🌳 Enjoy the Sweet Sensations of a Maple Farm Stroll (AARP Article)

[Winter2025VA]

FROM THE ARTICLE.

These maple syrup producers, a.k.a. sugar bushes, offer access to acres of forest — and treats.

By Amy Brecount White, AARP. Published January 08, 2026.

On the cusp of spring, maple trees produce a sweet sap that has been harvested by farmers for centuries, starting with Native Americans who developed the process of boiling it down to concentrate its sweetness. Also known as sugar bushes, maple farms across the Northeast, eastern Canada and parts of the mid-Atlantic currently produce most of the world’s supply of 100 percent pure maple syrup, with Canada producing approximately 73 percent and the U.S., 23 percent, in 2024.

Sugaring season varies according to the weather, typically starting in late February or early March and lasting until the trees begin to bud, usually in April. Maple farms across these regions open their forests for hands-on and intergenerational recreation, including hiking, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing and farm tours. Many farms offer educational tours and provide tasty samples of items such as maple taffy and maple barbecue sauce, and even their syrup featured at pancake breakfasts.

USE LINK BELOW TO READ THE ARTICLE.

https://www.aarp.org/travel/vacation-ideas/maple-farms-sugaring-season/