Hundreds of hungry pancake hunters turn out for annual event
BY JOHN CHICK Special to the VOICE
The weather was a mixed bag last Saturday for the final day of the March Break sugar bush extravaganza at Agape Valley in Pelham. While it started out sunny and bright, it clouded over around midday, and even some flurries were spotted. Yet the still-biting chill in the absence of consistent sunshine didn’t stop hundreds of visitors from coming
out for a penultimate day of March Break fun. Dozens at a time loaded onto the hay wagon for rides down to the sugar shack at the bottom of the hill. St. Catharines resident Jo led a family outing of 14 people to Agape Valley.
“It’s little bit of a victory celebration for the kids with March break over,” she said, waiting in line for the wagon.
At the end of the ride, passengers found maple taffy and other goodies, loading up an already wired group of kids with pure 66 percent sugar. A stray dog briefly added to the bedlam, sending volunteers scrambling in an effort to collar him and find its owner.
Back up the hill, chainsaw carver Trevor Koorneef sculpted animal masterpieces, mostly from pine and spruce. The St. Catharines resident had been working at Agape all week, and while he said Saturday looked busy, it wasn’t as wild as Wednesday.
“Oh, it was crazy,” he said. “They say every year Wednesday is either a snow-out, or it’s insane. It must be a Wednesday thing with spring break. But it’s been busy all week.”
Gathering this information is key, especially if you plan on eating in the Pancake House during March Break. Agape’s Hope Peters has advice for that: “Come before 11 AM or after 2 PM,” she said.
Still, that didn’t stop hundreds from queuing for up to 45 minutes outside just to get in the door. When a group finally got their stack of hotcakes, their disinclination to chat with an inquisitive reporter was undertandable.
“More than worth the wait,” one man said.
At the sweet shop on the way out, Elanor Nigh of Ottawa picked up some maple syrup and candies.
“I love maple products. Everything I consume must have maple on it,” she said, possibly not joking.
If you missed the fun during March Break, you’ve still got time to visit Agape Valley during maple season. The sugar bush is open the last two Saturdays of this month. Visit www.agapevalley.ca for more information.
