I fell asleep for the first time ever during a massage at the Spa at Equinox. Guess how highly I recommend this spa?!

The Spa Environment

A newer addition to the Equinox Resort, the spa did a great job of creating a peaceful, Vermont-esque environment in the locker rooms, waiting areas and treatment rooms. Think birch wood, fireplaces, forest green walls, natural sunlight where you would read a magazine and candle light in treatment rooms. If not for the rude guest who was talking on her cell phone in the locker room, (is there any way to avoid wedding guests when staying at a resort?) it would have be perfect

The Treatments

Spirit of Vermont, Signature Treatment
Described as “reflect(ing) that calming energy of Vermont,” it was the first time I tried a 100 minute massage and one of the new age-ish massage combined with Reiki, reflexology and other alternative bodywork techniques. I don’t like the deep massages where I consider crying in pain, so I found the gentle but comprehensive nature of the massage perfect. I don’t know when I fell asleep. I only remember being gently woken up at the end of the treatment and taking about 5 minutes to get off the massage table. Ahhhhhhh….

Custom Facial
A great esthetician closely examines your skin, is willing to switch products mid-treatment, and explains what she is doing and with what product every step of the way. After my massage, they could have probably smeared marshmallow on my face and I wouldn’t have noticed, but my esthetician quickly assessed my skin – rosacea and combination. Using Jurlique products, she skipped the irritating steam treatment, only did minimum extractions, explaining to me why they were there and what I could do about it at home, and finished up with an extra treatment to calm my skin. I was sent home with only a little pink and a list of all the product used, including instruction.

Cost

We had a spa discount with our room rate, but the normal treatments are definitely pricey (>$100/hour). If the spa facility has lots of extras like soaking or hot tubs, steam rooms, et cetera available, I assume that’s in the higher prices. The Spa at Equinox didn’t have all those extras, but with the second best massage I’ve ever had and a thorough facial where education was included in the treatment, I’d say it’s worth it. (And am including a Spirit of Vermont treatment in my budget for our next stay.)

STS-135, Space Shuttle Atlantis on the Launch Pad at Kennedy Space Center, June 2011

Today NASA is scheduled to launch STS-135 Space Shuttle mission, the final mission in the 30 year Space Shuttle program. This is the orbiter Atlantis on the launch pad on Father’s day when I took my family to Kennedy Space Center to experience as much Space Shuttle as we could without attending a launch.

We had lunch with Jon McBride, a member of the first class of Space Shuttle astronauts who piloted the Challenger orbiter in 1984. We took a VIP tour of the Kennedy Space Center which included an up-close view of the external tanks and the the rotating service structure encased orbiter on launch pad 39A.

I’m sad to see the program end after growing up with it and I am equally sad to miss seeing a launch live. As I sit and watch the final launch live on NASA TV, I’m happy I got to introduce Mirielle to the program that shaped my dreams of real space exploration before it is retired.  I also saw that space exploration doesn’t matter much to her yet because there aren’t any big programs, goals or destinations that both capture the imagination and are funded.

Without the compelling story which we’ve had for the past 50 years, a visit to the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex is one of the best ways to introduce our children to both the history and posibilites of space exploration.

June 8 is World Oceans Day and a great day to visit Boston’s New England Aquarium. This compact attraction packs a lot of enjoyment and education into its small space on the Boston Harbor front.

Inside the New England Aquarium

The aquarium is centered around a circular Giant Ocean Tank with a ramp and viewing windows winding up three stories. On the ground floor, the tank is surrounded by penguin exhibits and additional exhibits are on the outer walls on three levels. This is a popular attraction, but crowds don’t pick up until an hour after opening on weekends and holidays.

Our New England Aquarium highlights:

“Chasing” the Atlantic Harbor Seals. In an outdoor tank (no admission needed) behind the ticket booths, harbor seals swim and play. They are clearly comfortable hamming for visitors, the youngest who like following the seals up and around the tank. It’s a great occupation for kids while mom waits in line to buy tickets.

Playing the light game with the African Penguins. It’s easily overlooked but along the railing of the African Penguin pool, right before you get to the Little Blue Penguin pool, is a joystick and red button. The joystick guides the light along the bottom of the pool, and penguins chase after it like a dog after a mailman. Mirielle I must have spent 15 minutes playing with the aquatic birds, giggling up a storm the whole time. The penguins seemed just as amused.

Count the rows of teeth (and be thankful for the thick glass).

Watching divers feed the Sharks. It must have been the first time Mirielle saw a scuba diver, but she became instantly fascinated with what they were doing with the fish, how they were breathing underwater, how many were in the tank, what kind of clothes they were wearing, etc. I loved sitting in the windows with Mirielle waiting for the sharks to swim by the window, close enough to count all three rows of teeth.

Mirielle chats with a Honu (Hawaiian for Sea Turtle.)

Counting Giant Pacific Octopus legs. The octopus is an under appreciated animal. It’s funny looking and moves slowly, but it’s one of the smartest (and tastiest if prepared well) fish in the sea. There is nothing more beautiful than watching the octopus “walk” by curling and uncurling it’s legs and Mirielle was excited to work with nearby kids to count the legs.

Forget life imitating art, Jellyfish are where life is art.

Trippin’ out with the Jellyfish. I avoid them in the water, but love to watch their fluid play in stylishly lit tanks. They were tucked away in a corner of the aquarium, but worth searching out.

We are looking forward to visiting the new Shark & Ray Touch Tank on our next visit and maybe taking a Whale Watching Tour. Adjacent to the aquarium is an IMAX theater which shows aquatic & naturalist films. Admission is extra and buy in advance.

Lunch at Harbor View Cafe.

Also on site is the Harbor View Cafe which serves a variety of foods including sustainable seafood in a pleasant environment designed to keep the whole family happy.

Even penguins take showers.

New England Aquarium, 1 Central Wharf, Boston, MA, (617) 973-5206. Take the T to the Blue Line Aquarium stop. Check the website for hours and admission at http://www.neaq.org/index.php.

High protection, low chemical sunscreen is messy and leaves streaks on clothing worse than deodorant. Avoiding streaks while applying to energetic kids is like the the game of golf where you can always improve and you can be just a smidge off and it will ruin your day. Here are some tips’ I’ve learned earned the hard way over the past two years.

1) Apply naked. Pick out the outfit your child will wear, but apply the sunscreen before you put on clothes. This reduces white streaks on clothing and it’s easy to get the sunscreen an inch or two above hems which protects skin exposed during play.

2) Give the kid a stick. While I apply sunscreen to Mirielle’s body, I give her a stick of sunscreen in one hand and mirror in the other, and ask her to take care of her own face. Kids love the independence of doing things themselves and it keeps them distracted. It is unlikely that a younger kids will apply the sunscreen evenly and everywhere, so give cheerful feedback on missed spots, like “did you stick your ears?” or “hey, there’s a naked spot between your eyebrows and hair.” Then, grab the stick to fill in the missing spots and use your fingers to spread out all the any glops.

Kids love to apply sunscreen by "myself."

3) Turn on and tune out. Braiding hair, applying sunscreen, cutting nails and the other dreaded personal grooming routines where a still child favors success are a great time to turn on PBS Kids and let your child zone out.

Want to know the safest sunscreens for kids?  Read about it 2009 overview and reviews here and 2011 updates here.

Inspired by CN Traveler’s A-to-Z Family Travel Contest, I put together my own list of favorite family travel tips and advice.

A is for Acidophilus, a probiotic nutrition supplement that promotes tummy health and comes in children’s chewable. Our whole family takes some every day on the road to help prevent traveler’s tummy. Eating yogurt works as well.

B is for Backing up important documents.  Scan copies of passports, visas, birth certificate, medical information and other important documents and keep the electronic files both on a thumb drive in your luggage and online in Google docs or your email.  If anything is lost, stolen, or misplaced, it can be retrieved easily online.

C is for Cabana boy, someone who’s job is to take care of my needs so I don’t have to. I learned the hard way after my first couple of “vacations” as a mom that I need at least a day, sometimes more, where someone takes care of me and my family’s needs. With a wave of my hand or a phone call, someone can do the laundry, bring me a cool drink, arrange an outing, bring my daughter lunch, et cetera.

D is for Doggie bags. Not the ones you take home from a restaurant, but the plastic pet waste bags that come in rolls. I keep at least one roll of the compact, biodegradable bags for every two weeks on vacation for wet laundry, garbage on the go, motion sickness, crinkle toys, spilled snacks, and more.

E is for Etihad and other parent-friendly airlines.  Getting off the first leg of our flight in Abu Dhabi, Etihad had strollers available at the end of the jetway to help parents transport kids between gates. The are one of the airlines where families can pool frequent flyer miles. Kingfisher Airlines carried luggage for families, to check-in in our case, and on board with another family traveling with two kids.  Gulf Air has nannies for parents traveling with kids.

Sunshade covered children's pool at Fairmont Bab al Bahr

F is for Fairmont Hotels. The Fairmont Hotel chain makes family-friendly a sophisticated and comfortable experience. More than just providing children’s menus, children are treated with the same attention and respect as other valued guests. Amenities like the apartments at Fairmont Heritage Place in San Francisco, the baby pool co-located with the hot tub at the Fairmont Orchid, and the concierge staff that delivered the sweets I was looking for to my room at the Fairmont Bab Al Bahr, keep me coming back.

Mirielle enjoying the grass while mom and dad eat dinner in Kona.

G is for Grass, a patch of which is a parent’s best friend.  Wherever I sleep, eat or visit, a nearby patch of grass is my parental ‘binkie’. Excess energy or tiredness can be tantrumless-ly safely addressed by letting Mirielle run around or chill out. I don’t like to go anywhere without it.

White marble hopscotch at the Taj Mahal.

H is for Hopscotch, another way to keep Mirielle not whining engaged. Remember the old game “Step on a crack, break your mother’s back”? Or “Hot Lava”? The beautiful marble floors in India inspired a hopscotch like games: only step on the red tiles; don’t step on the blue carpet squares; don’t step on the cracks; et cetera.  It was a great distraction when Mirielle’s had enough of a place and I haven’t.

I is for Ipod Touch, portable preschooler entrainment on demand. I don’t like unitaskers, so having one small device with long battery life where Mirielle can watch movies and videos, listen to music, play games, draw pictures, and more, was worth the $200.

J is for Job. Mirielle’s jobs on the road include making sure we take our medicine, helping fill water bottles, and making sure everyone has put on sunscreen. Adapting routines from home on the road can keep kids grounded, and the travel jobs keep them excited about the trip.

K is for Keens, my favorite travel shoe for young walkers. When figuring out what to bring on a Hawaii trip, I needed something that could go from the wet ocean, across hotel lawns, to the sharp volcanic rocks and tried a pair of Keens.  While I also brought along a dressier pair of shoes as well, they weren’t taken out of the suitcase.

L is for Language.  Kids are sponges for language. Preschooler’s brains are engineered to absorb vocabulary. Exposure to foreign languages when traveling – sounds, rhythms, a few words, songs – literally grows their brain and increases their ability to learn. One of the easiest things we do is skip the satellite channels and let Mirielle watch cartoons or variety shows in the local language.

Meltdown in Mendocino

M is for Meltdowns. I’m not talking about temper tantrums or dramatics. I’m talking about when someone passes the point of no return and just needs to cry and scream and stomp it out. It’s hard to travel with kids without them. (And yes, parents have meltdowns, too.) As long as no one gets hurt, I let it happen, but grab my camera to document the meltdown so we can laugh about it later. Also, I like to watch other kid’s meltdowns and give a supportive hand or smile, because it’s a normal part of being a kid (even if it does get you kicked off an airplane.)

N is for Nasal spray. I don’t travel without my 1.5 oz saline nasal spray. Pretty much a moisturizer for the nose, this cheap, natural remedy eases airplane and hotel nose caused by the dry environments (come on, you know, that itchy crud in your nose after a couple hours on a plane?). It also helps with allergies and colds without resorting to medicines.

3 people, 1 month of travel, all of our luggage including the Osprey (green).

O is for Osprey Meridian 22″ Wheeled Convertible Pack which is now my luggage of choice.  This carry-on sized, wheelie suitcase converts into an ergonomic backpack and has a zip off day pack. After trying on a few packs, the Osprey’s ergonomics set it apart from the competition.

P is for PBS Kids. PBS Kids is my go-to for quality preschooler content for Mirielle’s iPod. Videos of many of the TV programs like SuperWhy, Dinosaur Train, and Word Girl are available for download and the game apps are engaging and educational.

Q is for asking your child Questions at the end of the day. What was your favorite…? What did you think about…? What do you want to tell you class about…? Most of the time I asked these questions, I got something along the lines of “I don’t know” for an answer.  Drilling down with more specific questions, I made some progress, but continued asking questions each night with the hope of a breakthrough.  The breakthrough came months later when Mirielle started talking about our trip. The things she remembers most are those we “talked” about at the end of the day.

R is for Room Service. While it’s expensive, it can be so much more convenient when juggling nap & bedtimes, bad moods, long days, and other travel surprises. It’s okay to splurge on it sometimes.

S is for Sharing toiletries to keep packing light.  The whole family can share toothpaste, soap, shampoo, conditioner, moisturizers, sunscreen and more.  For medications, get the children’s version and adults can take the teen dosage.

Tie dye travel clothes for kids blend in everywhere.

T is for Tie dye which makes great travel clothing for kids because it hides dirt and stains and will always match something that is clean.

U is for Unplugging, completely.  How can I tell my daughter she can’t watch TV or play games on her iPod, when she sees me flipping through books on my Kindle for iPhone.  Put away all electronic devices – phones, readers, cameras – and explore with your family for a while. Without the distractions amazing things happen.

Mirielle's view of waiting in line at the Taj Mahal.

V is for you child’s Vantage Point. During our trip to India, we started to let Mirielle take her own photographs.  It was a great way to keep her engaged in sightseeing, but is also gave us a view of how she sees the world around her.

W is for Walking. If you child can walk, make them walk more than they think they want to. I’ve noticed a big difference between American parents and our Asian counterparts is Americans keep their kids in strollers for years. (Hello, obesity epidemic?) This is a tough one, and we fought Mirielle’s “Uppie, please” and “I’m soooooo tired,” throughout India with mixed results. Start training before your trip. Travel lighter and leave the stroller behind. (Definitely, a carrier for emergencies.) Leave enough time for short legs to get from one place to another. Don’t give in the first three times your child begs to stop or be picked up.

X is for Xmas gifts on the road. Think little stocking stuffers that can be pulled out as a surprise as a source of excitement and entertainment.  On our India trip, I pulled out gifts like a mandala coloring book and a plastic tiger. Some of our drivers contributed gifts including necklaces, a toy cobra, and a backgammon set.

Y is for Yes. Pick a day, or better yet start with an hour, where you say yes to your child’s requests.  It takes the pressure off you, makes the kid happy and it can take you to unexpected places.

You can (almost) never have enough sunscreen and why I prefer sticks.

Z is for Zinc Oxide. Titanium dioxide works as well, but we put on our sunscreen before heading out for the day and reapply often.  Right now my favorite is TruKid’s Sunny Days Stick which is great for travel and Mirielle applies herself.

A couple centuries before the Catholic church in Rome established Holy Thursday to commemorate Jesus’ last supper, which was a Passover seder with his twelve apostles, Syrian Christians were celebrating Pesaha. Pesaha is the Malayalam word for Passover.

Christianity came to south India only a few decades after Jesus’ death and many of the first converts were Jews who had a large presence in the trading ports on the Malabar coast. As a result, many Jewish traditions were incorporated in the Indian version of Catholicism.

Virgin Mary & Christ child statue, Indian-style.

Today, many Syrian Christian families serve Pesaha appam, Passover bread, with Pesaha pal, a coconut milk drink that is like rum-free coquito.  Reading about it reminded me of one of my favorite food discoveries, pal appam, which Rena made for us at Vanilla County Plantation. (Rena also made our Masala Thanksgiving meal.)  This lacy pancake is one more example that Indians make some of the best bread in the world!

I’ve been meaning to make pal appam since coming back from India and decided to host an Indian-style Holy Thursday Pesaha.  Pal appam uses yeast to ferment the batter, so it’s not a true Pesaha meal. In a nod to Hindus and Buddhists, the meal will be vegetarian. (Ok, I just got my days of abstinence mixed up and thought Holy Thursday was meat-free.)

Christ child statue in India with local offerings.

While there is something to offend everyone, I think my multi-cultural, multi-faith, multi-flavor, appam-centric meal is more in the spirit of Easter than bunnies & eggs.

Dear Katie:

We talked spending a week in Vermont with the kids during August.  While I visited Smugglers Notch recently for a winter ski trip, I think it might be the perfect family summer destination.

Location

It’s located less than 45 minutes from Burlington on Vermont’s highest peak which provides summertime alpine activities plus easy access to other places we might want to take the kids, like the Ben & Jerry’s factory in Waterbury Center, ECHO Lake Aquarium, Shelburne Farms and Lake Champlain.

Lodging

4 kids can comfortably pile into this bedroom at Smuggs

There are a range of condos available from studios which sleep 4, to 5-bedrooms which sleep an army. All of the condos have sleeper sofas, so we could get a two bedroom and have lots of flexibility on sleeping arrangements for us, the kids, and our spouses.  In addition to full kitchens, the units have laundry which will save us a lot of hassle.

There are restaurants, a deli, a pizzeria and a grocery in the village so feeding the kids will be easy if we don’t feel like cooking.  The on-demand shuttle service is great.  We probably could even put the kids on it by themselves to send them off to camp.

Scallop and apple salad at the Mountain Grill

Entertainment for Kids

Smugglers‘ is set up as a family resort which means there are lots of activities for the whole family, activities for the kids, and activities to keep kids entertained so parents get grown-up time.  Summer isn’t summer without swimming, and Smuggs has multiple heated outdoor pools & water parks.  The Fun Zone is full of bounce houses, skee ball and mini golf.  Smuggs hosts lots kid-enchanting activities with different events every afternoon and evening (both Mirielle and Jack were hooked by Marko the Magician.)

Friendly Pirate show at Smuggs.

Here is what really appeals to me, Smuggs’ Summer Fun University, aka, summer camp. Programs for 3-17 year olds run from 10am-4pm, 7 days a week and are segmented by age. Based on Mirielle’s ski camp experience, they really know kids.  They do a great job of mixing free play and structured activities, learning by experiencing, presenting characters & shows that keep kids attention and frankly, knowing kids well enough to know when to push them and when to let them rest.

Designed for young children, Treasures Child Care at Smuggs.

And while your little girl is an easy baby, the Treasures Child Care center for 6 week- 3.5 year olds is a model for child care centers and would give you some “I’m more than just a Mommy” time.  When I toured the center, I was impressed with how clean it was at the end of the ski season.  It says how much attention the staff at Treasure’s pays to details.  There are age appropriate rooms, an outdoor playground, food made on site from an organic CSA in the summer, and an impressive, talented staff that could get 12 preschoolers to stay in one place and pay attention after snack. (A lot of the staff at Smuggs could make a living running parenting seminars.)

Flexibility for Parents

Of course, with the kids in camp or at Treasures, that leaves lots of time for us to nap, hike, kayak, hang out by the pool (or in the hot tubs), take the zip line tour, have a massage, or with wifi available, I could even work a few hours everyday.  At night, there are kid-only activities a couple of nights a week so we could eat in the adults-only dining room at Hearth & Candle. Did I tell you about the flatbread with garlic, caramelized onions, pork confit, goat cheese, pesto and balsamic reduction we had there?

Pricing

There are a variety of packages available that include housing, access to facilities & events, and shuttle service and then we can look at if the camp-inclusive or camp discount would better suit our needs. The camp at Smuggs is less expensive than the one at Mirielle’s school and Smuggs has far better facilities for outdoor summer fun. We could take a budget approach and get a one bedroom, or if the men are going to join us, we could get a two or three bedroom.  The prices, packages and specials can be found out their website.

When you’re back in town, lets get our summer calendars and budgets together and see if Smuggs would work for a Vermont getaway.

Regards,

Meg

Thanks to Smugglers’ Notch for teaching my family to ski.  They provided lodging, ski rentals, lessons, and lift tickets for our visit. I was not asked to write a review or express any specific opinion.

When traveling, especially since Mirielle joined us on our travels, we spend more time just walking around different neighborhood than visiting sights listed in a tour book. Sometimes it’s because we get a little lost, other times it’s misinterpreting distances on a map, confusing addresses led us ‘astray’ in Delhi, but, usually it’s just that strange need to walk around more when we’re not at home.

Wandering around a very nice neighborhood near the Hauz Khas Delhi Metro station, we saw how Delhi’s rich live while trying to find an address (that was no where near the Metro, I mean, why would Hauz Khas village be near the Hauz Khas Metro station?)

Adjacent to the ritzier neighborhood, this middle class housing block has a large Muslim community including a mosque, goats grazing in the parks, women and men with head coverings, and kids playing everywhere.

The urban Dehli version of the tire swing?  A couple of bicycle intertubes tied together and around a tree limb.

This very friendly resident of the housing block switched with her friend, above on the tire swing, to come meet us and practice her English.

For all the stereotypes I can conjure about a “third world” country (seriously, is that a relevant term anymore?), playing with 18th/19th century toys was not what would come to mind.  Using old bicycle tires and sticks, the boys would chase the tire around the field, propelling it with a swat of the stick.  The last time I saw anything like this was visiting Old Sturbridge Village, a living history museum where an 1830′s New England village has been preserved.

Most park entrances had these little gates to keep motorcycles off the fields and theoretically, to deter animals from grazing.  It was tricky navigating with Mirielle in the Ergo, but she was being stubborn about walking, and we weren’t ready to let it slow us down. (Plus, we were too lost to find a cafe to take a break.)

My husband works for our local power company, so he was excited to see Delhi’s own (very well maintained facilities he said, though local residents think very highly of the reliability.)  Was the trip now a work-related tax write off?

Trash and pollution do lead the list of stereotypes about developing nations (trying different expressions.)  Behind one of the markets, we found this puddle of radiator fluid surrounded by motorcycles and scooters. How many gallons does it take to make it that green?

Visiting markets or grocery stores where the local residents buy their daily provisions has always been a favorite activity of mine.  While it’s often to check out local products or regional packaging, the kiosk filled markets in Delhi were about people watching, picking up a few things and learning how the supply chain works.

While there might be 10 different kiosks selling personal products (shampoo, toothpaste, shaving cream), each kiosk carried different brands, sizes or products.  There was some overlap and competition, but looking for shampoo, each of the first three kiosks we stopped at had different merchandise.  It was similar for other products as well.

The markets were filled with the forbidden “street food” including donuts.  Okay they had another name, maybe gulab jamun, but fried dough sprinkled with sugar?  Of course I can’t tell you how good they were, no matter how much I want to.

Most of the places we walked, especially where tourists were uncommon, people would come and say hello.  Young children and mothers were friendliest. Generally, if someone could speak or understand some English, we would talk.  President Obama’s visit to Delhi coincided with our visit, so we were always able to talk current events and US-India relations.  Most of the time, people just wanted to say hello, find out where we were from, ask about how we liked India, and pose for pictures like these kids.

There is a myth about travelers who want to really connect with the local people/culture, see the real country/people, or not be tagged a tourist.  We weren’t trying to be those travelers.  But, through tourism by walking around, we glimpsed the everyday life of Delhi-wallas. Talking with a unusual range of people did help us learn more about India and connect with local people.

Mostly though, it was relaxing, fun and interesting.

Arrival of Delhi Metro Car

Weeks before our arrival, Delhi’s Metro system was greatly expanded as part of infrastructure improvements for the 2010 Commonwealth Games.  The Delhi Metro is wonderful and makes visiting India’s capital easy.  While I wouldn’t suggest bypassing an auto-rickshaw ride or walking the side streets of old Delhi, the Metro is a cheap, clean, air conditioned way to travel around Delhi, without the hassels of traffic and gridlock.

From our guest house in south Delhi, it was about a 30 minute and US$0.40 ride to Old Delhi and less to Dilli Haat, Hauz Khas, and other areas we visited.

Tunnels at newly opened Delhi Metro station.

Important things to know about the Metro:

Visible security presence in the Delhi Metro

1) Security is taken very seriously.  Everyone must go through a screening before entering the platform with separate lines for men and women. Armed miliary personel can be seen in many stations, and photos are prohibited (found out after taking these, I promise I did not sneak them.)

Navigating on the Delhi Metro

2) Guide books are not updated for the recent metro station expansions.  I learned the hard way, don’t rely on a guidebook or even station names to get to a destination on the Metro.  Get specific directions from as many Delhi-wallas as you can find and don’t be hesitant to ask for directions.

Making friends on the Delhi Metro platform.

3) The Metro is very popular, and train cars get very, very crowded at all hours. Despite the crowds (and stares), we found everyone but the older Indian women to be very considerate. (An Indian-American friend warned me about the older women’s aggressive elbowing tendencies and WOW, she wasn’t exaggerating.) I highly recommend the women-only car for mom’s and young children which is less crowded.  Dad can stand at the back of the women only car if it isn’t full.

About 15 minutes outside of Brattleboro, VT, Dwight Miller & Son Orchards has been tapping sugar maples since before Vermont was a state.  The claim to be the first white men in Vermont to tap sugar, may be supported by the eight plus generations of this family farming the land and tapping their sugar bush.  Eight generations also means that this family knows sugaring and is a wealth of information if you want to learn about the sugaring process.

While we didn’t know either when we stopped by during the 2010 Vermont Maple Open House Weekend, we walked away with hands on sugaring experience, a peck of organic empire apples, a couple of bottles of organic, unfiltered apple cider vinegar, and three bottles of different grade organic maple syrup.

Maple syrup bottling operation (very big 'pot' on stove with bottles.)

Read Miller, who currently runs the farm with his family, shared the history of the farm, explained the sugaring process to visitors, and even brought us down to tap a tree.  His wife was also in the sugar shack bottling and labeling the latest batch of syrup. The informality of the open house allowed visitors to ask lots of questions.

The Miller’s sugar shack/farm store was filled with historical pictures and maps of the farm, but heading out to tap of tree was my favorite part of the day.  With a cordless drill, small metal tap, a mallet and bucket, we walked down the lane to a sugar maple.  One of the visitors drilled a hole and pounded in the tap, basically a 3/4 inch wide metal pipe with a hook on the underside.  The bucket was hung from the hook on the tap and the maple sap began to run from the tree like a steadily leaking faucet.

Maple sap running through the vacuum tubes in the sugar bush.

Nothing like the syrup you put in your pancakes (and oatmeal, fish, roast veggies, cheese, apple pie, and more) the sap is like a maple-flavored sugar water.  We were able to dip our finger in the catch bucket to taste. It’s only after hours of boiling to remove the water through evaporation that the sap thickens to what most of us are used to. It was surprising how much sap came out of the tap in just a short period and a tree can produce up to 3 gallons of sap in one day.  Good thing as it take 40 gallons of sap to make 1 gallon of maple syrup.

For more info, including farmers markets and visiting opportunities, check out Dwight Miller & Son Orchards website http://www.vtfarmorg.com/.