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Let’s eat! Maple Hill Farm offers sweet, sticky and tasty treats … and tradition

Located at the site of the century-old Despatie Farm, Céline and Michel Larivière sold their South End home to become proprietors of a sugar bush

Hobbies for some include crocheting, scrapbooking, woodworking. But opening up an 11-hundred spile sugar bush operation is not generally on the list.

Céline and Michel Larivière of Maple Hill Farm took up that cause two years ago in Val Caron.

They sold their South End home and purchased what was once the Depatie family 35-acre farm.

The Despatie Farm had been in existence on Dominion Drive since the early 1900s. Theodore was an award winning potato farmer. His sons started the maple production with the building of a sugar shanty in 1947, historic records indicate.

Céline said the existing shack was beyond repair for its production purposes.

“We embarked on the building of not just a house on the property, but also a sugar shack. We knew nothing about the production of maple syrup, but had a special connection to the land,” she said. “My husband’s father worked in schools and organized tours of maple syrup operations. My extended family has a sugar shack in Quebec that our family would visit.”

She recalled special childhood memories of her grandmother shovelling up freshly fallen snow for the spring taffy ritual with family.

The sugar shack opened in 2019 with the first syrup production in March of 2020 – the month the world shutdown due to a global pandemic.

Their state-of-the-art facility uses the science of gravity and osmosis to extract sugar from the water. The evaporator is wood burning, which some claim does wonders for the taste of the syrup. The trees outside are enveloped in a spile system that links to a pumphouse.

Their newfound hobby did not come without hard work. The family applied for government grants. They also relied on education and tips from the network of people affiliated with the Ontario Maple Syrup Producer Association.

Right now, the Larivière’s fill eight barrels of syrup per season. They also make and market other items like maple flavoured butter, taffy, pecans, sugar and candies.

The family has also branched out this season with the planting of pumpkins, turnips and garlic. Zesty and colourful pickled turnips are available for sale in the boutique.

There are lots of plans for expansion. They are doing outreach with school boards and preparing consent forms so schools and families can come visit and tour the operation. 

They have also purchased a utility trailer that will be converted into a food truck with a maple-inspired menu.

“We are thinking of maple bacon flavoured mac and cheese, cinnamon buns with drizzled maple syrup and peameal bacon sandwiches,” says Céline.  

The hobby farm has become an all in the family affair. Céline and Michel’s two grown sons work on the farm. Grandma and an aunt help with labelling products and marketing.

Their son Sam first thought his parents decision to relocate was odd, but he’s warmed up to the idea.

“Now I plan for the future with the farm in mind. My brother and I will need to be the stewards of this land. And if we have kids in the future, they will be blessed with this treasure in our family,” Sam said.

Céline and Michel, who work at Laurentian University, hope Maple Hill Farm is also a retirement plan and a passion that will continue for generations to come.  

Maple Hill Farm is located at 450 Dominion Drive in Hanmer.

Visit the Facebook page or MapleHillFarm.ca for features, videos and maple-inspired recipes.  

You can also call the store for up-to-date hours and information at (705) 561-7112.

Anastasia Rioux is a freelance writer in Greater Sudbury. Let’s Eat! is made possible by our Community Leaders Program.


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