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I just received an email from my friend Burr Morse and I thought I would share it with you.

Burr and his brother Elliot are seventh generation Vermonters. They, and others of the Morse clan, run Morse Farm, a few miles north of Montpelier, and about 20 to 30 minutes from our inn.

Like many Vermont farms that originally relied upon dairy farming to make a living, the Morse?�s turned to other activities when the price of milk dropped years ago. In order to keep the farm going, they added other revenue sources. Like many Vermonters, they already made maple syrup. They expanded that business and opened a store to sell the syrup and other Vermont products.

The operation grew to include a small, rustic theater where they present a multi-media show on how syrup is made, a demonstration area, and some small, whimsical displays. In winter, they operate a cross country ski area through their fields and woods.

Next came the tour buses, and now Morse Farm sells products online too. When people ask us where they can find a maple sugaring operation, this is where we send them.

One of the things Burr does to market the business and, I suspect, keep his muse going, is write an email newsletter called ?�News From Vermont.?� Mostly, it?�s stories of friends, relatives, adventures, memories, mishaps, and observations of childhood, life, the passing of life, travel, music, literature, and experiences.

The stories often contain humor. They’re interesting and give a glimpse into a real Vermont family and way of life. The most recent newsletter tells the story of Burr being invited to give the sermon at the Methodist Church in Adamant, Vermont.

That?�s right, there really is a town named Adamant. That?�s not its original name and you?�ll be surprised to see what it was named originally because of its reputation. The town has a, let?�s say, colorful past and Burr does a good job connecting it to the present and how it intersected with his, and his ancestors?�, lives.

Burr collected some of the newsletters into a book entitled “Sweet Days and Beyond.”

Here is a sample of a newsletter from a while back:

?�Hi again. It’s Burr from Vermont.

?�Did you ever hear a hummingbird scream? Well, actually they don’t really scream but make a sort of a feeble peep…”feep, feep, feep”. The other day I was going home for lunch. As I passed through our loading dock, there was a tiny hummingbird fluttering against the roofing between two rafters. He was in great distress, feep, feep, feeping, and taking quite a battering. He could have escaped very easily by simply losing a few inches in altitude and flying out the large opening over the loading dock but was bent on only going up. I felt sorry for the little guy, but thought he would surely figure it out while I was at lunch. Half an hour later I returned and there he was, still in a panic between those rafters. Clearly the little guy needed my help so I got the step ladder and climbed to where I gently grabbed him and released to the freedom of the great outdoors.

This reminds me of a story my father, Harry, used to tell. He came across a skunk one day whose front end was firmly stuck in a jar while its back end was a rigid turret, poised and ready for action . . .?�

Go to the newsletter page to read the rest of the newsletter, then sign up to receive future newsletters. If you can, please buy some maple syrup and his book while you?�re at it so all the rest of us can continue enjoying his newsletter.

I mentioned at the beginning of this screed that Burr is a friend of mine. Actually, I?�ve only met him a couple of times and chatted for just a few minutes each time. But I feel like I know him very well because of the newsletter he sends me. If you sign up for his newsletter, soon you too will find yourself looking forward to hearing from an old friend.

(c) 2006 Jeff Connor Grunberg Haus LLC

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