In 2017: From Saturday, March 11-18Â
Kortright moves heaven and earth to educate us on the subject of maple syrup. For example, we learned that the sugar content of maple sap is between 2 and 3%, while maple syrup has at least 66%. When we visited, they had nailed 40 collecting buckets on a board to illustrate what is required to produce one bucket of syrup. We could also use some tools to drill tap holes the old-fashioned way. You can cover the path crossing the sugar bush in half an hour. Note that it begins with a steep downward slope (kids won't resist the call of gravity here!). Make sure they keep some energy for the way back. Around the sugar cabin, my little engineer was fascinated by the gravity-fed system that moves the sap from the trees directly to storage tanks. Wagon rides are offered on the weekend only. Note that this attraction is extremely popular. Saturdays are quieter than Sundays. The first weekends are less busy. During the March Break, arrive after 2 p.m. when the school buses leave.
With younger kids, during Maple time, I prefer visiting Bruce's Mill Conservation Area. Less spectacular but more intimate (and more flat), there usually are less visitors.
