Located in Pawlet, Vermont—in the picturesque Mettawee River valley, not far from Orvis headquarters—Woodlawn Farm is a dairy operation run by the Leach family for eight generations. At this time of year, like many Vermonters, the Leaches are focused on collecting sap from maple trees and boiling it into maple syrup. According to the Woodlawn Farm website:
Our land and our infatuation with the tradition of making pure Vermont maple syrup were more than enough inspiration for us to construct our own maple sugaring operation. This venture has been giving us a great deal to look forward to in February and March since 1998, our first year of production.
Many of the folks we work with at Orvis are working hard right now, trekking through the woods to tap trees and getting everything ready in the sugaring house. Soon, they’ll arrive at work bleary-eyed from long nights tending the evaporator. And if you’ve ever tasted pure Vermont maple syrup, you know that their efforts are worth it.
Erin McEnaney, who works in Human Resources at Orvis, makes maple syrup at her farm in Shaftsbury, Vermont.
Photo by Scott McEnaney