Sugar Bush History

Sugar bush trail We tap two separate bushes; one is at our farm near McDonalds Corners, which has about 5,500 taps, and the other at the site of our restaurant, near Ferguson's Falls, which has another 5,000.

The farm at McDonalds Corners was settled around 1850 and has many magnificent old trees that date back to that early period. There are remains in the bush of stone fire pits where the settlers would boil sap in flat pans in the open air. In those days the syrup was converted into hard cakes of maple sugar to be stored as a year round sweetener, just like our First Nations did in earlier times.

The bush at Ferguson's Falls could not be more different as it was clear cut for firewood in the 1940's. The regeneration which followed would have included a variety of species such as ash, elm, basswood, hickory, birch, butternut, cherry and, of course, maple. Fortunately, the McEwen family and in particular Bob McEwen, decided to develop this mixed bush into a working sugar bush. Through the 1960's and 70's the bush became a demonstration wood lot, with the assistance of the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, to show the value of proper sugar bush management and thinning techniques.

Take a walk on our Sugar Bush Trail and enjoy the pleasures of walking through a young forest and learn something of the plants and animals that have become part of it.