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Eye on the Sky

Recent Highlights

Maple Sugaring History and Traditions

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Tuesday, 03/09/10 Noon and 7pm

By Jane Lindholm
AP Photo/Toby Talbot

The slow dripping sound of fresh maple sap hitting a tin bucket isn't heard as often as it once was. Horses pulling wagons of sap buckets and home-made molds for maple candy are also nearly bygone practices. Vermont Edition is reviving some of the old-school traditions of maple sugaring in Vermont and tracing its long history back to the 1600s with Betty Ann Lockhart, author of Maple Sugarin' in Vermont: A Sweet History.

Send your photos of sugaring to vermontedition@vpr.net

Also in the program, Olympic excitement continues this weekend with the opening of Paralympics. Six hundred international athletes with a variety of physical disabilities will compete in Alpine Skiing, Biathlon, Cross-Country Skiing, Ice Sledge Hockey and Wheelchair Curling. We talk with Maggie Burke, a program coordinator from Vermont Adaptive Ski and Sports, one of six coaches and program leaders selected to participate in the Paralympic Experience Program.

Snow Hill Farm, Westford, VT Greg Carter
Snow Hill Farm, Westford, VT Greg Carter
Snow Hill Farm, Westford, VT Greg Carter
Snow Hill Farm, Westford, VT Greg Carter
It's time to look for Sugar Maple Flowers, Betty & Don Lockhart, Charlotte, VT
Turkey Hill Farm in Randolph Center Photo by Keven Ring Brookfield, VT
Kibbee Rd Brookfield, Vt Photo by Keven Ring
Vermont Maple Festival Fun, Betty and Don Lockhart, Charlotte, VT
Tubing in the woods, Betty & Don Lockhart, Charlotte, VT
One last drip, Betty Ann & Don Lockhart, Charlotte, VT
Our good friends' back yard sugaring operations on North Champlain in down town Burlington, VT. At last count, a couple of pints of syrup from two - townie trees! - Photo: Moe Sarte
Siegrist's sugar house in Westford. Photo by Eric Johnson
Wyatt gives Papa buckets. Peru, Vermont
A student-run sugaring operation at Sterling College in Craftsbury Vermont Photos: Dan Pittenger
Dan Pittenger
Dan Pittenger
Dan Pittenger
Dan Pittenger
Dan Pittenger
Dan Pittenger
Dan Pittenger
Dan Pittenger
Photo: Cheryl Willoughby
Photo: Cheryl Willoughby
Photo: Cheryl Willoughby
Love the reflection made on the droplet of sap, hope you do as well. Noah, Willem and Keven Ring in Brookfield
Photo: Cheryl Willoughby
The McGrath/Cramer family and friends at the Sugar Shed in Waitsfield Photos: Stephanie Cramer
Keegan & Kaileigh
Keegan taking an early sample
Michael McGrath stirring the sap
Family friend Rachel taking a pour test
Stephanie Cramer does the smell test
Friends Rachel and Luke with the finished product
Tapping at Judd's Wayeeses Farms in Morgan, VT
Boiling
A few of about 500 taps. Ted and Josie, Sudbury, Vermont
Josie Ritter on the lines. The near horse is Clayton (aka Medium Amber) and Fancy in harness. Ted and Josie, Sudbury, Vermont
Ted Russell on the lines. Ted and Josie, Sudbury, Vermont
A good, clear run. Ted and Josie, Sudbury, Vermont
Hauling buckets to do the tapping at Lymrock Farm, Benson, Vermont. Quiet a racket. Ted Russell and Josie Ritter, Sudbury, Vermont
Weathersfield. Betty Smith
Browns Farm, Weathersfield Vt. Gregory Brown
Meadowbrook Farm, Proctorsville. Stacia Spaulding
Meadowbrook Farm, Proctorsville. Stacia Spaulding
Wood-fired furnace. Meadowbrook Farm, Proctorsville. Stacia Spaulding
Vent. Meadowbrook Farm, Proctorsville. Stacia Spaulding
Smokestack made from recycled maple barrels. Meadowbrook Farm, Proctorsville. Stacia Spaulding
"Cheapskate sap bucket." Don Perley
Chiappinelli Farms in Georgia. Zimram Productions
Afternoon Boiling. Smokey House Center, Danby. Mark Raishart
Stacks. Smokey House Center, Danby. Mark Raishart
4 by 12. Smokey House Center, Danby. Mark Raishart
Sunset in Danby. Smokey House Center. Mark Raishart
Jesse Peters's home rig in Westminster, VT. Cooker built by Jack Peters from a 55 Gal. Drum, Pan built by Malcolm Guild. 5 gallons made last year. Jesse Peters, Westminster
Syrup about to take off. Jesse Peters, Westminster
Syrup about to take off. Jesse Peters, Westminster
The telltale smoke from a sugar house. Jane Lindholm
Gone is the old wood boiler. Jane Lindholm
Sweet steam inside the sugar house. Jane Lindholm
Whatever the technology, sugaring can still be a party. Jane Lindholm
Jars of syrup samples of all different grades. Jane Lindholm
Sap! Valley View Farm, Georgia. Liz Hollenbach
VT National Guard flying over our sugar house, Valley View Farm, Georgia. Liz Hollenbach
Merck Forest, Rupert. Michelle Jeffery
Merck Forest, Rupert. Michelle Jeffery
Merck Forest, Rupert. Michelle Jeffery
Releaser in action. Carol Fox, Hinesburg
The old-fashioned way, with taps and buckets. Shelburne Farms. Meghann Ellis
Using tubing and gravity to collect sap from numerous trees at once. Shelburne Farms. Meghann Ellis
The tubes all lead to large storage tanks at the base of hills. Shelburne Farms. Meghann Ellis
Boiling sap at Shelburne Farms. Meghann Ellis
Grades of syrup, Shelburne Farms. Meghann Ellis
Row of Buckets, Burke. Franny Bastian
Emptying Tank. High Meadow Farm, Burke. Franny Bastian
Reverse Osmosis. High Meadow Farm, Burke. Franny Bastian
Filling Station. High Meadow Farm, Burke. Franny Bastian
Firing the tank. High Meadow Farm, Burke. Franny Bastian
Vernon Gray, testing syrup. High Meadow Farm, Burke. Franny Bastian
Vernon Gray, testing syrup. High Meadow Farm, Burke. Franny Bastian
Sap dripping. Anne Campbell, Starksboro
Sap dripping. Anne Campbell, Starksboro
Tapped Tree. Anne Campbell, Starksboro
Collecting Sap. Anne Campbell, Starksboro

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