The Breath After Sugaring Season

Go behind the scenes at our family-run Vermont maple sugarhouse as we transition from maple syrup season to bottling, maple candy-making, and everyday life at Pure Gold Sugaring in the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont.

The sugarhouse has gotten quiet again.

No more checking the weather every five minutes. No more running on quick meals and coffee while trying to squeeze in “just one more boil.” No more middle-of-the-night sap runs or watching steam roll out of the stacks long after dark.

And honestly? It always feels a little strange when the season ends.

Sugaring season is such a fast-paced blur that when it’s over, there’s finally a moment to breathe. But while the boiling slows down, the work definitely doesn’t stop. Around here, spring turns into packaging season — bottling syrup, restocking shelves, organizing inventory, and starting work on all the projects we spent the winter saying, “We should really do that after sugaring.”

Raising saplings is a lot like sugaring season — messy, exhausting, sweet, and nobody’s ever looking in the same direction.

One of the biggest projects we’re diving into right now is bringing maple candy back into our product lineup.

And let me tell you… The science behind maple candy is absolutely mind-blowing.

Before we started really learning the process, I honestly had no idea how much precision and timing go into it. Temperature, texture, stirring, cooling — there’s so much happening in what seems like such a simple product. It’s one of those things that makes you appreciate maple syrup even more because every product truly has its own process and personality.

Kurt and I have been experimenting, learning, and probably making a few mistakes along the way — but we’re excited about where it’s headed.

And no… we’re not just doing the traditional maple leaf candies.

We found some really fun molds that fit different seasons and holidays, and I am SO excited to share them as we keep making progress. We want these candies to feel a little different, a little more personal, and honestly just fun. Maple should feel traditional, yet creative and exciting.

We also have LOTS of plans for the upcoming year. Some big ideas, some small ideas, and probably a few chaotic ideas too.

One of those plans is this blog.

We wanted a regular place to check in, share updates from the sugarhouse, talk about what we’re working on, and give a little glimpse into everyday life here at Pure Gold Sugaring. Sometimes it’ll be maple-related. Sometimes it’ll be baseball schedules, family chaos, equipment problems, late-night ideas, or figuring things out as we go.

It might not always be exciting to everyone else… but it’s ours, and we love it.

And we’re really glad you’re here, following along with us. 🍁

Make sure you’re subscribed to our newsletter and following us on social media so you can be the first to see new releases, seasonal products, and everything we’re working on next. Trust us… Some exciting things are coming. 🍁

Until next time… stay sticky, friends. 🍁 - Regan