The Sugar Bush - Agape Valley

CLICK HERE to Reserve your Free Admission Pass (one per carload) for Maple Syrup Days!

The 2023 Sugarbush season is here!

**NEW** Free Admission Pass (one per carload) will be required to come and enjoy the pancake house and sugar bush. The admission pass will be free and only one pass is required per carload. Please select your arrival time at the link above and arrive during that window. We hope this will help alleviate the long waits experienced by cars just to get a space in our parking lot, help with the flow of traffic throughout the day, and free up the road way for any emergency service vehicles if needed.

**There are limited admission passes per time slot, so some are sold out. To find a time slot make sure to scroll down to where the date/time is and select more options**

We are happy to share that we will be welcoming the public to enjoy pancakes, taffy, hayrides and tours of the sugar bush.

Hours: 8:30AM – 3PM *final dining room seating at 2:30pm*
Saturday, March 4th, 2023
Saturday, March 11th, 2023
March Break (March 13th-17th)
Saturday, March 18th, 2023
Saturday, March 25th, 2023
Saturday, April 1st, 2023
Last tour starts at 3pm, pancake house closes at 2:30pm.

Here is some more information on what to expect:

Pancake House
Will have a modified menu this year of pancakes and sausage.
There will be no bookings/reservations for tables
Sugarbush Tours (free)
Take a free hayride shuttle with your family/group down into the sugarbush where you will be taken on a walk through the forest with a tour guide to see how the collection of sap has evolved over the years and how we transform maple sap into delicious maple syrup!
The Maple Store
Purchase our maple syrup that we make right here on-site!
Purchase honey that is collected from hives on our property.
Delicious maple treats!
Maple Taffy
A sugarbush favourite! Made from our maple syrup, our taffy on snow is 100% maple syrup, and 100% delicious! This is available for purchase for $2 a taffy.

Scroll down to see the sugar bush policies

Updated: January 27, 2023

Sugar Bush Policies

Rules of the Sugar Bush

Updated: January 27, 2023

We have a no smoking and no pets policy at the sugar bush.

Parking
Please follow the instructions of the main entrance booth greeter and the parking lot attendants when finding a spot for your vehicle. We have a one way traffic parking lot. Please have your reserved ticket ready to show the greeter upon arrival.

Accessibility
There is accessible parking spaces near the entrance to the Lodge (pancake house).
The lodge has a wheelchair accessible washroom.
The sugar bush tour is not accessible.
The sugar bush tours can accommodate air tire strollers, but keep in mind there are stairs and the trails are mainly wood chips.

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

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 areas to volunteer in:

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

2. During the week prep work/cleaning after public days

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.
We need volunteers all day, half days, and to help at the end of the day do clean up.
We appreciate the time that you are able to give.

On public sugar bush days (Saturdays and March Break) Volunteers come at 7:45am for morning devotion (with the exception of some kitchen volunteers who come for 7:00am). The sugarbush is open 8:30AM-3:30PM to the public. Volunteers will need to bring a lunch with them. Drinks and small snacks will be provided as well as access to a microwave.

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 dependent on volunteers each day

Kitchen Help
Making pancakes/sausage, eggs, hash browns, sausages, prepping batter, plating orders, hot beverages, dishes (1/2 days are great too)

Dining Room
Serving/Clearing/Restocking Tables
Hostess, order runner

Tractor Driver
Driving the shuttle up and down
Emptying Garbages as needed
Check on Fires (up top and down below)

Indoor Tour Guide
Teaching how we make maple syrup in modern day

Outside Tour Guide
Teaching the history of maple syrup through the forest.
Informational resources/teaching provided to you

Cashier
Pancake house and Maple Stores

General Maintenance
Fire wood, trail maintenance, garbages, stoking fires

Greeter
Main booth in parking lot
Outside the pancake house
At the Sugarshack

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

Evaporator
Operating the evaporator, stocking the fire.

Taffy Booth
Prepare and make the taffy on snow

End of Day Clean Up (2:30pm or later)
Help take some of the responsibility off those who volunteered all day and come clean the lodge (sweeping, bathrooms, mopping)

Where to buy our maple syrup

Our on-site store in the lodge is open Saturday’s in March! During the rest of the year it is by appointment only.

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).