History

slate tiles hung on barn board with chalk writing

The Bread Loaf View Farm story begins with Churchill and Janet Franklin, and their desire to find a family retreat close to their alma mater, Middlebury College. Focusing the search close to campus, the family found a spectacular property rich in natural landscape, mountain views and tradition. When they bought the property in 2001, they also inherited a beautiful, healthy 30 acre sugarbush steeped in Vermont history; a historic patent was created on their property, one belonging to Hilton Foote, a patent for the very first maple sugar tubing! It seemed a natural progression then to turn to two Vermont natives with generations of Maple Sugaring knowledge for guidance on how to maintain, protect, harvest the sap from this bountiful sugarbush.

vent of maple sugar evaporator

In 2006, the first taps and buckets were installed; they looked beautiful! That year, with the help of Kenn Hastings and Dean Rubright, the sap traveled to Peter Smith's farm in nearby Addison to be boiled into the first crop of maple syrup. Today, those buckets remain in use and continue to conjecture up images of Vermont traditions for all who visit the farm. But, hauling bucket, as anyone who has done it knows, is not the most efficient method for harvesting sap!

sap bucket sap buckets on wagon tapped maple trees

Over the next two years, tubing was added to the lower woods to increase production and quality. Increased production facilitated an improved sugar making operation, so after careful consideration and much research, a state-of-the-art Lapierre evaporator and a reverse osmosis machine made their way to Bread Loaf View Farm. Using reclaimed wood from two former working barns in Addison, VT, a fantastic sugar house emerged blending Vermont tradition with technological innovation.

evaporator front evaporator top vents and steam steam from sugarhouse vents

Today, Bread Loaf View Farm prides itself not only on the care and quality that goes into our products, but also on excellent customer service and community experiences we offer. We hope your experience both in Cornwall and online is a pleasurable one and that when you receive your order you get to experience Vermont through your tastebuds.