Our Vermont Farm
Family Farm
Idle Hour Maple is a family owned and operated farm set far back in the scenic Green Mountains of Vermont. So far back that we operate completely off grid. We currently tap 10,000 maple trees in our 430 acre sugarbush and and have the potential for over 40,000 with future expansion.
The Sugar Woods
The sugar woods are where the majority of our time is spent. An extensive tubing system has been set up to harvest the sap and requires continuous maintenance for maximum yield during the short season. We estimate there is over 75 miles of tubing in the 110 acres we currently have set up! Not every sugar maker walks on two legs...
High Elevation Sugar Making
By sugar making standards, our sugarbush elevation of 2,200' above sea level is "high elevation". This creates many challenges, mainly revolving around weather. Snowfall on the mountain can easily reach over 100" annually and we have to be able to access remote areas of the sugar woods without impediment. The Bombardier Snowcat allows us to do just that.
Mother Nature
If we're not dealing with heavy snow fall, we're battling punishing winds. The sugar woods face heavy winds no matter what time of year it is. A large part of sugar making is woods maintenance. Sometimes the damage is worse than others but we always pick back up and keep moving forward.