Anyone know of a good maple syrup & cheese farm to visit in VT?

[fotochick78]

I am looking to spend the weekend in VT during the maple syrup festival, last weekend of March, and would also love to visit a cheese farm. Does anyone have any suggestions on two that are either relatively close together or along the same route if you're coming from Boston?

http://www.vermontmaple.org/open-hous...

[Dame Alice]

You will find both in the Manchester, VT area - Duttons have a Sugar Shack that is open to the public and Taylor Hill Farm (7 miles away) is one of the areas best cheese farms.

[endocrantz]

If you are around Woodstock, and don't mind driving on a dirt road during mud season (in full swing now)...

The Richardson's Farm on Hartland Hill road makes the best syrup, the most gorgeous setting, a fifth-generation family-run dairy. This is not a public place, no store, but they will probably sell a jug of syrup. They use a unique double-boiler method they developed to make syrup where the batch that is boiling pre-heats the incoming syrup for the next batch. They are an extremely nice family but may be cautious of strangers wandering in.

http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&q=Richardson%20Farm%20Rd%2C%20Woodstock%2C%20VT

In Woodstock you can buy their syrup at the Village Butcher (they were well stocked with Richardson's syrup a month ago.) Stop in at Gillingham;s
http://www.gillinghams.com/
for a nice VT country store experience. They had run out of the Richardson's syrup at last check. Probably back in stock there soon, also.

My family will use nothing but the Richardson's syrup. We're real spoiled, but we love the Richardsons family, their dairy, and the whole scene there.

[nhtom]

I also would have to say Sugarbush Farm and then time permitting, follow it up with a visit to Billings Farm.

[Morganna]

Oh I love Billings Farm. LOVE it :) MOOOOOO!

[Bri]

I've attached the url for the Vermont Cheese Trail map. You can use that map to synch up with your sugar house map to get some cheese farm/sugar house neighbors. My favority local cheese is made by Vermont Shepherd; its a sheep's milk cheese. Yummy. One of my favority sugar houses is actually an alpaca farm and sugar house right on the Putney/Westminster border - Sweet Maple Alpacas. For their open house they have an alpaca petting zoo.

[few]

Honestly - when I go to Vt I just go to the local grocery store to get the local maple syrup..you end up saving about $3-4 /qt over the tourist stops

some places even have the local cheeses for less - but no tasting on the spot

to me that is some fun - so Weston Country Village store has a great cheese coutner and they love to give you samples... !!!

Most any maple sugar farm that is in the cooking stage will giv e you a tasting as well - - look for signs -

Me I like Dark Amber !!

[nhtom]

Weston Country Store is an excellent little shop that often gets overlooked by the people stopping at the Vermont Country Store. I like both, but the VT Country Store can get crowded, whereas the Weston Country Store usually is less crowded and has lots to look at. Also, what a nice village it is to stop in. The Newfane Country Store is also nice if you make it down to Southern VT

[geminigirl]

I've been to Sugarbush farm twice and love it, it's on your list almost at the bottom.

http://www.sugarbushfarm.com/contactu...

[few]

I would ditto Sugar bush - its a bit of a drive from Manchester - but plenty to see in Woodstock while you are there

ask for the 3 yr old cheddar - to die for !!!

[Reggiano]

I agree with Sugarbush farm. Really great.

[cornichonandrillettes]

Duttons in Manchester - it's a farm stand and a sugar shack. You can go into the sugar shack and they will explain the process to you. There is a dairy farm north of there that makes their own cheese, in Dorset.

You could also go to Grafton - which is probably about 30 mile (maybe more) from Manchester - I'm sure if you go to Grafton there will be an operating Sugar Shack somewhere close.

[triggs73]

Take your pick! google cheeses of new england and it should pull up like 30 or 40 VT cheese makers. Shelburne, Taylor, Jasper Hill, etc. all great places, but do some research ahead of time to see if they will even take in visitors.

[Delucacheesemonger]

Jasper Hill would be my pick as well, more variety than Shelburne, and really sharp passionate people.