Celebrate Vermont maple this fall foliage season with The Maple 100! Created by the Agency of Agriculture in collaboration with Vermont Tourism and many other state partners, The Maple 100 presents the chance for all of us to learn more about how maple syrup is made, where it comes from, and the beauty Vermont's maple trees add to the landscape this time of year (and always). For the month of October, find a sugarhouse to tour, a recipe to try, and new ways to experience and appreciate maple and autumn in Vermont!
1. Go out to eat (or get takeout)!
All month long, talented Vermont Fresh Network chefs will be serving up some creative maple-inspired dishes. Head to your favorite restaurant or try a new one. Check out our blog post to see the list of participating eateries!
2. Play a game!
These family-friendly options will bring some extra fun to your fall! There are two scavenger hunts to choose from, as well as Maple Bingo.
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Learn about bird-friendly forest management practices by taking a walk through Audubon Vermont's bird-friendly sugarbush and participating in their fun and educational Sugarbush Scavenger Hunt! Search for laminated photos of birds throughout the woods (some of them are not easy to find) and learn what they need in the forest to successfully raise their young. Pick up a copy at the trailhead kiosk near the sugarhouse or print one ahead of time! Don't forget your pencil.
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Take a walk on the Maple Trail at Morse Farm Maple Sugarworks on Oct 24 and follow clues to complete a special scavenger hunt! While you're there, enjoy one of the free live presentations on all things maple and treat yourself to a maple creemee.
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As you explore, try to find the traditional signs of fall in our state - flannels, dogs in cozy bandanas, cider donuts, and more - with Vermont Tourism's Maple 100 Bingo!
3. Take advantage of sales and specials!
It's the perfect time to get some of your holiday shopping done early or to stock up on maple products for your family. Many local businesses are offering sales and specials throughout the month of October in honor of The Maple 100. For the full list of participating businesses, click here, but check out just a few below.
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Back Ledge Maple, Johnson - sales and specials on fall and holiday maple items Oct 10 - 11.
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Graham Farms Maple, Williamstown - weekly featured maple items and specials, follow on Facebook for the details!
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Lawson's Finest Liquids, Waitsfield - 4 packs of Maple Nipple on sale for $12 (normally $16) all month long at their drive-thru retail store.
4. Walk through a sugarbush!
Escape to a local farm on our new Farm Walks Across Vermont Trail and discover the beauty of our state's agriculture this autumn (and throughout the year)! There are even a few sugarmakers on the list: Silloway Maple, Shelburne Farms, Sugarbush Maple & Cheese Farm, and more. Get the details here.
5. Cook and bake with maple!
Vermont Tourism rounded up Seven Vermont Maple Recipes to Bake This Fall! The Maple-Bacon Biscuit Bake from King Arthur Baking Company sounds especially intriguing, but you can't go wrong. While you're at it, be sure to check out the special recipes contributed by Chef Stefano of Morse Block Deli.
Many Vermont sugarmakers also list traditional and/or family recipes on their websites, so head to your go-to Vermont producer, and see what they recommend. Jed's Maple Products of Derby is offering a special virtual weekly series of family favorite maple recipes for The Maple 100 that will be shared via their newsletter (sign up here).
The Vermont Maple Sugar Makers Association's substitute maple for sugar guide will definitely come in handy. They have a recipe for almost anything utilizing maple syrup on their website, too.
6. Have a creemee!
DigInVT recently teamed up with the Vermont Agency of Agriculture to put together the new Vermont Maple Creemee Trail! If you live in Vermont, or if you've visited during the summer and fall months, you know that maple creemees are one of the best ways to enjoy the sweet flavor of Vermont maple syrup. Check out the stops on the trail and decide which are your favorites!
7. Attend an event!
One of the most exciting parts of The Maple 100 is all the great events that are planned! Maple doesn't have to just be something you enjoy in the spring. It's a way of life around here. What better time to experience this sweet liquid that comes from a tree than fall foliage season? For the full list of participating businesses, click here! Here are just a few of the fun happenings that await you:
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Silloway Maple (Randolph Center) will be celebrating every day of The Maple 100, offering tours and samples! The trails in the sugarwoods will be open for walking, and the sugarhouse store will be stocked with maple goodies. Creemees are served Thurs - Sun, 2:00pm - 7:00pm. Check out the farm animals, and when the weather is agreeable, take a hayride! All month long.
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Sugarbush Maple & Cheese Farm (Woodstock) will be open every day during The Maple 100! Visit between the hours of 9:00am and 5:00pm for samples of the various maple syrup grades, along with other maple products like mustard, pumpkin butter, and cream! You'll also have the opportunity to taste their Vermont cheeses. Take a tour of the sugarhouse, watch an informational video, and walk in the maple woods while learning about tapping trees with buckets and tubing! All month long.
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Palmer's Sugarhouse (Shelburne) will have the maple sweetness you need all weekend-long - favorites such as maple candies, ice cream, brittle, cookies, maple cream donuts, and much more! Oct 10 - Live music will be provided by the Mystic Party Band! Enjoy food from Mediterranean Mix & Baba's Tacos, and local beer from Frost Beer Works. Oct 11 - Live music will be provided by The Wild Parsnips! Enjoy food from Mediterranean Mix & CBD (Catering By Dale), and local maple-inspired spirits from Barr Hill and beer from Frost Beer Works! Oct 10-11.
8. Indulge in a maple beverage!
Take a sip of Vermont! Vermont's craft beverage producers have created so many maple options to choose from...
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Check out our blog post, Seasonal Sips: Vermont Maple Beer for some ideas of where to start if you're a beer drinker! (Maple Nipple is on sale during The Maple 100. Details above.)
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Try a cocktail made with local maple spirits - Saxtons River Distillery's Sapling line includes maple liqueur, bourbon, and rye. The Maple Cask Rum from Mad River Distillers is another great option. Head to Solstice at the Lodge at Spruce Peak for one of their Maple Cider Manhattans made with Smugglers Notch Maple Bourbon and local apple cider during The Maple 100 ($1 from each drink will benefit the Vermont Fresh Network).
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There are many options of locally produced maple cider - Citizen Cider Tree Tapper and Champlain Orchards Mac & Maple are a few of our favorites!
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Don't forget the wine - try the Vermont Maple Reserve from Boyden Valley Winery & Spirits or the maple wine from Fresh Tracks Farm Vineyard & Winery.
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Sap! Maple Seltzer and TreTap are two great non-alcoholic options, as well.
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Treat yourself to a maple latte at your favorite cafe or pour a little bit of the sweet stuff into your cup of coffee at home.
9. Don't forget the virtual options!
Join in on the fun from home with virtual tours and other online maple events. Watch how producers like Lake Champlain Chocolates and Mad River Distillers incorporate maple into their specialty products, learn more about the lore of the maple creemee, or read some of DigInVT's Meet the Maple Sugarmaker Profiles from past sugaring seasons. Again, please check here for all The Maple 100 happenings!
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Meet the Maple Sugarmaker: Baird Farm, 2019
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Meet the Maple Sugarmaker: The Gateway Farm, 2019
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Meet the Maple Sugarmaker: Stewart Maple, 2020
