Terra Cotta Conservation Area has been a very popular place over the last couple of days with the Sugarbush Maple Syrup Festival. One of the fun activities is making chewy treats by combining syrup with ice. Kaylee Preece, 8, of Georgetown and her brother Brady, 6, were having lots of fun doing just that Monday.

Conservation Technician Chris Bialek was demonstrating the way they used to carry sap and syrup.

Monday, being the first day of March break was a busy time, and there was a brisk business at the pancake breakfast. Credit Valley Conservation CAO Deb Martin-Downs and Councillor Johanna Downey were handling some of the flipping chores.

Mayor Allan Thompson and Erin Councillor John Brennan were pressed into service mixing the batter.

Shawn Verge, an operations manager with Credit Valley Conservation, was explaining some of the workings of the sugar shack to visitors Monday.

The sap was filling these pails attached to trees. Holly Chalmers of Hamilton was making sure Ryder, 2, got a good look Saturday.
Photos by Bill Rea

People taking in the Sugarbush festival got to practise some of the chores that were routine many years ago Donald Robertson of Brampton and his grandson Chase Vilone-Wilson, 4, made short work sawing this tree Saturday.