Sugaring Season in Vermont's Northeast Kingdom
March can mean many things to Americans. For some, it’s all about basketball. For others, it’s simply the end of winter, the de-thawing in preparation for the April rains. In Vermont, March means maple syrup season, or "sugaring," when thousands of maple farmers feverishly await the flow of precious maple sap from their sugar bushes.
Usher in the sweetest time of the year with a tour of one of the many sugar houses scattered about the thawing landscape. Full of state-of- the-art evaporator (and one of the world’s largest!), these sugar houses carefully boil down the sap of the maple tree to make golden syrup.
Just a thirty-minute drive down the road to Cabot will take you to Goodrich’s Maple Farm. The unique post and beam sugarhouse, painted yellow with a red roof, is a picturesque sight, rich in old American heritage—the family has been running the sugarhouse for eight generations, since 1793. Meet the Goodriches on a free tour that includes the history of the maple syrup process, antique equipment displays, and samples of maple cream and homemade jelly at the taster’s table.
Goodrich’s Farm also has a gift shop where you can find a variety of the award-winning maple products and locally-sourced items. Tours last approximately 30 minutes and are free. The sugarhouse is open year-round 9-5 Monday through Saturday. Pay a visit to the gift shop and buy a tasty treat for someone back home. The all-natural sweetener from the Green Mountains of Vermont always makes an excellent gift or memento you can truly enjoy until your next visit. Before the snow disappears for good this year, try to make it to Goodrich’s for a "Sugar on Snow" Party.
This delicious Vermont treat involves cooking syrup to 230 degrees and immediately pouring it onto snow. The syrup quickly turns into a caramelized, waxy taffy that is absolutely delicious.
Click here to visit the Goodrich Maple Farm website "Sugaring Season" is right around the corner!
Goodrich Maple Farm
2427 US Route 2
Cabot, VT 05647
(800) 639-1854
