Families rush for a final taste of the sugar bush season

The Log Farm in Nepean celebrated the last hurrah of the sugar bush season, inviting families out for the final weekend of harvest.

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Farm operator Ryan Orr was hard at work Sunday, teaching visitors the ins and outs of maple syrup production.

"We get a lot of guests that are new Canadians and they're eager to learn about our strategies here," he said.

"It's been an interesting season – we've had some earlier sap runs, we've had some warm days with cold nights and then we've had some pretty cold temperatures."

The tapped trees along the farm trail have all but run dry.

Nevertheless, families grabbed collection buckets to see if they could scavenge some final drops of the sugary stuff. Some were able to add a couple of splashes to the farm reservoir, much to the excitement of participating kids.

Ryan estimates the farm saw around 10,000 visitors over the production season. Many, like Alex Dettman and his son Frankie, are from out of town. The two were visiting grandparents in the area – the farm seeming like the perfect family outing.

"It was a beautiful experience with the last day of the season to be able to experience the sugar bush, because coming from Toronto - there's nothing like this around Toronto," he said.

For young Frankie, the taste of fresh maple taffy will be hard to forget.

"It tasted like a lollipop," he said.

Meanwhile, the rest of the farm was providing plenty of entertainment, with wagon rides and barnyard animals.

"It goes way beyond just the sugar bush," said owner Larry Orr. "It gives a nice family outing and we really cater to the families with kids 10 and under."

The historic farm was built in the 1860’s with many buildings on the property maintained in their original state. Groups were encouraged to explore the old farm house with an educator, done up in pioneer clothing, ready to answer questions about life during a simpler time.

"They'll learn a bit about history, whether they like it or not," laughed Larry. "While they're here, they'll just experience and see it all."

"It’s great just for them to come out, be in nature, see different things and hopefully leave with that smile on their face," said Ryan.

The Log Farm will now close as the Orr family prepares for the summer season. It will open to the public for the May long weekend.