Vermont 2024

Vermont is the second least populated state in the country. It’s capital, Montpelier, is the least populated capital in the country. We visited it and it seemed like it was frozen in time from decades ago. It has been years since we have seen paid parking that required coins only. Allyn found a couple quarters surprisingly.

Everybody knows a road trip to Vermont requires learning about Maple syrup. There are many reasons that real maple syrup is so expensive:

The trees must be at least 20 years old before tapping them.

Each tree only produces about 10 gallons of sap in a season.

It takes 40 gallons or more to make just one gallon of maple syrup.

The sugaring season is brief and unpredictable: sap will only run with the perfect combination of late-winter, below-freezing nights and mild winter days. The maple producers have about a month to gather as much sap as possible before trees begin to produce leaf buds, at which point the sap becomes too bitter to use.

You can sure taste the difference though. Around here they use it in so many items, ranging from coffee to salad dressing.

Furthermore, it is so healthy as it:

has 33% fewer calories than the artificial stuff

has lots of required vitamins and minerals

is totally fat free.

reduces prostate disease risk

helps prevent diabetes

and promotes the effectiveness of antibiotics.

Some of you older folks may remember the delightful sitcom Newhart that ran for 8 years in the 80s. It was about a Vermont bed and breakfast inn. We are staying (and chilling) at Rabbit Hill Inn. We are between Montreal and Boston. Folks have been staying here for a couple hundred years. It feels way more like staying in a person’s home than in a hotel.