Ten Things We Think Everyone Should Know About Vermont

Recently, a former classmate of mine posted a link that listed 10 Strange Things Everyone Should Know About Vermont. There were some items that I wholeheartedly agreed were worth knowing; others, I thought, weren't as relevant. Using this list as inspiration, I decided to make my own list (in no particular order) for everyone I know who has yet to visit this wonderful state.



Maple Ice Cream-
First Taste of Vermont Maple Syrup

1. Vermonters KNOW Maple Syrup
Before moving to Vermont, we knew that Vermont was synonymous with good maple syrup. What I didn't realize, however, was that I had never really had maple syrup until I moved here. In Iowa, most syrup might have "maple flavoring" but won't actually say "Maple Syrup". That's because those syrups don't actually have any maple in them! We have learned about the grades of syrup: Grade A Light Amber, Grade A Medium Amber, Grade A Dark Amber, and Grade B and have sampled them all. And any syrup we have had since we moved here has been truly Maple. It's inevitable, then, that we have become total maple snobs. As Clint just stated this morning, "I don't care if it costs more, I don't think I can go back to non-maple syrup."

2. Vermonters LOVE Snow Sports
I had no idea until I moved here just how enthusiastic residents here were for the mountains nearby. I

Stowe Ski Resort 

normally associate slope-loving with Colorado and other western states, but skiing and snowboarding have a very strong cultural presence here. And for good reason! There has been snow on the ground here since Thanksgiving. And it doesn't look like it's going anywhere anytime soon. So Vermonters have embraced their climate with total enthusiasm, and seem to fill the mountains every given chance. We have yet to ski ourselves (we did sample some libations at a nearby ski resort), though that will probably change before the season is over.

3. Downtown Burlington Kicked Out a McDonald's
I was thrilled to learn before I moved here that Burlington is one of the only cities that has successfully kicked out a McDonald's in its city center. The city has fully embraced the farm-to-table mentality, not to mention the fair treatment of employees, which the city believed was not represented in its most frequented McDonald's. Instead, it has been replaced by a restaurant called the Farmhouse, by far the most popular restaurant in all of Burlington. It is delicious, centrally located, and prioritizes where it gets its food.
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4. Vermont Loves Its Festivals

Festival of Fools

In the summer, it seemed like there was a new festival every weekend. There was the Festival of Fools that showcased a wide variety of circus acts, the Maritime Festival, an Art Festival, the Book Festival (I know, I was excited too!) a couple of Octoberfests, a Holiday Festival, and many more. Just this weekend, there was a Winter Festival to cheer up the Vermonters who have been blue from all of this cold. Apparently Vermont can't go a month without having a festival. And in a few weeks, the Mardi Gras festival will be taking over the town. It won't be New Orleans, but it should offer plenty of opportunities for mischief!

5. Vermont Has BANNED Billboards
That's right! Since 1968, Vermont has not allowed any commercial billboards so as not to obstruct its beautiful scenery. And it's understandable-why would anyone want to limit a view like this?
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6. Vermont Businesses Are Good to Our Community

What do Green Mountain Coffee, Ben and Jerry's, and Cabot Cheese all have in common? The obvious answer is that they are all based in Vermont, which is awesome in itself. What's even more impressive, I have found out, is that they take their influences on the broader Vermont community very seriously. For one, all three businesses take part in business practices that are environmentally friendly. They also treat their employees very well, with fair wages and great benefits. Green Mountain Coffee (for those Keurig lovers out there) offers employees paid time off for volunteer work, space for wellness activities (like yoga) and matches costs incurred through adoption. If I wasn't a teacher, I might seriously consider working for these other companies! Though, do I really need even closer access to coffee??

7. Vermont Has No Law Against Public Nudity
My grandpa actually sent me an article about this before moving here last summer. Though I appreciated the warning, I actually haven't seen any of evidence of this...yet.
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Shelburne Museum Goes to the Dogs!

8. Vermonters LOVE Their Dogs!
I have alluded to this in a previous post, but it's worth mentioning here, too. This could probably refer to pets in general, but as a dog owner, I see it especially with dogs. This is evident in the size and quality of dog parks (the city provides its equipment and toys!), the allowance of dogs into venues like drive-in theaters and outdoor dining at restaurants, and just in the number of pedestrians who stop and pet and remark at Norm as we walk by (I definitely reciprocate this when I walk by other dogs). The Chittenden County Humane Society where I have just started volunteering has explained that it is actually low on dogs right now because Vermonters are so good at adopting from shelters. And as I've mentioned repeatedly on Facebook, it might be hard to continue spending time there without bring home a new furry friend for ourselves...

9. Vermont Has Fainting Goats!
It sounds just as weird as it actually is. Apparently once endangered, a farm located on the island of North Hero in Lake Champlain is just one of a handful of farms who breeds this special kind of goat.
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Yoga on Church Street

10. Vermonters Are WICKED Healthy
Vermont was ranked the second healthiest state last year (behind Hawaii), after six years of being ranked first. The rankings were based on residents who have health insurance, obesity rate, number of violent crimes, physical activity, and more. I would argue that the push for local, organic, and sustainable food and business also has something to do with this ranking as well.
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Ready to move here yet?
To see the original list that inspired our own, click here.