Lake Metroparks Farmpark Winter Farmstead & Maple Sugar Demonstrations

About this adventure

Lake Metroparks Farmpark in Kirtland is a family-oriented science and cultural center dedicated to farming, domestic livestock, and agricultural heritage. During the winter season, the working farm provides hands-on educational activities across its heated barns and arenas. In the Dairy Parlor, children can milk a dairy cow by hand, learn about butter-making, and observe friendly calves in clean indoor stalls. The arena showcases draft horse grooming, sheep sheering, and tractor history. As late winter arrives in February, the Woodland Center springs to life with traditional maple sugaring demonstrations, where families watch sap boiled down into pure amber maple syrup inside the active sugarhouse and taste warm maple confections. Covered, horse-drawn or tractor-drawn wagons carry families through snow-blanketed fields between rustic farm structures. Family Experience & Accessibility: • Stroller Accessibility: Paved and packed-gravel walkways connect all barns and exhibit pavilions; wagon rides feature wheelchair and stroller accessibility lifts. • Nursing & Rest Spots: Heated visitor center and café with ample booth seating, plus private family restrooms equipped with baby changing counters. • Age Suitability: Exceptional for toddlers, preschoolers, elementary children, and farm-loving grandparents. • Sensory Tips: Rich agricultural sensory atmosphere with friendly farm animal sounds, aromatic hay and cedar shavings, and the sweet caramel scent of boiling maple sap.