making, horse-drawn sleigh rides and meals in their pancake house. They also produce maple-based culinary and spa products sold in their shop.
Location: Pakenham
Dates: until Apr. 19
- Stanley’s Olde Maple Lane Farm: Only 30 minutes from Ottawa, Stanley’s offers the traditional sugar bush experience with a petting farm and children’s play area. There will also be an Easter egg hunt for the children to enjoy after their visit in the sugar bush.
Location: Cumberland
Dates: until Apr. 12
- Log Farm: This farm is one of the newest additions to the maple syrup scene in Ottawa, offering maple taffy on snow, wagon rides, an opportunity to collect maple syrup, and tours of how syrup is made. This pioneer-style working farm also offers popular BeaverTail pastries to enjoy alongside maple syrup snacks.
Location: Nepean
Dates: until Apr. 13
At the end of the sugar bush season, on April 4 to 5, the Ontario Maple Weekend event takes place, which includes several of the best maple syrup producers in the Lanark County area. Enjoy pancake breakfasts, sugar making demonstrations, taffy on snow, sleigh rides, sugar bush trails and so much more!