Factory Day!

Today's journey took us across the state to 4 factories! We have all been anticipating this day since before our Road Trip even started. Here's how it went:

Vermont Teddy Bear Company (not Build-a-Bear) -- How could I have known what an amazing visit this would be? It cost us $4 for the tour and they've absolutely earned my customer loyalty. They showed us how to make a bear, why their bears

are different and better -- made in U.S.A, high quality, have movable appendages, hand-sewn up the back with a tush tags, mailed in a box with an air hole, a snack and games inside so it doesn't get bored en route, etc.

If anything other than "old age" or "going through the dryer" happens to your bear you can send it in to the hospital and they will repair it or replace it. We saw examples of dog bites, broken limbs, run over by a car, run over by a lawn mower, etc. This hospital was hysterical -- they actually go into a recovery room until they're mailed out -- complete with a hospital wrist band. It was ridiculous to be sure, but if you could have seen how captivated the kids were, you would have been very impressed. They each got a teddy bear and an outfit and continue to be fully engaged. I have received more thanks for these bears than all other souvenirs from the previous 28 states combined.

Cold Hollow Cider Mill -- This wasn't exactly a factory, but it did have a bounty of goodness in their gift shop. They also had a live bee hive on display and barrel after barrel of different kinds of apples. We managed to suffer through a few more cider donuts, a cider hot dog (yum!), and of course fall pressing apple cider. Doodle actually dropped her entire cup down my left leg which made a for a sticky reminder of our visit all day long.

Ben & Jerry's Factory -- need I say more?

Maple Grove Farms of Vermont -- According to Farmer Boy, a Native American boy's tomahawk got stuck in a maple tree and water started to come out. Mama figured out the magic process of boiling the "water" into syrup and then later they taught the settlers the trick. We had no idea how much water can actually come out of a tree trunk! Seriously, it looks like a huge water faucet is turned on and bucket after bucket get filled. It takes about 40 gallons of this to yield one gallon of syrup.

Maple Grove was started by two women, who made maple sugar candy. A seemingly Mom & Pop operation from the outside, this place is big time. We learned so much about the process of sugaring and making maple syrup that I can't wait to come back in the spring to watch it all with my own eyes. Kids out here get to have "sugaring picnics" where they drizzle hot syrup into a bowl full of fresh snow, making it turn into a sort of goo and then they eat it all up. Fun, right?

The first run of syrup, Fancy Syrup, is super pale and particularly sweet. The next run is Grade A, slightly darker and so on. The general public usually buys the darker, C Grade. Absolutely fascinating.

By the way, have I drawn a clear picture of what we actually ate for lunch? One fifth of a cider hot dog, a cider donut, a cup of cider, a sample of ice-cream, a proper kid scoop of ice-cream, a maple sugar Santa, samples of 4 syrups, a couple of cheese samples and a maple sugar drop (hard candy).

And after today, I'm looking forward to New Hampshire as it appears I can't give Vermont enough of our money...