The lovely Kirsten Wilkinson enjoying frozen maple syrup on a stick
Conservation Halton is bringing back its Maple Season programs at Mountsberg and Crawford Lake Conservation Areas.
Guests will get the chance to visit the 150-year-old sugarbush at Mountsberg’s Maple Town to see how sap tapped from the maple trees is transformed into maple syrup. They can also explore Crawford Lake to learn more about the Indigenous origins of maple sugaring.
“Maple Season programs are always a huge hit in the community. Part of their popularity comes from the hands-on element of the programs and our efforts to keep them new and fresh year over year,” says Brenna Bartley, Education and Outreach Manager at Conservation Halton. “Visitors can get involved in making syrup and sampling – starting from raw sap and transforming it into syrup using traditional methods. This year, we’re also excited to introduce Maple Town’s new candle making workshop and our new Sugar Ranger Challenge for little ones to explore the park and complete six challenges to become an official Sugar Ranger.”
Anyone checking out the sugarbush at Maple Town can watch maple sap transform into syrup in the evaporator or warm up by a fireside lounge. They’ll have maple sugar and syrup samples available, as well as maple syrup drizzled pancakes at the Pancake Pavilion, and other maple products available in the Country Store.
There’s going to be a horse-drawn wagon ride, along with workshops like beeswax candle making and maple sugar making. Maple Town visitors will learn about the history of sugar making from its Indigenous origins, to iron kettles, to today’s technology, and all about how Conservation Halton staff care for the trees. The animal barn and Raptor Centre trail will be open as well.
For those going to Crawford Lake, they can check out Sweet Water Season. It focuses on the Indigenous heritage of maple sugaring and features the First Harvest: Celebrating Sweet Water exhibit. Visitors can step back in time (in a reconstructed 15th-century Longhouse Village) to when maple sugaring was the first harvest of the year. Sweetwater demonstrations will run throughout the day, inviting guests to gather by the fire and learn all about the history of maple sugar making in this part of Ontario. For visitors with a sweet tooth, the event offers guided syrup-tastings to explore the different colours and flavours of maple and birch syrups.
Maple Season starts on Saturday, March 2nd and runs until Sunday, April 7th.
For more information click here.
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