Vermont sugarhouses
Butternut Mountain Farm
31 Main St., Johnson
800-828-2376, 802-635-2329
About a 3 3/4-hour drive from Boston. Take Interstate 93 north to I-89 north to Vermont exit 10 (Waterbury/Stowe). Take Route 100 north (20 miles) to Morrisville, then Route 15 west (8 miles) to Johnson. Visit the farm store to buy directly from these suppliers for
Two Old Saps Sugar Works
Russell Young Road, Lincoln
802-453-7870, 877-683-0269
About a 3 3/4-hour drive from Boston. Take Interstate 93 north to I-89 north to Vermont exit 3 (Bethel/Royalton). Go right on Route 107 to left on Route 12 (3 miles) to Camp Brook Road (2.2 miles) to Route 100 (10 miles) to Route 125 (4.2 miles) and follow signs to Lincoln. The sugarhouse is open to the public.
Harlow's Sugarhouse
563 Bellows Falls Road, Putney
802-387-5852
A 2 1/4-hour drive from Boston. Take Interstate 91 north to Vermont exit 4 (Putney). Go left onto Route 4, bear right at Main Street (Route 5) and bear right again onto Bellows Falls Road (also Route 5). The sugarhouse and farm market are open seven days during the sugaring season.
Where to eat
The Putney Diner
Main Street, Putney
802-387-5433
Enjoy a plate of blueberry pancakes (served all day, $3 for two).
Putney General Store (Main Street, 802-387-5842), operating since 1843, has a nice sandwich counter and an old-fashioned soda fountain. Daily 6 a.m.-9 p.m.
Putney Food Co-op (8 Carol Brown Way, 802-387-5866) has a great selection of organic Vermont cheeses and other products. Daily 7:30 a.m.-8 p.m., Sunday 8-8.
What to do
Today you can catch the final day of the 5th Annual Vermont Maple Open House Weekend, see how maple syrup is made, and sample it and other products like maple butter and candy. To learn which sugarhouses are open, visit www.vermontmaple.org. On April 28-30, St. Albans hosts the 40th annual Vermont Maple Festival, which features maple cooking exhibits, tours of sugarhouses, and a craft show and sale. Visit www.vtmaplefestival.org for more information.
