Pocono Mountain Maple Farm at Lake Russell
It's maple syrup season! Go behind the scenes at Lake Russell Pocono Mountain Maple!
It is maple season in the Pocono Mountains. So we wanted to stop over at Lake Russell Maple where they’re starting the process of taking sap from thousands of trees on the property pushing it into the sugar shack and turn into syrup you can take home.
“Every spring season we start tapping trees. We start tapping 23-25,000 trees,” said owner Nicole Bentler. “Every single one has a little tap in it.”
Bentley beamed with pride as she toured PTN around her 450-acre farm near Newfoundland. By mid February, 350 miles of tap lines were in place for primetime for Pocono Mountain Maple, also known as Lake Russell Maple Farm.
“We wholesale a majority of our product, we keep 10 percent to sell locally. It's a true labor of love,” Bentler added.
Whether it is from the sky in late winter or any other time of the year, this property is something to behold. Rental cabins are tucked away in the woods, perfect for family get togethers on the farm.
“Families get opportunity to have a great quality time. They can sit by the lake, read a book, have talks with family. There is a playground and swings you can play on. Kids absolutely love it,” she said.
There’s an orchard with hundreds of trees that produce fruit in another season too. Still, maple is the name of the game here at Lake Russell.
“We have sap flowing now. This tank is almost full now,” explained Tony Larson, the caretaker and sugar busher at Lake Russell.
You can even tour this farm and learn all about he maple syrup production Thursdays and Fridays.
“It's coming in it's 40 gallons to make one gallon of maple sugar,” said Larson.
And the sweet stuff is for sale. You can pick up some Pocono Mountain Maple Syrup at the shop.
“We have vanilla maple, and bourbon barrel aged,” said employee Courtney Davis.
“It’s beautiful, we love sharing the property. We get groups from New York, they come in and haven't been somewhere this quiet, this remote and they're in awe,” shared Bentler.
Anyone can see why that is. All those thousands of trees providing sap that’s turned into syrup and the careful hands creating not just the maple product but the maple farm experience as well right in the heart of the Pocono Mountains.
“Mount Airy Casino is 20 minutes away, Camelback that's also about 20-30 minutes away,” said Bentler. “If you want to go do something you can, we have 450 acres to explore and hike and have fun.”
Visit Pocono Mountain Maple at Lake Russell online, on social and definitely in person.