Experience the taste of Vermont
The Green Mountain State, known for great skiing, awsome hiking, spectacular foliage, and romantic country inns is also home to some of the best breweries and wineries in the country. Vermonters know how lucky they are to live in such a beautiful state, where fine handcrafted beer and unique fruit wine are as plentiful as maple syrup.
Vermont takes pride in supporting environmental sustainability within our food system by educating the public, facilitating new and expanded markets, and developing creative distribution mechanisms and processing infrastructures. Visit our farms & enjoy home grown food because exploring the connection between farm and table is a rewarding experience for all ages!
Experience the natural taste of Vermont- below you will find some helpful links to get you started...
Download the Rutland Area Farm & Food Link's "Locally Annually Grown Guide" for a sneak peak into the type of people you may encounter on your tasteful journey around Vermont. This guide will give you tips on seasonal availability and happenings around the Rutland/Killington Region.
OR visit the Rutland County Farmers' Market, located at Depot Park in Downtown Rutland. The farmers' market is open Saturday 9 A.M.- 2 P.M. and Tuesday 3 P.M.- 6 P.M. Vendors offer vegetables and fruits in season, eggs, cheese, mushrooms, honey, maple syrup, cut flowers, herbs, annuals, perennials, and much more. Venders also bring a wide variety of speciality foods, sauces, jams, jellies, and pickled veggies. Bakers provide fresh baked rolls, cookies, pies and other sweet treats like maple covered pecans. Don't be surprised to see some very talented local artists and crafts people present their jewerly, wood crafts, paintings and pottery at the market. Come visit! www.rutlandcountyfarmersmarket.org
Also, click on "Arts & Culture" to find Killington area museums and galleriers, theatre and performing art, and farms and agriculture.
Beer, wine, cheese and more!
Vermont breweries offer unique experience. Visit Vermont Breweries and you will find that the Vermont Brewers Association was established in 1995 for the purpose of promoting professional craft brewing in Vermont. Take the Vermont Brewery Challenge and win great prizes!
The Long Trail Brewing Company is located only 25 minutes from the base of the Killington Access Road. The visitor center is open seven days a week from 10 A.M.- 7 P.M. The Pub is also open seven days a week from 11 A.M. - 6 P.M. The pub offers several recipes that incorportate their beer!
Also, consider the following activities:
- Organize a group tour of a brewery or winery
- Host a rehearsal dinner at a brew pub
- Giver Vermont beer or wine as a unique party favor
- Have a pizza and beer birthday party in a brewery
- Hold your wedding in a vineyard
- Use beer or wine in your recipes
If you are interested in world-class cheese, we have that too! Making cheese is a wholesome, earthy process. Vermont boasts more farmstead cheese (made on the farm, with milk from the heard) per capita than any other U.S. state. Today, there are over 40 licensed cheese makers in Vermont, most of whom make relatively small amounts, 10,000-100,000 pounds per year. Hard working Vermont cheese makes craft more that 150 different styles from milk of cows, goats, sheep and even water buffalo. Visit www.vtcheese.com to find out where you can buy them!
Vermont produces some of the worlds best-loved apple varieties- and they pair beautifully with cheese! Visit www.vermontapples.org to find an orchard near you. Fill your own box or basket with Vermont apples such as McIntosh, Cortland, Golden Delicious, Empire and more!
Vermont is the largest producer of maple syrup in the United States. Vermont was the first state to establish maple standards law and is 100 percent natural, with nothing added. Vermont syrup meets or exceeds any other state or province's standards for quality, purity and density. Visit www.vermontmaple.org for a tasty introduction into Vermont sugaring.
