Ottawa
Sugar Bushes

The Ottawa Sugar Bushes are a very popular spot in late winter to early spring when the temperatures become milder and the sap starts to run.

Have you ever been to a Sugar Bush? Do you know what they are? If you have ever had maple syrup on your pancakes or waffles then you know that distinct, sweet taste of the syrup. Well, that syrup is made at a Sugar Bush.

Lanark County (which is located just west of Ottawa) is considered to be the Maple Syrup Capital of Ontario. The season usually runs from about the middle of February until the middle of April. There is no way of knowing the exact dates in advance though as it all depends on the weather.

These are quite a few sugar bushes in Ottawa and the surrounding area. Directions to some of the locations are further down the page.

Cheslock Sugar Bush
224 chemin de la Savanne
Val-des-Monts, Quebec
819-457-2552
www.cabaneasucrecheslock.ca

Fulton's Pancake House & Sugar Bush
291 6th Concession Road, Pakenham
613-256-3867
www.fultons.ca

Temple's Sugar Camp
1700 Ferguson's Falls Road
613-253-7000

Wheeler's Pancake House & Sugar Camp
613-278-2788

Stanley's Olde Maple Lane Farm
2452 Yorks Corners Road, Edwards
1-613-821-2751
www.stanleysfarm.com

So, how is maple syrup made? The best weather conditions for the production of the sap is +4 degrees Celsius in the daytime and below freezing overnight. Sap is tapped from sugar maple and black maple trees and is then boiled in an evaporator. After the water is boiled out of the sap, the product becomes thicker and turns into a sweet maple syrup.

If you would like to read about the process in more detail, please visit the website for Fulton's Pancake House & Sugar Bush.

Apart from finding out how maple syrup is made, you can also participate in a variety of other activities at the local sugar bushes. You can hop on a sleigh ride or you can take a scenic walk along the nature trails.

We recently took some friends of ours from overseas to a sugar bush. We started off trying some of the maple taffy. That is maple syrup that is drizzled onto snow (clean snow) and when it freezes (pretty quickly) it is rolled up onto a stick. Kids of all ages love it! Then we took a stroll around to read about the process in making maple syrup. It was very informative. It is a great place to visit with kids and adults.

A trip is not complete until you have had something to eat in their pancake house. Don't worry, it isn't just pancakes. They have other choices too like maple sausages. It is a very cool feeling sitting there, eating your meal and looking out the window at all the maple trees knowing that that is where your maple syrup came from!

You can also buy some maple products from their gift shop. If you are anything like us, you will be amazed at what they could make with maple sugar. We sure did buy a lot of gifts for our family and friends!

Are you interested in trying some Canadian recipes that feature maple syrup and/or maple sugar? If you are, then here are some scrumptious maple recipes that you may want to try!

Here are the directions for the Ottawa Sugar Bushes that we promised you earlier:

Directions to Fulton's from Ottawa:

• take the Queensway (Highway 417) westbound
• at Antrim, take exit 169 – turn left off of the ramp onto Kinburn Side Road. Follow this road until it ends at the far side of the stone bridge in Pakenham
• turn left onto Regional Road 29 and follow it for 5km
• turn right onto the Cedar Hill Side Road
• follow the signs from there to "Fulton's"

Directions to Wheeler's from Ottawa:

• take Highway 7 westbound
• after Carleton Place you should start seeing signs for "Wheeler's"
• turn right at the Stone Church towards Lanark Village
• stay on County Road #12 until you get to McDonald's Corners
• follow the signs to "Wheeler's"

Directions to Stanley's Olde Maple Lane Farm:

• take Hwy 417 east
• exit 96 South (Boundary Rd)
• turn right into Edwards at first flashing light
• turn left onto Yorks Corners at next flashing light
• continue South for approximately 8 kms

Enjoy your day out at one of the Ottawa Sugar Bushes! Hope you enjoy the atmosphere, the information and the great tasting maple syrup!

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