A warm breeze rustles through the leaves, squirrels clamour up and down the branches above your head as you’re strolling arm in arm with your bestie through an endless forest…
Sounds magical doesn’t it?
Summer mornings just don’t get much better than this. It feels so good to be away from the screens and the hustle and bustle of busy city streets. Relax. Unwind. Maybe even learn a little something about your favourite brunch time must-have: Maple Syrup (did I have to say it?). If this isn’t enough to captivate your sweetest thoughts, the walk through our sugar bush ends with an actual stick of maple taffy that leaves you wanting more… 🤩
I probably just gave away a lot of the magic of this experience without starting at the beginning. If you haven’t guessed already, I’m talking about our hugely missed, off-season Sugar Bush Tour: The Discover Maple Tour. Since 2014, Richard Bering — Owner of White Meadows Farms has been setting aside a few hours each week from May to October to take small groups into our sugar bush and share his knowledge about our craft. Usually groups are no larger than 15-20 people, so it’s such a wonderful opportunity to get in some face time with the man who lives and breathes maple syrup. Ask him your toughest questions, find out some of his maple secrets — don’t hold back! It’s been a long time since we’ve been able to host groups at our farm, Richard is bursting with maple flavoured information that he’s just dying to share!
How does the magic work?
It’s best to book through our website to guarantee your spot on the tour. Space is limited, so plan ahead! When you arrive, check in with the smiling face in the Maple Sweet Shop and take in the sights of the country while you wait for the tour to begin.
*Pro Tip: Arrive early and grab a pack of Maple Butter Tarts and a chilled Maple Cream Ale to get you into the maple mood.
The tour starts out in our Sugar Shack — the hub of maple production! Although not in operation this time of year, Richard explains how the equipment works and walks you through the entire sap to syrup process. There’s something about the Sugar Shack that is so inviting and special. This is the very room where Richard learned everything he knows about maple syrup from his father; now he’s passing this knowledge on to his own children.
From here, you’ll hop onto our tractor-pulled wagon that takes you through the meandering meadow all the way out to the forest. Rolling hills, an endless treeline and sometimes even furry friends make their appearance along this journey. It’s possible to see rabbits, deer, groundhogs and even a blue heron from time to time. Definitely take some selfies in the wagon (📸 tag @whitemeadowsfarms) but keep your eyes on the horizon to see if you can spot some wildlife!
When the tractor stops, disembark into the deep, green vastness of our sugar bush. This is the part of the tour where that magic feeling takes over… Trees tower overhead, sounds of birds and animals echo all around, take a deep breath and inhale the fresh forest air. As you break from this trance, Richard will guide you through the forest while discussing points of interest and answering your questions along the way. The slow pace and intimate setting allow for the perfect balance of leisure and education. As your trip nears its final stretch, Richard will lead you through a guided tasting of the four flavours of maple syrup and four hand selected gourmet maple products. Nothing like tasting maple syrup under the trees that it comes from — again, magic✨
Now for the best part — maple taffy on snow!
Normally this is a springtime activity because, well… snow… but we make our own all-season snow to give you the full experience all summer long. Roll warm maple syrup across the shimmering “snow” into an ooey, gooey lolly — a truly one of a kind experience. Find a shady spot to enjoy this sweet, sticky treat beneath the canopy of maple trees.
When everyone has had their fill of maple taffy and sugar bush information, the group hops back onto the wagon to wrap up the tour back at the farm. You’ll finish off the tour in the Maple Sweet Shop where you can peruse our line of Everything Canadian Maple products and maybe even find something to bring home.
The tour lasts about 1.5-2 hours and after all these little tastes of sweetness through the morning you may work up quite an appetite. Enter the Country Picnic Lunch. Recoup your energy (you can even nap if you want to 💤) in the shade of one of our cozy picnic locations. Enjoy a maple inspired lunch with Maple Iced Tea. Choose from a Ham, Turkey or Veggie sandwich with a green salad and finish with a maple butter tart.
