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One of the loveliest things about northeastern Vermont is how rural and remote it is. This is also one of the hardest things, especially for younger people. Case in point? The recent announcement that the Vermont state college system would be voting on closing down some of their campuses, primarily the ones in rural areas including the only one in northeastern Vermont and the only one close to northeastern Vermont. Riva and many others wrote letters (see Riva's below) to protest the sudden announcement and upcoming vote, and for now the vote is suspended and conversations are (hopefully!) in the...

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The leaves are starting to turn. The nights have a chill to them, and even the loveliest sunny days are cool if you stand in the shade. Here comes fall!  Although maple syrup is made in early spring, something about fall and fall colors calls for maple. Maple hot chocolate. Maple pumpkin pie. Maple glazed roasted carrots. Maple roasted pork chops. Yum! And how best to work up an appetite for these fall foods? Stacking wood, putting gardens to rest, finishing last house projects, and of course going for walks with family and friends. Welcome fall!

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Spring is here! Summer is peeking just around the corner, and cows are grateful for fresh grass and we are grateful for the green and splashes of color from flowers. Winter is long, you really learn to appreciate every moment of spring!    

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Easter almost always coincides with sugaring season. Some years there is an egg hunt on top of the snow, and some years we get more of a sunny spring-like Easter. Thanks to lovely weather this year we not only enjoyed the egg hunt, we also hunted for pussywillows, took quad rides, flew kites, decorated a bunny cake at the picnic table, dug trenches in the mud and of course did some sugaring and tractor work. Happy Easter from Stannard Farm!    

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A favorite thing this time of year is the traditional sugar on snow. Served with pickles (for sour to cut the sweetness), plain doughnuts (for calories to keep from sugar crashing), and sometimes vodka (for.... fun?), it's pure New England spring bliss. The maple syrup is heated to a thicker consistency, then ladled over fresh snow where it candies up into something taffy-like that can be scooped with a spoon or twirled with a fork into a small bite of heaven. And yes, it can be enjoyed while driving a tractor.  

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