It's the sweetest time of the year here in Vermont.  That's right, another winter has passed and as the nights remain cold and daytime temperatures warm, something magical is happening within the maple trees.  That's right...  IT'S SUGARING SEASON!  Here are some of our favorite Vermont Sugar Houses you should visit before the short season ends.

How can we guarantee that all Vermont maple syrup is good?  Well, for starters, it's made in Vermont by Vermonters.  The pride in their product is evident in each and every ounce of the liquid gold.  Just see for yourself:

And if the sweet taste isn't enough, new studies have shown that maple syrup could cure Alzheimer's disease!

This sweet flow of sap only happens for 4-6 weeks a year between winter and spring, and you shouldn't miss what happens during Vermont's sweetest season.  After all, there are over 1,500 sugar shacks in the state and only 251 towns.  So whether you tour a professional operation or you visit your neighbor when you see smoke coming out of the chimney of their homemade backyard shack, everyone should witness the labor of love that goes into making our beloved maple syrup.  You'll never look at your pancakes the same.

1. Nebraska Knoll Sugar Farm - 256 Falls Brook Lane, Stowe

The Coty family at Nebraska Knoll has been making syrup every spring since 1980, and are some of the friendliest people you'll ever meet. Their website is updated with open house hours every day as well as their answering machine at 802-253-4655.

Whether you go to the Nebraska Knoll Sugar Farm as an after school adventure (like we did) or for a fun adventure day in Stowe, this is a sugar house that is a must visit. We got a tour of the sugar farm like we never expected...

They explained the sugaring process to the kids and took them along to help empty the sap buckets to be brought back in to start boiling down to get the amazing dark and robust syrup we all love.

The kids even got to taste the sap dripping directly from the tree. It doesn't get any fresher than that!

After a hard day's (20 minutes) work, we sampled the freshly made syrup right out of the big tank. It was warm and delicious and, as one man from Mississippi put it:

I couldn't have said it better myself.

2. The Wing Farm - 599 Town Line Road, West Shaftsbury

The Wing Farm is a great small family farm in south-west Vermont. Old red barns and beautiful views make the perfect backdrop while making fresh maple syrup. If you want quintessential VT while watching syrup made, this is a wonderful place to go.

3. Sugarbush Farm Maple & Cheese Farm - 591 Sugarbush Farm Road, Woodstock

The Sugarbush Farm is famous for its excellent waxed cheeses and pure Vermont maple syrup made right there on their hillside farm. Both are available to taste while you watch the sap boiling.

4. Burgess Sugarhouse Vermont Maple Syrup - 251 Irish Settlement Road, Underhill

Here's an interesting tidbit about the Burgess Sugarhouse: They pack all of their maple syrup in glass containers because they feel glass is the only material that preserves the pure taste of maple syrup. Who knew?

5. Deer Ridge Maple - 94 Cedar Crest Drive, North Derby

Here is a great small family operation that strives to be as energy efficient as possible through the use of a state of the art Reverse Osmosis machine, steam away, and wood-fired high-efficiency evaporator. This sugarhouse is also handicap accessible.

6. Happy Hill Maple Farms - 3092 S. Wheelock Road, Sheffield

This is a modern, state of the art sugar house facility with a full line of maple products. Last year they were the winners of VT Maplerama, both "best in show" and "best in class" in 2 of the 3 categories. Wow!

7. Little Hogback Farm - 2365 Lower Notch Road, Bristol

Little Hogback Farm specializes in using sustainable forest management techniques to produce the highest quality Pure Vermont Maple Products as well as divine culinary mushrooms. The people in this picture are certainly excited for sugaring season!

8. Davis Family Maple - 189 Upper English Settlement Rd, Underhill

This 10,000 tap operation offers tours of the sugarhouse and offers the delightful sugar on snow (we hope!). Here you'll find maple samples and syrup, maple cream, candy, sugar and other maple products, as well as many educational things on display.

9. Papa John’s Sugar Shack - 221 Healdville Road, Mount Holly

See how sap is turned into Vermont maple syrup as well as take a tour of the sugarhouse at Papa John's. During their open houses they have samples of waffles with freshly made maple syrup, as well as other maple items such as cotton candy and more.

10. Corse Maple Farm - 773 Corse Road, Whitingham

Corse Maple Farm has been making pure Vermont maple syrup in Whitingham since 1868. Delicious!

11. Hidden Springs Maple - 162 Westminster Road, Putney

Hidden Springs Maple is a family maple farm in Putney where they started making maple syrup over 50 years ago. Their sugar bush spans over 1,000 acres in Putney and Westminster West.

12. Bragg Farm Sugar House - RR 14, East Montpelier

The Bragg Family has been producing Vermont Maple Syrup for 8 generations.

They make their maple syrup the traditional way using buckets and a wood-fired evaporator. They've earned the right to "Bragg" all they want - this syrup is delicious!

13. Branon Family Maple Orchards - 539 Branon Road, Fairfield

Located in both Fairfield and Bakersfield, Vermont, the Branon family is a 7th generation Vermont maple producer and agricultural-based family.

14. Taft’s Milk & Maple Farm - 683 Camel's Hump Road, Huntington

Located at the base of Camel's Hump, this 4th generation farm has approximately 6,500 taps mostly on a pipeline system which enables the sap to flow directly to the sugarhouse or into collection tanks around the smaller hills and mountains. Check out the dairy farm as well as the sugarhouse experience.

15. Sprague & Son Sugarhouse - Route 100 North, Jacksonville

Sprague & Son Sugarhouse, on the side of busy route 100, was built in 1993 by Marty, Karen and son Rodney Sprague, with the intention of showing the public the amount of effort put into every drop of maple syrup produced. The sap at Sprague's Sugarhouse comes from a variety of landowners including the Green Mountain National Forest Service. All the sap is collected using modern techniques to maximize each tree's potential. They also make some of the best maple creemees imaginable!

16. K & S Ruane Maple Sugar Farm - 128 Mountain View Road, Tinmouth

Pancakes will be offered while you watch the sap boiling during open houses, and tours are always available - they love visitors!

17. Green Mountain Sugar House - 820 Rte 100 N, Ludlow

This 12,000 tap operation has lots of things to offer during the Maple Open House, however the maple cremes here are delicious year-round!

18. Robb Family Farm - 822 Ames Hill Road, Brattleboro

On August 4, 2011, the 105-year-old Robb Family farm in West Brattleboro, VT ended its dairy operation by milking their last Holstein. The farm was adjusting to the times and focusing on maple syrup. They also focus on a brand-new line of naturally raised meats on the farm. This multi-generational farm is not to be missed when checking out the hard work that goes into their farm.

Like this if you appreciate the hard work that goes into making Pure Vermont Maple Syrup!  While you're at it, share this with anyone who would enjoy the maple sugaring process and may want to take a tour.  Spread the word and buy local!