Maple syrup is one of the symbols of Canada. You can learn about how it is made by visiting one, or all, of Ontario’s best maple syrup farms. Here is a list of five fantastic maple syrup farms in Ontario. They are easily accessible by car and offer a glimpse into maple syrup production.
Kortright Centre for Conservation
Kortright Centre for Conservation is located in Woodbridge and is a 30 minute-drive from Toronto. It holds Maple Syrup Evenings from 6:00pm – 9:00pm (last entry is at 8:00 p.m.) every Friday and Saturday. You can enjoy a tranquil stroll through the forest at sunset and discover how maple syrup is made. The whole adventure happens in a beautiful setting of lanterns, illuminated trail and campfires.
You can enjoy the maple syrup experience alone or with a group. You can also book a school visit at competitive prices. The tours are two hours long and start at 9:30 a.m., 10 a.m., 10:30 a.m., 11:00 a.m., 11:30 a.m., 12:00 p.m., 12:30 p.m., 1:00 p.m. and 1:30 p.m.
Terra Cotta Conservation Area
You can watch the maple syrup demonstrations and learn all about maple syrup collection from Indigenous people at Terra Cotta Conservation Area. Terra Cotta is only a fifty-minute drive from Toronto and it is easily accessible via ON-410 N.
Explore how sap turns into maple syrup at five educational stations. You can learn how Indigenous people made maple syrup at Sweet Water Discovery, watch historical demonstrations of how settlers created maple syrup at Settled into Spring, discover the historical and modern tools utilized in maple syrup production at Tool Shoppe, see how the Oshkabewis make cedar tea at Sacred Fire ChatsSip, and uncover how climate change affects maple syrup production at Changing Seasons. You could also hike the Sap Bucket Trail and peek at how the sap is collected. Last but not least, you may want to sample a warm taffy (a toffee-like candy made from maple syrup) or pancakes with freshly-made maple syrup.
You can enjoy this Maple Syrup Event on March 14 to 17, 23 and 24, 2024, from 9:30 AM to 5 PM. You want to dedicate one-and-a-half to three hours to benefit from this experience to the fullest. Peak visitation time is between 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. The event ends at 5 p.m. The admission fee is $13 per adult (ages 15 to 64), $7.50 per youth (ages 6 to 14), and $10.50 per senior (ages 65 years and over). Children aged zero to five enter free.
Fort Rose Maple Company
Fort Rose Maple Company is located in Parkhill Ontario, about 250 kilometres south-west of Toronto. The Fort Rose Maple Company is a family-owned and operated business producing maple syrup as well as other maple products. They also operate a pancake house where you can indulge in a buffet-style brunch consisting of pancakes, sausage, maple baked beans, coleslaw, fruit salad, and pure maple syrup. You can visit The Pancake House every Saturday and Sunday starting the last weekend of February until the end of March. It will be open for visits during March Break from March 11th to March 15th from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. The dining experience, although, wonderful, is not the only thing you can do there. You can also see how maple syrup is made, sample fresh maple syrup and maple butter, and tour the Sugar Bush. Additionally, it is interesting to discover the history of the MacLachlan family’s operations with its ups and downs.
Bata Maple Sugar Bush
Bata Maple Sugar Bush was established in 2010 in Quinte West, Ontario. It is located about an hour and a half east of Toronto. The farm was born out for Frank Haveman’s love of sugaring he has harboured since he was a teenager. He first tapped some trees on his parents’ farm that is adjacent to the current company. He built the shack there when he became an adult and tapped some 300 trees. Then, he decided to take up a teaching position in Lahr, Germany. Upon his return, he set up a small-scale business with his wife and built a house on the property for his growing family. In 2009, he and his brother moved the original shack next to the family home where the operations continue until now.
Bata Maple Bush welcomes groups and schools to tour the grounds and visit the sugar shack during Maple Weekend on April 1st and 2nd. If you would like to learn about maple syrup production, you can fill out a form and volunteer for a few hours. Bata sells both bottles and jugs of freshly made maple syrup and their syrup is available for pickup at the road stand or you can order it on the Internet.
Temple’s Sugar Bush
Temple’s Sugar Bush is a great stop on the way to Ottawa. It is located approximately 325 kilometres away from Toronto, which takes about four hours by car to get to. Temples is a family-run restaurant and maple farm. They also have a large pancake house with a mouthwatering selection of pancakes, French toast and buttermilk biscuits. You can also purchase hand-crafted items such as pure maple syrup, maple butter, and even pancake mix. Their nature trail takes you through a forest of ashes, elms, basswoods, hickories, birches, butternuts, cherries and, of course, maples. What a great breather for city folks!
Enjoy Ontario’s beautiful maple syrup farms!
