About Us

Rene and Kathy Desmarais are owners in a well-known Northeast Kingdom farm- and recreational-equipment business. Desmarais Equipment, of Orleans, Vermont, is an authorized dealer of such famous equipment lines as Massey Ferguson, Kubota, Polaris, Arctic Cat, and many more.

More than 15 years ago Rene and Kathy, along with their son, Andre, started Black Sheep Sugarhouse. Initially they purchased sap from several local producers, but after the first few years they made the decision to acquire their own orchard, or sugarbush. It consists of approximately 600 acres of fine sugar maple trees, which provide them with close to 10,000 taps, with potential for more.

Rene and Andre Desmarais

Andre, along with his wife, Kim, and their three children, Jacob, Cassie, and Jeremy, all participate in this family business. An operation this size is a year-round commitment. And each year after the spring harvest is complete, the Desmarais family thoroughly cleans all of the equipment in the sugarhouse and the sugarbush, including all sap lines, holding tanks, and sugarhouse equipment.

Constant grooming is also required in the orchard to maintain sap lines damaged from high winds or heavy snowfalls. Producing such a high quality product is truly a family affair.

Living History

After the family purchased the sugar maple orchard, they learned that it was at one time part of the original Ira Allen Homestead. Ira Allen, brother of famous Revolutionary War hero Ethan Allen, was at one time in possession of approximately 200,000 acres of Vermont land. In fact, the nearby town of Irasburg, Vermont was named after Ira Allen. And it was he who donated a tract of land on which the University of Vermont in Burlington was established.

Kathy feeds some of the Black Sheep that once roamed the land.

When the Black Sheep Sugarhouse began a decade ago, it was possible to see a few black sheep, the inspiration for our name, grazing in the nearby pasture. Though the sheep have now moved on to other pastures, visitors today to Black Sheep Sugarhouse are likely to be greeted by a couple of fun-loving Scottish Terriers, Lady Kristi and Lady Abbigail.

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Member of the Vermont Sugar Makers Association
E-mail us at: salesdesk@blacksheepsugarhouse.com
Black Sheep Sugarhouse • 99 Ingalls Road • Orleans, Vermont 05860
802-754-6693
www.blacksheepsugarhouse.com © 2001-05 Black Sheep Sugarhouse.
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