Sugar Moon Farm While in the Truro area to go to the Snowpak Dog Sledding Adventures (NOW CLOSED) and to the Shubenacadie Wildlife Park we decided to expand our adventure to include the Sugar Moon Farm. Sugar Moon Farm is one of the only places in Nova Scotia where you can go watch and learn about […]
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Shubenacadie Wildlife Park in the Winter **Disclosure: Our family received a pass to the wildlife park in exchange for letting more Valley families know that they are open in the winter for amazing family fun! All opinions are our own.** Did you know that the Shubenacadie Wildlife Park is open in the winter and you […]
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Sugar Moon Farm While in the Truro area to go to the Snowpak Dog Sledding Adventures (NOW CLOSED) and to the Shubenacadie Wildlife Park we decided to expand our adventure to include the Sugar Moon Farm. Sugar Moon Farm is one of the only places in Nova Scotia where you can go watch and learn about […]
https://i0.wp.com/valleyfamilyfun.ca/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/SugarMoon.jpg?fit=%2C&ssl=1ValleyFamilyFunhttps://valleyfamilyfun.ca/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/vff_logo2-300x69.pngValleyFamilyFun2016-02-24 12:28:432018-03-02 19:10:08Sugar Moon Maple Syrup Farm
Shubenacadie Wildlife Park in the Winter **Disclosure: Our family received a pass to the wildlife park in exchange for letting more Valley families know that they are open in the winter for amazing family fun! All opinions are our own.** Did you know that the Shubenacadie Wildlife Park is open in the winter and you […]
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Sugar Moon Farm, a working maple farm in the Cobequid Hills of Northern Nova Scotia. Discover 200 acres of sugar maples and cleared land, a rustic log sugar camp and restaurant.
Every spring when the winter days begin to lengthen, we hike up the hill, gather the beautiful crystal clear sap from sugar maples and transform it into pure maple syrup over a roaring wood fire.
Come visit us! We welcome visitors year round. Each season has its own charm.
Enjoy all-day maple brunch in our log restaurant. Taste the spectrum of maple flavours from the latest sugar season. Stroll through the sugar camp with us and learn about the magic and mystery of making maple syrup. Hike some of the prettiest trails in northern Nova Scotia.
Our Adventure
We arrived on one of the coldest days of the winter, so quickly headed inside the log cabin to the restaurant.
We added our name to the list of guests waiting for a table.
While waiting, we curled up with one of the many kids’ books about maple syrup.
Then, we headed to adjacent room to see the displays about tapping maple syrup.
We also got to sample some of Sugar Moon’s maple syrup.
There were two types to try: one was from the beginning of the season, and the second from the end of the season. You could definitely tell how the syrup got sweeter as time went by! Also, the colour became darker and richer.
It took about 45 minutes for us to be seated. Had the weather been a bit warmer, we would have gone out side to explore the woods, or some of the hiking trail. This would have made the time go faster!
Seating at the Sugar Moon restaurant is communal, meaning you sit with other families to enjoy your meal.
We ordered a bit of everything, and smothered it all in Sugar Moon’s maple syrup.
Everyone is given fresh biscuits with a maple butter spread. Yummm!
Everything is wholesome and made with whole wheat flour. This might be an acquired taste for some kids, so be sure to warn them!
If you are interested in learning more about maple syrup and its production, book a Maple Magic Tour. Tours include a maple brunch, testing, a tour of the sugar camp and maple sugar on the snow. These tours are about 2.5 hours, and gives you the full maple experience.
Try Snowshoeing or Hiking
Sugar Moon Farm is situated in one of the best areas of the province for outdoor recreation. There are over 30 km of trails created by the Cobequid Eco-Trails Society within minutes of the farm that are perfect for hiking, snowshoeing and back-country skiing, in addition to snowmobile/ATV trails.
One of the trails leads right from the Sugar Moon parking lot. This is a 6.5km trail.
**Disclosure: Our family received a pass to the wildlife park in exchange for letting more Valley families know that they are open in the winter for amazing family fun! All opinions are our own.**
Did you know that the Shubenacadie Wildlife Park is open in the winter and you can go visit the animals? Neither did we!
My parents used to take us to the park when we were kids, and we took the boys one summer about 4 years ago. So, when I found out that the Shubenacadie Wildlife Park was open year-round, I knew we had to visit.
We were on our way to go dog sledding with SnowPak Dog Sledding Adventures and stopped at the Wildlife Park on our way through.
Snowshoeing
When you arrive at the park, head down the hill to the Legacy Centre. This is the big Ducks Unlimited building (with a picture of a duck on it).
Have you ever wanted to try snowshoeing? We have the snowshoes if winter gives us the snow. This will be offered periodically on week-ends starting January 9, 2016, from 10 am to 1 pm. We wish to encourage people of all ages to try this easy and free recreational activity. To make arrangements or get more information: email legacycentre@novascotia.ca or phone 902-758-5316.
Please call 902-758-2040 after 9:00 am on week-ends to ensure the facility is open as inclement weather or unsafe conditions may cause events to be cancelled.
Snowshoes are available for those aged 4+.
Our Snowshoe Adventure
We brought our own snowshoes with us, but still went in to check with the Legacy Centre. Here, we were given a map, and told of a couple of routes that we could take.
It was a very cold day, so we decided to do the shortest loop of about 1km through the woods and around the ponds. This took us about 20 minutes to complete. The scenery was beautiful!
Along the way there were interpretive signs to help us learn more.
Legacy Centre
Back inside the Legacy Centre there were so many hands-on activities for the kids to play with to learn about our wetlands.
This is free to visit.
We could have easily spent an hour looking at the displays.
Wildlife Park
After exploring the wetlands area at the Legacy Centre, we headed next door to the park entrance. We were greeted by park attendants who gave us a map of the park.
The entire park is open, however, not all enclosures may have animals because of the winter (but most do!).
The best advice: turn right. Whenever you have a decision to make of which way to go, turn right! This will make sure you see everything in the park!
Winter turns out to be an incredible time to visit the park! When our friends were there yesterday, they were the only ones in the park!
The animals were so active and many were out playing in the snow. Watch the mink!
Or the otters!
Although cold for us, these animals, native to Atlantic Canada, were loving it! We saw wolves, foxes, coyotes, moose, deer and so much more.
It took us about 1 hour to visit all the animals in the winter.
This was a wonderful way to spend an afternoon, and we highly recommend visiting in the winter!
We cannot wait to go back in the summer!
Dogs
Dogs are not allowed in the Shubenacadie wildlife park itself.
Leashed pets are permitted in the picnic area and on the trails but NOT in the area in which our captive wildlife is housed. Please pick up after your pets.
However, the Park offers kennels at the park entrance where your dog can stay while you enjoy the park. What a great service! These are open year-round, too!
Shubenacadie Wilflife Park is located just off Highway 102, Exit 9 at Milford, about 1 hour 15mins from the Valley. 149 Creighton Road, Shubenacadie, NS. When you take Exit 9, just follow the blue wildlife signs to the park.
In the winter, the park is open only on weekends from 9am – 3pm. A family pass is $8.50. Season passes are also available.
The next time you are looking for a fun family outing, consider making the drive to the Shubenacadie Wildlife Park!
Or, the next time you are heading through to Truro and beyond, make a stop to see the animals. You’ll be glad you did!
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