23 Words You’ll Only Understand If You’re From Vermont

Some words and phrases are universal, and others you'll only understand if you're from Vermont. The following are common things Vermonters say that let you know you're at home in the Green Mountain State.  So grab your flannel, make yourself a bowl of Ben & Jerry’s ice cream (topped with maple syrup), get cozy in your barn, and listen to the cows moo in the pasture while you read these things people from Vermont say and see how many of these words you can relate to.  Let’s have a little fun, shall we?

1. Mud season

Living in Vermont, you'll soon realize that mud season is most certainly a real season. It falls between winter and spring and turns driving on dirt roads into a competitive sport.

2. Stick season

Stick season is another very real season in Vermont. After the foliage falls and the snow hasn't blanketed the land in white powder, everything in Vermont appears very brown, barren and, yup, still beautiful!

3. Green Up Day

Green Up Day, observed on the first Saturday of May, is a statewide effort in the US state of Vermont to clean up roadside trash - and everyone participates!

4. Maple pipelines

Those things coming from the trees? Yeah, we know exactly what they are. You're welcome for the delicious syrup!

5. Bull Pout

If you've been fishing here, you've seen a Bullpout Catfish, the most common catfish in Vermont. You'll also know that the fish pictured is a Perch. See disclaimer below. Bull Pouts are also known as mud pout, horned pout, horn pout and mud cat.

6. Down cellar

For whatever reason, we don't need "the" between down and cellar. Essentially this means 'in the basement.'

7. The notch is closed

When you hear that the "notch is closed," Vermonters know better than to attempt this cut through Smugglers Notch. These sharp turns are trouble enough for the giant trucks who get stuck all summer trying to get through by following GPS directions. The ice and snow during the cold months make this a dangerous trek. If it's closed for the winter, we know better than to attempt it.

8. Sugar on snow

Maple syrup drizzled over snow is a favorite sweet treat for Vermonters of all ages.

9. Vegetable Diorama

At many of the agricultural fairs there are displays and competitions of vegetable dioramas, and each year the Tunbridge World's fair has a particularly stiff competition. Pictured is a diorama of a Taylor Swift concert made of pearl onions and chili peppers.

10. Decorated vegetables

Yet another competitive sport of sorts at Vermont fairs is the decorated vegetable category.

Can't you just hear this ear of corn yelling? Haha!

11. Freshies

First tracks on fresh snow. Absolutely delightful!

12. Upta

As in "are you going upta the mountain?"

13. Flatlander

Someone (anyone) who wasn't born in Vermont.

14. Woodchuck

A guy who lives and thrives in rural Vermont. Oh, and he can probably fix just about anything.

15. Djeet

A quick way to ask "Did you eat?"

16. Duct it or chuck it

If you can't fix something with duct tape, it's probably not worth fixing.

17. Chinin'

Short for 'Snow machining,' which is really 'Snowmobiling.'

18. Champ

In the 802, champ isn't short for 'Champion.' Champ is Vermont's very own Loch Ness Monster who lives in Lake Champlain.

19. Heady

Short for Heady Topper beer, a coveted and much loved beer brewed in Stowe by the Alchemist.

20. Deer Jacking

Possessing deer taken by illegal means.

21. Yard Art

After all, beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

22. Creemee

For once and for all, it's not called soft-serve ice cream. It's a creemee, OK?

23. Leaf Peepers

People who travel from all over to see the stunning fall foliage in Vermont, but have yet to master the art of driving etiquette.

Share this with your friends and see who is a Vermonter and who is a Flatlander disguised in tie-dye. Do you agree with these Vermont stereotypes? Tell us what we missed! What other weird phrases or things people from Vermont say come to mind? Let us know below in the comments section.

Disclaimer: Most images of Bull Pouts that are legally licensed for resuse were a bit graphic, so we opted for a picture of someone having fun ice fishing in Vermont. Jeezum Crow! It appears that including a perch was WAY more offensive. Please accept our apologies – it won’t happen again.