History of Vermont Forests & Farmland
Most of the forests we see today in Vermont were open fields a century ago when agriculture dominated the land use until after the Civil War. Farm production reached its …
Benefits of Management Intensive Grazing (MIG)
The frequent movement of animals from field to field minimizes grazing pressure on pasture grasses. The plants are healthier, more productive, and better able to compete with weed species. Fresh …
Benefits of Forest Management
Management practices at Merck Forest include: Timber Sales: production of saw timber, fuel wood and the leasing of logging sites Production of Maple Syrup, Vermont’s traditional alternative to commercially-produced corn …
The Sugaring Process
Our sugarbush* has approximately 3,000 taps with the capacity to scale up as we strike a balance between Profit Energy consumption Landscape impact Staff time In order to model “best …
Sustainably Sweet
Click on this link to view Made in the Shire‘s Feature on Merck Forest’s sugaring operations: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Gs1GJ-0G_U It all boils down to a simple equation: plus plus equals …
Winter Visitors
Monday afternoon: Winter has finally arrived this weekend at Merck Forest, with 3 inches of freshly fallen snow blanketing the forest floor, and more expected within a day or so. …
If a Tree …
Curiosity is at the heart of scientific thinking, and provocative essential questions fuel inquisitiveness–questions like: “If every tree in the forest drops every one of its leaves every year, why …
Meditation on an Autumn Evening
Autumn leaves crunch beneath the purposeful plodding of my hiking boots. Fresh, brisk air and dappled sunlight play on my face as I hike among the mossy trees and rocky …
Forest Management
Forest Management at MFFC Forests are dynamic, diverse ecosystems shaped by wind, ice, insects, wildlife, inter-tree competition, rain, soils, and humans. At Merck, part of our mission is to demonstrate …