Sussex County maple syrup available

Newton — What’s Vermont got to do with it? You don’t have to travel to Vermont to find locally made pure maple syrup this spring -- just try your local shops in Sussex County. Tapped, boiled, and bottled right here in Sussex County, three grades of 100 percent pure maple syrup from Vine Hill Farm in Hampton Township are being offered in local shops in the Newton area. For the third year, Vine Hill Farm, located along the Paulinskill River and wildlife preserve, has collected sap from hundreds of sugar maple trees, had it boiled down to maple syrup, and jarred the nectar on its own premises. The 2008 Vine Hill Farm vintage boasts three grades of pure maple syrup — Grade A Fancy, Light Amber, and Medium Amber. “We collected 800 gallons of sap from our sugar maples and had it boiled down to 24 gallons of delicious, pure maple syrup that area residents can sample from the local shops that have agreed to carry our glass-jarred, locally made syrup,” said FoxNews commentator Judge Andrew P. Napolitano, proprietor of Vine Hill Farm. “We have three varieties, all with a remarkably high sugar content -- Grade “A” Fancy being the light and sweet early run of sap, and the Amber grades reflecting the later, darker runs of sap. All are delicious and were made right here in Sussex County. Why go to Vermont when you can get great local maple syrup right here?” Sussex County residents can lap up pure maple syrup from Vine Hill Farm at local gourmet stores including The Chocolate Goat in Lafayette, Cheddar Alley in Newton, and Oil & Garlic in Sparta.