One of the most interesting local industries, especially in winter, is the maple syrup business. Most maple farmers have been in the business for generations. This is a short video from Maple Land Farms in Salem, located in southern Washington County, about how maple syrup is processed.
If you ever want a fun thing to do with children in the winter, take them to a maple syrup farm. There are a number in Washington County and Vermont and they usually have tours. There is nothing like the sweet smell of maple syrup being processed in winter.
This video shows the production of pure maple syrup. Look closely at the containers you buy, because many of the large brands use only a small percentage of real maple syrup in their products. Local maple syrup is usually 100% pure.