Sugarbush Farm

To reach Sugarbush Farm, most visitors cross the Taftsville Covered Bridge, a long red span over the Ottauquechee River that dates to the mid-1800s and is among the oldest covered bridges in the state. Rattling through its wooden interior is a small event in itself.

From there the road climbs away from the valley, narrowing and turning as it gains the hillside where the farm sits. The approach through fields and woods is part of the experience, a reminder that this is a real working farm out in the country, not a roadside stand.

Arriving at the top, with the land falling away below, gives the farm its sense of place, tucked into the Vermont hills above the river.

The farm's sugarbush, the stand of maples it taps, feeds a sugarhouse where sap is boiled down to syrup each late winter and spring. It takes a great deal of sap to make a small amount of syrup, and the farm explains the process, from tapping the trees to evaporating the sap over the fire.

Visitors can taste the different grades of maple syrup side by side, from the lighter, more delicate early-season syrup to the darker, stronger syrup that comes later. Comparing them is a small education in a product most people only know from one bottle.

During sugaring season the sugarhouse comes alive with steam and the smell of boiling sap, one of the surest signs of spring in Vermont.

Alongside the maple, the farm makes and ages cheddar and hand-dips the wheels in colored wax, a signature look. A tasting lets you work through a range of cheddars, from mild to sharp and smoky, often paired with the maple products for contrast.

The farm keeps animals and maintains walking trails through its woods, so families can meet the livestock and stretch their legs after the tasting. It is an unhurried, hands-on kind of place.

The free samples are a long tradition here, an old-fashioned generosity that makes visitors feel welcome and sends many home with syrup and cheese in hand.

Late winter and early spring are sugaring season, the most exciting time to visit, when the sugarhouse is boiling and you can see syrup being made. It is a quintessential Vermont experience.

Fall brings foliage to the hills and a steady stream of visitors touring the Woodstock area, making the farm a popular stop on a leaf-peeping day. Summer is green and easygoing, good for the animals and trails.

The shop and tastings run year round, so even in the quiet stretches of winter the farm is a warm, welcoming stop, with cheese and syrup always on hand.

The closest Boutel™ stays, so you can turn this stop into an overnight. Each is an independently owned, editorially selected place to stay.