Sugarbush farm

Early release days can be dangerous 'round these parts. Lots of spare time and not much to do. I rarely do craft projects with Leah because honestly, it's a lot of work for both of us. And working isn't fun for nor fair to Leah on an afternoon off school. We are really pinching the pennies right now, so we can't really do things that cost any money either. It's too chilly and wet to play at the park and too muddy to let the girls wander freely on the field.

So, I decided to check my "Tucket List" (more on that later) and cross off one more item before we leave: Sugarbush Farm. Oh, you know, just your run of the mill maple sugaring farm a few towns over. What? Your town doesn't have a maple sugaring farm? Weird. You must not live in New Hampshire. Or Vermont. Because that's what we have.

I talked Michelle into coming with us so the six of us drove down the seriously bumpy roads (it really is in the middle of nowhere!) and entered an old house-turned cheese dipping factory and store. 

We tasted all four grades of maple sugar (grade A medium is still my fav) as well as a handful of cheeses. They were amazing! Hickory and Maple? Extra Aged Sharp Cheddar? Sage? Mountain Jack? Smoked with Salami? Smoked with Onion? Mountain Bleu? Jalapeno and Cayenne Pepper Cheddar? Take your pick. They were all delicious. 

After the taste testing, we watched them dip and seal the cheese in wax for preservation and shipping and color coding. 

We walked through the store and purchased some cheese and maple souvenirs. Yummy ones, of course. 

Then we headed outside to see the horses, walk through the boiling room (it had been too cold the previous day so they weren't actually boiling the maple they had tapped), and walk on the nature trail. It was a bit too muddy for me to carry Leah and Kate, so we wandered around at the bottom of the trail instead. 

All in all, a successful, delicious, entertaining and informational early release.