Maple syrup goes perfectly with homemade waffles and pancakes on cold, snowy mornings. Ever wonder how that delicious syrup is made? Grab the kids and check out one these local maple sugaring events, tours and locations in 2018.
Ipswich
March 3 &10, 10am & 1:30pm, Appleton Farms, 219 County Road, Ipswich. Sugar Shack Saturdays. Watch the syruping process, do a maple- themed craft and enjoy a story and snack. Registration required. Family, $30. 978-356-5728; ttor.org
Topsfield
Weekends through March 18, 10:30am- 2:30pm, Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary, 87 Perkins Row, Topsfield. Take a naturalist-guided tour and watch the entire sugaring process, right down to a sweet taste. Dress warmly with warm waterproof footgear for the sugaring tour. Adults, $11; child, $9. 978-887-9264; massaudubon.org
March 24, 8:15am – 2pm, Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary, 87 Perkins Row, Topsfield. We wrap up the maple sugaring season with the Spring Flapjack Fling. Bring your family and friends for this special breakfast and enjoy the fruit (ok, sap!) of our labor and our maple trees on some delicious pancakes. Dress warmly with warm waterproof footgear for the sugaring tour. Adults, $17; child, $14. 978-887-9264; massaudubon.org
Belmont
March 3, 10am & 1pm, Habitat Education Center and Wildlife Sanctuary 10 Juniper Road Belmont. A Habitat tradition! Bring the kids and grandparents and learn how maple syrup is made from sugar maple trees. We’ll try our hand at a few sugaring activities, hear stories, and visit a few places on the property including our tapped sugar trees. We’ll boil down a little of our sap and taste! All ages. Registration required. $10. 617-489-5050; massaudubon.org
Lincoln
March 2, 8, Hours vary, Drumlin Farm, 208 South Great Road, Lincoln. Listen to a story of maple sugaring and take a walk out to our sugar bush. We’ll check out our evaporator to see how sap is turned into syrup, and enjoy a tasty maple treat. For ages 3 – 12. Registration required. $15.50. 781-259-2200; massaudubon.org
March 6, 3:30pm, Drumlin Farm, 208 South Great Road, Lincoln. Maple Moo-Milk the cow, then check to see if the sap is running through the maple trees. For ages 3 and older, but younger siblings welcome to register. Registration required. $16.50. 781-259-2200; massaudubon.org
March 7, 1:30-4:30pm, Drumlin Farm, 208 South Great Road, Lincoln. Homeschool Maple Science and History-Learn about the structure and seasonal adaptations of maple trees as we visit the sugar shack and experiment with sap, syrup and sugar. We’ll venture out to the sugar bush, collect sap, learn about sugaring equipment of today and yesteryear, and enjoy a maple treat. Ages 5 -12. $32. 781-259-2200; massaudubon.org
Weston
March 24, 9 am-noon. The Bill McElwain Sugar House at Weston Middle School, 456 Wellesley St, Weston, Sugaring Off. Tour the Sugar House, watch maple sugaring demonstrations, and enjoy a maple-y breakfast, all led by student in our Maple Education programs. See website for details. landssake.org
Brookfield
Weekends through April 1, 2pm. The Warren Farm, 31 Warren Street, N. Brookfield. Hear stories about the Native Americans’ role in the early history of sugaring, then continue by demonstrating colonial methods and tools for collecting and boiling, and discuss the future of sugaring. During a quick trip to the woods explore two different systems used today, and have an opportunity to see new technology. Aspects of nature, science, meteorology, and math will be woven into the presentation. The tour then heads to the sugarhouse, where a large evaporator stands ready to receive sap from collection tanks outside. Here, everyone will learn how sap is boiled into syrup, and see the equipment and gauges needed for this process. End back at the greenhouse display for more stories and sampling. $5. 781-659-2559; www.thewarrenfarm.com
Sturbridge
Weekends through March 25, 9:30am – 4pm, Old Sturbridge Village, 1 Old Sturbridge Village Road, Sturbridge. Maple Days-Join in for four weekends of the Maple Days event throughout March, where you can see maple sugaring as it was done in early 19th-century rural New England in OSV’s working sugar camp. Free with admission. 800-733-1830; osv.org
Natick
Through March 24, Mon.-Sat., multiply times. Natick Community Organic Farm, 117 Eliot St, Natick, Lasting 45 minutes to one hour, and led by knowledgeable guides, you or your group will learn the fascinating history of and science behind this classic tradition. $7. www.natickcenter.org
Sharon
March 17, 18, 25,10am–3pm, Moose Hill Wildlife Sanctuary, 293 Moose Hill St., Sharon. This 90-minute outdoor, guided tour includes meeting people portraying characters from the past as they go about their daily tasks, including sugaring. Conclude your tour at our operational sugar house and enjoy a taste of the final product. After the tour, return to the Visitor Center for additional self-guided activities, including a children’s craft table, a sugaring quiz board, a pictorial look back at Moose Hill’s sugaring past, and hot chocolate. Pancakes with syrup, “sap” dogs (hotdogs cooked in maple sap), maple-sugar dusted popcorn, and more delicious food items will be available for a small additional fee at the Visitor Center. Ages 4-18. Registration recommended. $10. 781-784-5691; massaudubon.org
Canton
March 24-25,10am-4pm, Blue Hills Reservation, 11 Blue Hill River Rd, Canton. Join Trailside and the Massachusetts DCR as they continue a more than 20-year-old tradition of making maple syrup at Brookwood Farm in the Blue Hills Reservation. Discover how people learned to get sugar from a tree as you take a walk down “Maple Lane” to meet people who share the maple story and who help you handle and use sugar making tools. Adults, $10; child, $5. 617-333-0690; massaudubon.org
Norwell
March 11, 11am-4pm. South Shore Natural Science Center, 48 Jacob Lane, Norwell. Join us as we explore maple history, culture and production. Enjoy the process from start to finish as you help tap the trees for sap and then watch how it is boiled into syrup. The day will include scheduled woodland walks for tree tapping, sweet treats, historical interpreters, fun crafts and lots of hands-on activities. $8. 508-867-0174; southshorenaturalsciencecenter.org
More Maple Sugaring Locations in Massachusetts
Lincoln
Drumlin Farm Wildlife Sanctuary
208 South Great Road
781-259-2200
massaudubon.org/get-outdoors/wildlife-sanctuaries/drumlin-farm
Natick
Natick Community Organic Farm
117 Eliot St. (Rt. 16)
508-655-2204
natickfarm.org
North Andover
Turtle Lane Maple Farm
978-258-2889
turtlelanemaplefarm.com
North Attleboro
Davell’s Farm
30 Orchard Drive.
508-699-7228
davellsfarm.com
Plainfield
Fournier’s Sugarhouse
206 S. Central St.
413-634-0299
fournierssugarhouse.com
Thatcher’s Sugarhouse
12 Broom St.
413-634-5582
thatcherssugarhouse.com
Saugus
BreakHeart Reservation
177 Forest St.
781-233-0834
saugus.org/fobr
Shelburne Falls
Country Maple Farm
39 Old Greenfield Road
413-772-9384
countrymaplefarms.com
Gould’s Sugarhouse
Mohawk Trail
413-625-6170
goulds-sugarhouse.com
Wheel-View Farm
212 Reynolds Road
413-625-2900
wheelviewfarm.com
South Hadley
Stone Silo Maple Sugar
355 N. Main St.
413-532-8459
laflammeapartments.com/html/maplesy.html
Sturbridge
K.E. Farm
317 Lead Mine Road
508-347-9323
maplesugarhouse.com
Maple Ledge Farm
26 Vinton Road
508-347-5558
facebook.com/maple.ledge
Topsfield
Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary
87 Perkins Row
978-887-9264
massaudubon.org/ipswichriver
Uxbridge
River Bend Farm Visitor Center
287 Oak St.
508-278-7604
blackstonevalleysugaring.org
West Bridgewater
Matfield Maple Farm
107 Matfield St.
508-588-9858
matfieldmaplefarm.com
Westfield
Pomeroy’s Sugarhouse
491 Russellville Road
413-568-3484
pomeroysugarhouse.com
Westhampton
Bridgmont Farm
61 Chesterfield Road
413-527-6193
bridgemontfarm.com
Hanging Mountain Farm
188 North Road
413-527-3210
hangingmountainfarms.com
Mayval Farm
149 Easthampton Road
413-527-6274
mayvalfarm.com
Westminster
Rock Island Farm
258 West Princeton Road
