From our Farm to Jackson is a long drive.  I typically do it in three days.  In some ways the simplicy of the drive is refreshing from the pace of life on either end.  But the need to get to the destination keeps the pace of the trip up.

Our Farm is Located in a region of Vermont know as the Northeast Kingdom.  It is a quieter, more rural, less polished part of the state.  

Located at the dead end of a road, near the top of a hill, we have views of the Northern Green Mountains, and Quebec.  At night we see the lights of Montreal and Sherbrook on the northern horizon.

Sap to make Maple Syrup comes from Sugar Maples.  A tree is 10" in diameter (50 years old) before it is tapped.  So one does not plant a sugar bush, rather attend to an existing piece of woodland.  Thinning to encourage the growth of the healthy trees, and reduce competition from non sugar maples and old sugar maples that are aging.

Sap from the tree is 2% - 4% sugar.  A 1/4" hole is drilled in the tree and a soft plastic tap is driven into the hole and hose attached.  The site of the hole does leave a scar in the live tissue of the tree, so each consecutive years tap is move away from previous years taps.