Great VT Traditions

What is a Great Vermont Tradition? Could be a way of life, a pastime, a hobby, a sport, or a recipe - anything that Vermonters have been doing throughout history.

Maple Sugaring is one Great Vermont Tradition that visitors are able to see during Maple Open House Weekend. The Eighth Annual Vermont Maple Open House Weekend will be held at sugarhouses throughout Vermont, March 27-29, 2009. The Open House Weekend is the public celebration of the maple syrup season in Vermont, with an opportunity to visit with one or more sugarhouses throughout the state. Activities during Open House Weekend will be different at each sugarhouse but will include the opportunity to watch maple syrup being made (weather permitting) and often sample maple products.

For a list of sugarhouses participating in the event go to http://www.vermontmaple.org/ or order the free "Vermont Ski & Maple Syrup Guide" at 1-800-VERMONT.

For more information on great Vermont traditions, or for a brief history of Vermont, visit http://www.vermonthistory.info/

Sugar on Snow Parties

Sally (Irish) Elminger, formerly of Willimastown, VT, wrote to us to tell us about her favorite Great Vermont Tradition. As you may have guessed, it involves maple sugar...and snow!

"When I was growing up in Vermont, we would go to different friends' houses and go out in the woods and help carry the pails from the trees to the horsedrawn sled with a vat on top.  We would all then jump on the sled and ride to the sugarhouse.  After a hard day's work, we would go back to the farmhouse where we would get our metal pie plates, fill them with fresh snow, pour the hot syrup over it, and then wind the hardened syrup on a fork and pop it into our mouths.  There would also be huge homemade doughnuts, hot apple cider, and probably more I have forgotten.  Of all my Vermont memories, that one is the best."

We hope you, too, create a "best" memory of Vermont!