When my 4-year-old asked me, “What’s the next holiday?” right after Valentine’s Day, I thought it over and gave her the best, Vermontiest answer I could think of: Maple season!
It’s finally here.
This weekend is Vermont’s Maple Open House Weekend. Sugarhouses around the state open up to the public to celebrate their crop, show off their process and — best of all — offer samples of the sweet stuff, often on pancakes (this year, at one farm, on ice cream).
Here’s what’s happening at Addison County sugarhouses this year, organized by town:
BRIDPORT
Irish Hill Maple Products, 999 Swinton Rd
Saturday and Sunday, 1-4 p.m.
Boiling demonstrations, tours and food sampling
BRISTOL
The Gateway Farm, 506 North 116 rd
Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
Sample our maple syrup, our one-of-a-kind maple butter, our Bourbon barrel Aged Maple syrup, and other maple treats. We are located on a large flat area for easy in and out, and great space for kids to play! Also this year from noon-4 both days we will be serving FREE Ben & Jerry’s Vanilla Ice Cream with your choice of warm regular maple our our Bourbon Barrel Aged Maple with Ben himself scooping on Saturday!
We also have free hot coffee and tons of free maple treats, we’ll be offering horse-drawn sleigh rides if there is snow. Our on-site farm stand is also open, full of home-grown pastured meats, fresh eggs, a Vermont organic pancake mix, homemade jams, and so much more.
Little Hogback Farm, 2365 Lower Notch Rd
Saturday, 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
Sample products and tour the operation. 750 taps with vacuum tubing, RO, and wood fired evaporator. Boiling if the weather permits.
CORNWALL
Bread Loaf View Farm, 564 Cider Mill Road
Saturday and Sunday, 9 a.m.-4 p.m.
Educational tour and tastings
FERRISBURGH
Dakin Farm, 5797 Route 7
Saturday and Sunday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m.
All-you-can-eat pancake breakfast from 8-11:30 a.m. featuring cob-smoked bacon, maple sausage, fruit, buttermilk pancakes and pure Vermont Maple Syrup. From noon-4 p.m.: boiling demonstrations, live bluegrass music, free samples of over 30 Vermont products, free balloons for kids. Lunch menu: sugar on snow, sausage hoagies cooked in sap, maple sausage chili, maple baked beans, and more.
LINCOLN
Solar Sweet Maple Farm, 3841 South Lincoln Road
Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
Tour our sugarhouse, watch sap being boiled into syrup, enjoy coffee and maple treats.
Twin Maple Sugarworks, 88 West River Rd
Saturday, 9 a.m.-6 p.m.; Sunday, noon-6 p.m.
Tour, tasting, boiling if weather cooperates.
MONKTON
Boyer’s Orchard, 1823 Monkton Road
Saturday and Sunday, 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
Guests can observe boiling sap in our Sugar House and sample this year’s Maple Syrup. Free sugar on snow for kids and free tasting of Boyer’s Hard Ciders and Wines for adults. Featuring this year’s new release of our Ice Cider.
ORWELL
Village Mapleworks, 505 Main Street
Saturday, 10 a.m.-3 p.m.; Sunday, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
Watch maple syrup being made. Sample maple syrup, maple cream, maple candy and bourbon maple syrup. Maple ground beef stew also available to warm up cold visitors.
SHOREHAM
Vermont Trade Winds Farm, 1639 Rt 74E
Saturday and Sunday, 8 a.m.-4 p.m.
On Saturday from 8-11 a.m. enjoy an all-you-can-eat pancake breakfast with fresh-off-the-farm maple syrup, sausage, homemade home fries, coffee and juice. $7/adult; $4/child
FREE Maple Treats. Experience a self-guided Maple Trail, Explore our Maple Maze, play our maple Game Board, and tour our Maple Sugarhouse. Learn how maple syrup is made. Fill up with Syrup-On-Tap!
STARKSBORO
Hillsboro Sugarworks, Mountainside Lane
Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Sunday, 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
Red Rock Valley Maple Farm, 160 Sugarhouse Lane
Saturday and Sunday, 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
This oil-fired sugarhouse gives free samples of maple syrup. Products for sale: syrup, maple candy, cotton candy, cream, maple peppers, maple sugar, fried dough, and maple hot dogs! Tours offered all day.
Want to see what’s happening outside Addison County? Here are listings from all around Vermont.