It's maple season, Escapemakers! When cold wintry days start to transform into spring, northeasterners know that this short and sweet (yes, pun intended) season is upon us. This rings especially true for the state of Vermont. Vermont maple syrup -- rich in flavor, rich in heritage -- is a signature agricultural product in the Green Mountain State. The sugar makers of Vermont care deeply for the high quality maple syrup products they create, building relationships with their communities and their customers. Vermont maple syrup is so much more than a topping for pancakes. Its unique flavor is unparalleled and allows it to be used in baked goods, savory foods, and many different cuisines. And it's as a healthy a sweetener as you could hope for, easily surpassing cane sugar, corn syrup, or honey in its level of macronutrients and antioxidants! Get up to Vermont via Amtrak this spring to experience the sugaring season for yourself!
It’s maple season, Escapemakers! When cold wintry days start to transform into spring, northeasterners know that this short and sweet (yes, pun intended) season is upon us. This rings especially true for the state of Vermont. Vermont maple syrup — rich in flavor, rich in heritage — is a signature agricultural product in the Green Mountain State. The sugar makers of Vermont care deeply for the high quality maple syrup products they create, building relationships
DID YOU KNOW over half of the country’s maple syrup comes from Vermont and New York State? Celebrate the maple sugaring season this March at a Maple Weekend, Open House or festival near you via Amtrak, Metro-North, Zipcar or bus! Hudson Valley, New York: Crown Maple at Madava Farm Maple Weekends: 3/18-3/19 & 3/25-3/26 www.crownmaple.com White Oak Farm + Hilltop Hanover Farm Maple Weekends: 3/18-3/19 & 3/25-3/26 www.whiteoakfarm1.com Soukup Farms Maple Weekends: 3/18-3/19 & 3/25-3/26 www.soukupfarms.com Finger Lakes, New York: Wellspring Forest Farm & School Maple Weekend: 3/18-3/19 www.wellspringforestfarm.com Catskills, New York: Roxbury Mountain Maple Maple Weekends: 3/18-3/19 & 3/25-3/26 www.roxburymountainmaple.com Vermont: Smugglers’ Notch Resort MapleFest: 3/18 – 4/2 www.smuggs.com/maple Woodstock Village Green Maple Madness: 3/25 – 3/26 www.woodstockvt.com/upcoming-events St. Albans, VT Vermont Maple Festival: 4/28-4/30 www.vtmaplefestival.org Town of Poultney MapleFest Craft Fair: 3/25-3/26 www.poultneyvt.com Sugarhouses Statewide Maple Open House: 3/25-3/26 www.vermontmaple.org/openhouse
DID YOU KNOW over half of the country’s maple syrup comes from Vermont and New York State? Celebrate the maple sugaring season this March at a Maple Weekend, Open House or festival near you via Amtrak, Metro-North, Zipcar or bus! Hudson Valley, New York: Crown Maple at Madava Farm Maple Weekends: 3/18-3/19 & 3/25-3/26 www.crownmaple.com White Oak Farm + Hilltop Hanover Farm Maple Weekends: 3/18-3/19 & 3/25-3/26 www.whiteoakfarm1.com Soukup Farms Maple Weekends:
EscapeMaker.com will partner with Dutchess Tourism Inc. to run popular Farm Fresh Tours program with Metro-North Railroad through 2017. EscapeMaker.com, NYC’s guide to local getaways since 2000, announced today that it has secured a contract with Dutchess Tourism, Inc. to administer the development and operation of their successful Dutchess County Farm Fresh Tours program through 2017. For 10 years, Dutchess Tourism, Inc. has operated the Farm Fresh Tours program, which offers guided day trips to local farms and producers in and around Dutchess County by providing bus shuttle service to train passengers arriving at Metro-North stations in Poughkeepsie and Beacon, among others. The objective has long been to encourage car-less travelers to hop on a train from New York City and spend a day exploring local agriculture, a driving economic force and way of life in the Hudson Valley. Many Dutchess farms are family-owned and welcome visitors to “pick-your-own” produce, make purchases from their farm stands, or join them during family-oriented festivals. Apple picking, wine making, visiting breweries or learning about cheese making are all examples of agritourism, which supports local farmers and producers. “One of our major focuses for the past several years has been to seamlessly connect the dots between customers eager to learn about where their food comes from and the local farmers who work tirelessly to produce goods to the region,” says Caylin Sanders, founder and CEO of EscapeMaker.com. “Having worked with the amazing team at Dutchess Tourism for 12 years and with our expertise for bringing New Yorkers out of the city to experience the endless offerings of the Hudson Valley, jumping at the opportunity to take over the program was an obvious and organic choice for us. Our missions are aligned.” EscapeMaker.com will continue to offer many of the existing farm and destination itineraries,
EscapeMaker.com will partner with Dutchess Tourism Inc. to run popular Farm Fresh Tours program with Metro-North Railroad through 2017. EscapeMaker.com, NYC’s guide to local getaways since 2000, announced today that it has secured a contract with Dutchess Tourism, Inc. to administer the development and operation of their successful Dutchess County Farm Fresh Tours program through 2017. For 10 years, Dutchess Tourism, Inc. has operated the Farm Fresh Tours program, which offers guided day trips to
Dear EscapeMakers — Got a sweet tooth? BYOW (Bring your own waffles)! Join us for our first event of the season, Maple Fest, at the GrowNYC Union Square Greenmarket on Friday, March 17th from 10am to 4pm. This event is FREE for all ages! Stop by for free samples, live music, maple samples, maple flavored products and more! Sample maple syrup, maple-infused coffee, maple candies, maple yogurt, maple lollipops, and witness maple tree tapping demos from maple producers like Deep Mountain Maple Roxbury Mountain Maple, Consider Bardwell Farm, Ronnybrook Farm Dairy, Soukup Farms and more! Plus, pick up free info from our local travel getaway partner agritourism destinations like Sullivan Catskills, Amtrak, Vermont Tourism, Westchester County Tourism, NY, Dutchess Tourism, Inc., Ithaca & Tompkins County Tourism, and more! Additional GrowNYC Greenmarket farmers and producers sampling to be announced! Check back for updates in the coming weeks. Find more details here!
Dear EscapeMakers — Got a sweet tooth? BYOW (Bring your own waffles)! Join us for our first event of the season, Maple Fest, at the GrowNYC Union Square Greenmarket on Friday, March 17th from 10am to 4pm. This event is FREE for all ages! Stop by for free samples, live music, maple samples, maple flavored products and more! Sample maple syrup, maple-infused coffee, maple candies, maple yogurt, maple lollipops, and witness maple tree tapping demos
Shoppers at GrowNYC’s Union Square Greenmarket will be greeted with a special treat on March 17th, 2017 when EscapeMaker.com, New York’s guide to local getaways and farm escapes, hosts its second annual Maple Fest. The event will run from 10am – 4pm on the north side of the square and will feature maple product samples, dancing maple trees, competing pancakes and more. Attendees will get to taste maple yogurt, maple candy, icy local treat “sugar on snow,” and compare a variety of syrups at a maple tasting bar. The event kicks off the 2017 series of agritourism-themed events designed to promote Greenmarket farmers, producers and winemakers within a day’s drive or train ride of New York City. EscapeMaker will be on hand with general agritourism info on how to visit farms, farm stores, breweries and wineries whether by car, bus, ZipCar, Metro-North Railroad or by Amtrak. Beginning at 10am, market-goers can listen to live music, watch maple-inspired cooking demos, and enjoy free samples of a variety of local maple products from New York, Pennsylvania and Vermont. There will also be an opportunity to learn about agritourism getaways through literature and conversations with the representatives from a number of tourism regions. Attendees can find information about Maple Weekends via Amtrak in Vermont, craft beverage trails in the Finger Lakes, charming bed & breakfast stays in the Hudson Valley, Farm Fresh Tours via Metro-North Railroad in Dutchess County, and more. “We’re thrilled to be back for our second year of special agritourism-themed events with GrowNYC,” said Caylin Sanders, President and Founder of EscapeMaker.com since 2000. “Our 2016 events were a huge success in terms of interacting with Greenmarket shoppers, providing agritourism education and inspiring local getaways and vacation packages. We look forward to building upon that enhanced shopping experience – beginning with
Shoppers at GrowNYC’s Union Square Greenmarket will be greeted with a special treat on March 17th, 2017 when EscapeMaker.com, New York’s guide to local getaways and farm escapes, hosts its second annual Maple Fest. The event will run from 10am – 4pm on the north side of the square and will feature maple product samples, dancing maple trees, competing pancakes and more. Attendees will get to taste maple yogurt, maple candy, icy local treat “sugar
It's the sweetest time of the year, EscapeMakers! Every spring for a few short weeks, maple sugarmakers across the Northeast open the doors of their sugarhouses for maple weekends, inviting visitors to discover the sweet flavors and traditions involved in making maple syrup. Between Vermont and New York State, more than half of the country's maple syrup production takes place just a train ride away from NYC via Metro North Railroad or Amtrak! And with the days getting warmer, now is the time to start planning for your escapes to the long list of sugarhouses within reach. Vermont is the nation’s leading producer of maple syrup. Producing over 1.3 million gallons of syrup, Vermont generates 42% of the country’s maple syrup from more than 1,500 sugar houses statewide. In 2014, Vermont produced 1,230,000 gallons of the sweet, sticky goodness. Vermont Maple Open House Weekend takes place this year on March 25-26. The sites and activities at the many sugarhouses in the region range from tours to pancake breakfasts to maple tapping demonstrations to samples of maple syrup, candy, creams and more. Check out some hot spots like Nebraska Knoll Sugar Farm, Corse Maple Farm, or Green Mountain Sugar House...or get the full list of all participating Vermont sugarhouses here and plan your maple weekend escape! New York is second leader in maple production in the USA, following Vermont. In 2014, New York produced 546,000 gallons of maple syrup, which makes up over 17% of the entire country's supply. With locations at approximately 160 farms and museums, Maple Weekend across New York State takes place March 18-19 and March 25-26. Visitors will find sugarhouse tours, free samples, activities and so much more! Check out Roxbury Mountain Maple in the Catskills (Sullivan County), or the Hudson Valley's White Oak Farm (Westchester County),
It’s the sweetest time of the year, EscapeMakers! Every spring for a few short weeks, maple sugarmakers across the Northeast open the doors of their sugarhouses for maple weekends, inviting visitors to discover the sweet flavors and traditions involved in making maple syrup. Between Vermont and New York State, more than half of the country’s maple syrup production takes place just a train ride away from NYC via Metro North Railroad or Amtrak! And with
Happy President's Day Weekend, EscapeMakers! As we celebrate a three-day weekend and great presidents from the past, we would be remiss not to explore the American history right here in our backyard. The Northeast is rich with historic sites and landmarks, and now, perhaps more than ever, it is important to reflect on these great and progressive events and places that have helped define what it truly means to be American. Whether you only have time for a day trip or are looking to spend a long weekend away, get inspired to escape into history! Hop on Metro-North Railroad from Grand Central Terminal for a day-trip out to Westchester. Spend the day at the Hudson River Museum's current exhibitions open now through May, which feature images of the Civil War, i.e. faces of steely-eyed generals, femme fatale spies, crusading abolitionists, and teenage African American soldiers; images of Abraham Lincoln on the banks of the Hudson; and also images and objects that show the art and culture of the nation and New York at the time of the Civil War. You can also check out a complete itinerary for the American Revolutionary Trail from Visit Westchester! Once we're out of winter and into the warmer spring weekends, head up to the Catskills in Sullivan County to explore the Minisink Battle Ground Park (open daily between Mother's Day and Columbus Day). The park, which is part of the Revolutionary War Heritage Trail, is dedicated to the men who fought and died at the “Battle of Minisink,” the only major skirmish of the Revolutionary War fought in the northern Delaware Valley. The 57 acre park includes picnic areas, extensive hiking trails, restroom facilities, picnic pavilion, and more. Looking to make a weekend getaway out of this exploration? Check out our Catskills Craft Beverage
Happy President’s Day Weekend, EscapeMakers! As we celebrate a three-day weekend and great presidents from the past, we would be remiss not to explore the American history right here in our backyard. The Northeast is rich with historic sites and landmarks, and now, perhaps more than ever, it is important to reflect on these great and progressive events and places that have helped define what it truly means to be American. Whether you only have
On a chilly afternoon in late December in Sharon Springs, NY, a small upstate village located just 180 miles north of NYC, farmer Jay Lavery decided to spice up his daily barn chores at his Permaculture Inn farm. With his goats by his side and his broom in hand, Lavery performed a soon-t0-be-viral dance to Sia's Cheap Thrills. What was meant as a light-hearted and fun shared video has not only brought smiles to over 9 million faces to date, but has also offered a small glimpse into the life of a farmer that many are not exposed to. In his Facebook post, Lavery said, "Dancing is how I stay warm in the barn... But what most people don't know is that 15 years ago I had a traumatic back injury that caused me to have several back surgeries... Dancing along with yoga and meditation are my only alternatives to pain medication." At a time of year when most people are looking forward to a fresh start, Lavery expressed that he hoped the video would “inspire anyone to move in spite of pain and I hope this puts a smile on your face for the New Year.” If this has inspired you to explore agritourism and visit a farm, check out some of our featured farmers here and plan your escape today!
On a chilly afternoon in late December in Sharon Springs, NY, a small upstate village located just 180 miles north of NYC, farmer Jay Lavery decided to spice up his daily barn chores at his Permaculture Inn farm. With his goats by his side and his broom in hand, Lavery performed a soon-t0-be-viral dance to Sia’s Cheap Thrills. What was meant as a light-hearted and fun shared video has not only brought smiles to over
The winter blues have officially set in and we're all looking for a little something to look forward to. What better time to get away for some R&R than Valentine's Day? Whether it's a trip with your honey or a getaway with your besties, we could all benefit from a little cozy weekend escape come February. Or -- better yet -- give the gift of a weekend getaway this year! Mom, Dad, sister, boyfriend, wife...a Northeast escape is the perfect gift for ALL of your loved ones this February 14. Purchase one of EscapeMaker's vacation packages via Amtrak or Metro North Railroad and present it as a gift on the big day. Or, allow us to offer some inspiration on cozy bed & breakfasts, sexy local restaurants and romantic outings within a few hours of NYC for you independent travel planners out there. Venture out to Dutchess County in the gorgeous Hudson Valley. There are so many things to do and see, you'll have to come back again and again. Check out some date ideas that won't break the bank; get your cibo e vino fix in Mount Carmel, Poughkeepsie's own "Little Italy"; wander around the historic & eclectic village of Millerton's antique shops, glass-blowing studios, retro milkshake counters and more. Or, if you're looking to hang onto that sweet New York apple goodness throughout the winter, hit one (or several!) of the amazing Hudson Valley cider and apple spirit makers! There's also a statewide map of cider opportunities offered by the New York Apple Association, if you decide to venture further from New York City! Sticking inside the magical Hudson Valley, go get your cultural buzz on in Westchester County -- the Hudson River Museum, the Neuberger Museum of Art, and the Katonah Museum of Art offer special exhibits
The winter blues have officially set in and we’re all looking for a little something to look forward to. What better time to get away for some R&R than Valentine’s Day? Whether it’s a trip with your honey or a getaway with your besties, we could all benefit from a little cozy weekend escape come February. Or — better yet — give the gift of a weekend getaway this year! Mom, Dad, sister, boyfriend, wife…a
Chris Harp is an organic beekeeper, “Bee Doctor”, beekeeping teacher and co-founder of HoneybeeLives. He has been tending his own hives in New Paltz, NY for twenty-six years. He has expanded his naturalist and biodynamic approach to tend approximately 200 colonies in locations in New York and Connecticut for both individuals and organizations. Harp is a consultant on hive health for troubled colonies and concerned beekeepers. Harp's naturalist and biodynamic methods, and unique hive designs, have developed from his years of working with, and listening to, Honeybees, as well as having studied with Gunther Hauk at the Pfeiffer Center. He has served on the Board of Directors for the Catskill Mountain Beekeepers’ Club, and is currently on the advisory board of the Ulster County Beekeepers Association. Harp was also a consultant for the CNG (Certified-Naturally-Grown) Apiary Standards for their Certification Program and the ensuing publication Handbook for Natural Beekeeping. VISIT: Chris Harp and Grai Rice teach intensive 2-day beekeeping workshops in the winter in the Hudson Valley and Brooklyn, and seasonal hands-on classes in the New Paltz apiary in spring and late summer. PUBLIC TRANSIT: Trailways Bus from NYC 2.5 hours to New Paltz + 6-minute Taxi.
Chris Harp is an organic beekeeper, “Bee Doctor”, beekeeping teacher and co-founder of HoneybeeLives. He has been tending his own hives in New Paltz, NY for twenty-six years. He has expanded his naturalist and biodynamic approach to tend approximately 200 colonies in locations in New York and Connecticut for both individuals and organizations. Harp is a consultant on hive health for troubled colonies and concerned beekeepers. Harp’s naturalist and biodynamic methods, and unique hive designs,
