The Sugarbush

To our valued customers and volunteers,

We have decided to close the sugarbush until further notice due to the concern over the spread of COVID-19. We are following the recommendations from Public Health regarding mass gatherings and trying to limit exposure to large crowds. On any given day that we are running tours and serving pancakes our numbers are between 1000-1500 people. Agape wants to contribute to the community in a positive way by taking the steps to help try eliminate the spread of this virus and keep the safety of its’ customers and volunteers in mind.

We do thank each and everyone for the support they have given to Agape over this Maple Season and hopefully this closure will be short lived. Please continue to monitor our Social Media avenues for updates.

We appreciate your understanding in this matter

Thank you
Tim Hartwick
President of Niagara Shorthills Christian Ministries

**As of March 13, 2020 the sugarbush is closed until further notice due to COVID-19. Continue to monitor the website and social media for updates.

The sugarbush is CLOSED (due to coronavirus) to the public

Sat. March 7
Sat. March 14
March Break (16-20)
Sat. March 21
Sat. March 28
Sat. April 4

CLOSED ON SUNDAYS

You don’t want to miss coming to our pancake house this spring! Come with family and friends to enjoy a delicious meal and take a FREE sugar bush tour to see how maple syrup is produced. All the proceeds go towards our day camp, to keep the cost affordable for all families. We look forward to seeing you!

SCHOOL TOURS

Your group will enjoy a guided walking tour through the forest and a tour of our sugar shack where the maple sap is made into maple syrup. Our knowledgeable guides will adapt the tour to make it appealing for any age group. During the one and a half hour tour your students will learn about different methods of sap collection and the tools used in making maple syrup from past to present (this includes how our ancestors and the first nations made syrup). Students will end their tour at our newly renovated pancake house with a pancake snack with our pure maple syrup.

On your visit to Agapé Valley Sugar Bush, you will experience the following:

· A hay wagon ride from our Pancake House to our Sugar Bush operation

· A hike through the forest to see the different methods of sap collection

· Travel through the years to compare today’s process of syrup-making to the days of The Pioneers and Indigenous People of Canada

· See how the syrup is bottled and labeled

· Visit to our Sugar Shack Sweet Store

· Maple take home treat for every student

· Mini Pancakes & syrup snack (includes juice)

SPECIAL SERVICES although the sugar bush walking trails are not handicap accessible, the pancake house is.

COST

$9.00 (HST included) per student

One teacher per class is free, all other supervisors of trip (including teacher aids, educational assistants and parents) are charged. (Please note that if you have attended our trips in the past that this is a change)

Schools can be invoiced

MINIMUM charge per group is the rate of 15 people $135.00 (HST included)

MAXIMUM Number per group is 70 (including supervision).

We will be booking trips March 4th – April 5^th (Monday-Friday, excluding the March Break).

The time slots available each day are as follows:

*9:30am-11:00am

*11:00am-12:30pm

*12:00pm-1:30pm

NOTE: The time slot is reserved for you, if you have a late arrival portions of your tour will be reduced to accommodate the finish time.

CANCELATION policy

-School Bus cancelations is an automatic cancellation of tour

-Tours run in all weather (dress appropriately) HOWEVER EXTREME weather conditions may cause the tour to be cancelled for safety reasons, we will do our best at that time to reschedule with you.

Maple Recipes

Agape Valley Pancakes

Dry Mix (for sale through our online store):

Ingredients: Wheat Flour, Sugar, Baking Powder, Salt

Directions for 10 – 12 medium pancakes

You will need:

1 cup soured milk *

3 large eggs

2 tbsp oil (melted butter can be substituted)

2 cups of AGAPE DRY MIX

*to sour milk add 1 tbsp vinegar or lemon juice to the cup of milk

Prepare:

Preheat skillet over med-high heat or electric griddle to 325-350F

(Remember every griddle/stove top is different

Lightly grease skillet/griddle

Mix It Up

Measure your Agape dry mix into a bowl.

Add the wet ingredients.

Stir with a whisk or electric mixer on low-med setting until smooth

Add more milk or dry mix to get the consistency you are happy with

Cook It Up!

Using a 1/4-1/3 cup to scoop the batter for each pancake

Flip the pancake when the batter is “set” and the bottoms are golden brown.

Continue to cook for approximately 1-2 minutes until the second side is golden.

Serve with Agape Valley maple syrup.

Enjoy!

Baked Oatmeal using Maple Syrup

Volunteer at the Sugarbush

Thank you for considering to serve our Lord Jesus Christ at the ministry of Agape Valley this March. As a volunteer run ministry, we appreciate the time you are able to give. Minimum age to volunteer is 13.

Throughout the month of March there are two ministries to volunteer in:

1. Public Sugar Bush Days (Saturday’s and March Break)

2. School Field Trip Days (Weekdays)

Please fill out our online volunteer form to let us know when you are available and what you would like to do!

Click here to complete the online form → ONLINE SUGARBUSH VOLUNTEER FORM

We will send you confirmation of the dates you will be volunteering.

On public sugarbush days (Saturdays and March Break) Volunteers come at 7:30am for morning devotion (with the exception of some kitchen volunteers who come for 6:30am). The sugarbush is open 8:30-3:30 to the public. A lunch is provided to all volunteers. If you can only come for a part day or for a few hours that is great! We appreciate the time that you area able to give.

Here is a list of volunteer jobs during the sugarbush season:

*Please note, we do our best to accommodate where you prefer to work, it is dependant on volunteers each day

“UP TOP” at the LODGE		“DOWN BELOW” in the sugarbush
Kitchen Help Making pancakes/french toast, eggs, hash browns, sausages, prepping batter, plating orders, hot beverages, dishes (Some 6:30am start, 1/2 days available)		Tractor Driver Driving the shuttle up and down Emptying Garbages in the Lodge Check on Fires (up top and down below)
Dining Room Serving/Clearing/Restocking Tables Hostess, order runner		Indoor Tour Guide Teaching how we make maple syrup in modern day
Cashier Pancake house or Store		General Maintenance Fire wood, trail maintenance, garbages, stoking fires
Greeter Main booth in parking lot Outside the pancake house Inside the pancake house		Outside Tour Guide Teaching the history of maple syrup through the forest. Informational resources provided to you
Parking Directing cars where to park Welcoming the public as they come		Bottling Maple Syrup Working on a team to bottle maple syrup. *dependant on supply
Mascots Wearing our sugarbush mascots in the pancake house to greet children		Evaporator Operating the evaporator, stocking the fire. Taffy Booth Prepare and make the taffy on snow
SCHOOL TOURS Kitchen – making pancakes, serving children, reading a story, clean up Tour Guides (indoor/outdoor) Tractor Driver		End of Day Clean Up Help take some of the responsibility off those who volunteered all day and come clean the lodge (sweeping, bathrooms, mopping)

Where can you buy Maple Syrup and Honey?

Our on-site store is by appointment only during the year. It is open during March.

We also have our product at these local stores:
– Personal Touch Home Improvements ( 2601 Highway 20 East Fonthill, ON L0S 1E6 )
– Gospel Folio Press (304 Killaly St W, Port Colborne, ON L3K 6A6)
– Our Online Maple Store

If you are looking for something specific, please call us at 905-89-AGAPE (905-892-4273).