Farm Life Exhibit


Billings Farm & Museum's “permanent” exhibition, “The Vermont Farm Year in 1890” is housed in four connected historic barns. The exhibits depict the seasonal round of farm activities on a typical Vermont family farm of a century ago.

The Billings Farm & Museum's permanent exhibitions engage the visitor by taking the visitor back to the Farm Year of 1890. Visitors explore the basis of farm life on Vermont's Hill Farms through the seasons by viewing historical hand tools and farm machines, listening to oral histories, and by being engaged by large format historic photographs and life size recreations. This exhibition of Vermont's rural heritage is documented through the museums folk life studies, artifacts, oral histories, and historic photographs collected from rural Vermont to help tell this important story.

Farming in Vermont in the 19th century was rooted in a special relationship with the land. In its simplest terms, life depended upon making the land produce. Rocky soil and a short growing season were special challenges. The exhibition allows visitors to experience the topics of preparing the soil, planting the crops, and harvesting and feeding the livestock. One can view the life of the farm wife, visit a town meeting, attend a rural school, or stop by the crossroads general store. For the visitor who has ever wondered about boiling sap and sugaring, ice cutting, or the importance of orchards and cider making, these are all part of the exhibit experience.

With the coming of the industrial age, mills like Ben Thresher's in East Barnet, Vermont, helped farmers get the job done by making repairs and fabricating tools and equipment in wood and iron. The opportunity awaits to watch Ben make a water tub in “Ben's Water Tub” in the mini-theater next to the Farm Workshop exhibit.

These exhibits cover 15,000 square feet on two levels. They are open from May through October. Many special events and programs take place in our rotating exhibition hall which is located in Barn Four.