The Golden Treasure of Vermont

Details

Created on Friday, 27 March 2015 16:00

Written by Julia Rose

AROUND THE NEK-- For a few years now, Vermont has been holding a weekend long, state wide event that allows the public to really see how one of the golden treasures of Vermont is made, maple syrup.

The Vermont Maple Open House Weekend is on the following two days, Saturday March 28th and Sunday MArch 29th. Over 80 sugarhouses will be open this week, the public can come and experience first hand what sugar makers do when turning sap from trees into the best topping for waffles and pancakes.

In Barnet, one local sugar maker has been busy the last few days getting together as much maple syrup as he possibly can. Alan Fogg and wife Lorna, owners of Center Hill Maples, have had their sugarhouse open for 14 years now, since 2001.

"We've been doing the open house weekend ever since it came out. I don't know how many years that is now but six or seven, or whatever it is."

Fogg and his wife have their hands full. They have already sold a lot of their maple products and with the usual 300 to 500 people that come for the weekend they have to hurry to get enough syrup so they can give out samples and sell some of it too.

"It is off to a little bit of a late start, not terrible though, we're a little behind normal, but you catch up fast when things change," said Fogg. "And it always comes out about the same no matter when it starts. And some years are a little better than others, and some years are a little worse than others. But for the most part, it stays pretty consistent."

Fogg is looking forward to this weekend because he loves kids and says he can't wait to show them and their families how syrup is made.

"We will have all kinds of syrup to sell and stuff, that will be here. We'll have sugar on snow that will be available for free, we don't charge anything for that. My wife makes this special recipe secret ingredient donuts that she makes that are a big hit every year at the open house."

Fogg's wife makes about 20 dozen donuts per day for people to try. And depending on time people who come will also get a chance to make maple candy, dry maple sugar, and maple cream.

Center Hill Maples is located at 73 Old Carrick Lane in Barnet and will be open from ten a.m. to four p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.

Other sugarhouse and maple retail stores that will be open this weekend in the Northeast Kingdom are E.M. Brown & Sons located in Barton, Ma & Pa's Maple located in Albany, Couture's Maple Shop/B&B in Westfield, Bills Lakeshore Maples in Newport, Jed's Maple Products, Deer Ridge Maple, and Spates Maple all located in Derby, and lastly North Jay Maple located in Troy.