Sponsored by Farm Credit East & Clarence Brown
Sugarhouse Tours Saturday April 27, 2024
Buses leave from top of Church St and corner of Bishop St.
Times:
Cold Shoulder Ridge
10:30, 12:30 & 2:30
Cross Road Maple
10:00, 12:30 & 3:00
Cold Shoulder Ridge
In 2014, Nicholas Van Winkle and his father Walter Van Winkle started maple sugaring together as a hobby. Nicholas and Walter had very little knowledge about the industry when they started. With the love for the outdoors and long cold winters in Vermont, the hobby was an excuse to get outside. While working full time jobs, they started out with only 225 buckets and seven acres of land, selling the sap that was gathered to a larger producer. Five years later, in 2019 Cold Shoulder Ridge Maples was established. They built their very own sugarhouse and have the ability to process sap up to 12,000 taps. Nicholas and Walter have grown from 225 buckets to approximately 7,500 taps on a vacuum and tubing system. They buy approximately 3,000 taps worth of sap that they process into maple syrup. Nicholas continues to work a full-time job and Walter is semi-retired and works only during the summer months besides during sugaring season.
Cold Shoulder Ridge
10:30, 12:30 & 2:30
Cross Road Maple
Crossroad Maple was established in 2015 and is a family-owned and operated farm. The owners, William (BJ) and Maria DeRosia utilize over 400 acres in Bakersfield and Berkshire, Vermont to produce pure organic maple syrup from almost 20,000 trees. Combined they have over 20 years of experience in the maple industry. Maria and BJ use this experience as well as their passion for the process to produce quality organic maple syrup. They are both passionate about working in Mother Nature and believe they are lucky to be able to work with one another doing something they love. Recently they welcomed a little boy, who they hope will continue the family tradition.
Cross Road Maple
10:00, 12:30 & 3:00