copyright the Chronicle March 29, 2017
by Elizabeth Trail
After weeks of cold, even Saturday’s gray skies and spitting snowflakes didn’t stop people from turning out for the annual Vermont Maple Sugarmaker’s Association annual Maple Open House Weekend.
Chilly overnight temperatures meant that the Fortins at Covered Bridge Maple Sugaring in Barton couldn’t start boiling until noon, even with sap saved in the tank, but by 1 o’clock, the sweet-scented steam was rolling through their sugarhouse.
It was the family’s first open house, and they had gone all out for their guests. There were crockpots of chili, chowder, beans, and maple meatballs; trays of maple cookies and whoopee pies; and of course tastes of freshly made syrup.
About five years ago, Chris and Gerald Fortin bought the sugarhouse that used to belong to the Auger family on Route 16. The place came with a 100-acre sugarbush. They lease another 250 acres from a neighbor. The operation is certified organic.
The Fortins grew up sugaring in their respective families. After their marriage, they made syrup for years on their place in Newport Center, adding a few more taps and a bit more equipment every year.
They finally decided they were ready to move on to a bigger sugaring operation, Ms. Fortin said.
As luck would have it, they heard by word of mouth that Jeannette Auger wanted to sell. They bought the property before it was even listed on the market.
“We’d looked at other places, but this was the right one,” Ms. Fortin said.
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