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Learning Laboratory: Cheese and Maple Syrup

sign on the Sugarbush Farm chapel

Our final stopping point before continuing home from our trip to Montreal was Sugarbush Farm in Vermont. Mike and Emma visited this farm with my dad in 2007. I stayed home with two-week-old Johnny, and I’ve been wanting to go there ever since!

barn at Sugarbush Farm

I love farms, and this one was no exception. It’s hard to beat this kind of view:

the view from the barn at Sugarbush Farm

We toured the farm and then stopped by their shop, where we were given the opportunity to taste spectacular cheese. I was a big fan of their 8-years-aged super extra sharp cheddar, and we all loved their Hickory and Maple smoked cheese!

Different kinds of cheese and maple syrup to taste

The farm uses a special method of packaging their cheese in tinfoil and then hand dipping it in three coats of wax so that it can be transported without requiring refrigeration.

We also got to try all four types of maple syrup: Grade A Fancy, Grade A Medium Amber, Grade A Dark Amber, and Grade B. I had expected to like Grade B best, but Grade A Dark Amber won me over. Did you know that it takes 30-40 gallons of maple sap to make a single gallon of maple syrup?

soda made from carbonated water and Vermont Maple Syrup

Mike found this Maple Soda in the farm shop. It is made up of only two ingredients: Carbonated water and Vermont Maple Syrup!

soda made from carbonated water and Vermont Maple Syrup

It was delicious! This calf wanted a taste, too!

This calf wanted to try Mike's soda

Sugarbush Farm is free to visit – very exciting to us since it meant we could spend the money we saved on admission on maple syrup and cheese to bring home! Drop by for a visit if you find yourself in Vermont – you won’t be disappointed!

learning laboratory at mama smiles

Have you visited a farm recently?

Also sharing this at TNT Thursdays at Happy Quilting.

MaryAnne at Mama Smiles

MaryAnne is a craft loving educator, musician, photographer, and writer who lives in Silicon Valley with her husband Mike and their four children.

19 thoughts on “Learning Laboratory: Cheese and Maple Syrup”

  1. I love the fresh produce from farms. Ages ago (pre-children) we visited quite a few rurual areas and absolutely loved the taste of the food straight from the farm.

    I love tasting and discovering new cheeses. It’s fascinating to learn about their packaging process that required no refrigeration.

    It’s good that you and Johnny were able to enjoy the visit this time!

    Maple soda – yummo. That would definitely be worth trying.

  2. Grumpy Grateful Mom

    What a beautiful area! My husband LOVES maple syrup. I didn’t realize it took so much sap to make.

  3. Cheese without fridgeration and maple soda…two things I never thought would be a “good” thing. Glad you’re all having such a fun time, lookes like Vermont is lovely in fall.

    1. The cheese has to be refrigerated after a few days, even with the wax – the wax just insulates it enough to buy you some time.

  4. Ok, I totally want to go! I love extra sharp cheese, too. In the stores I can’t find cheese that’s sharp enough! That’s so cool how they package their cheese. If we’re ever in Vermont, we’re definitely stopping here!

    1. It’s at least a couple hours away from us, but a beautiful drive, and very fun to try the different kinds of cheese and maple syrup!

  5. Elisa | blissfulE

    Mmmmmm… my mouth is watering! And what a picturesque location!

    So glad you got to go along this time. :)

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