2010 Events
September
1 - 26: 24th Annual Quilt Exhibition – A juried exhibition of colorful quilts made by Windsor County quilters. Quilting demonstrations and activities for children and adults.
A State of Craft event.
1 - 22: Programs for Preschoolers – Interactive farm programs for children ages 3 and up. Each program will feature a different farm theme and includes a story, special visit to the farm, hands-on activity, and a snack. Pre-registration and fee required.
1 - 29: Wagon Ride Wednesdays – Horse-drawn wagon rides featured each Wednesday from 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
3 - 24: Foodways Fridays – Discover how we use seasonal produce harvested from the heirloom garden in historic recipes. Take home a different recipe each Friday! Through October 15.
4 - 25: Traditional Craft Saturdays – Explore a series of Vermont crafts including pottery, wool crafts, chair caning, and basket making. Learn about the history, process, and uses of these utilitarian and decorative items through hands-on learning from experienced crafters.
Sept. 4: Pottery with Ara Cardew.
Sept. 11: Chair Caning with Museum staff.
Sept. 18: Wool Crafts with Museum staff.
Sept. 25: Basket Making with Patricia Compton.
5 - 19: Ice Cream Sundays – Lend a hand making and sampling ice cream right here at the farm – a different flavor each week. We'll share scientific and historical perspectives of this dairy delight and keep track of visitor favorites!
11: Vermont Public Radio's Listener Picnic - 11:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. Free admission.
25: Smithsonian Magazine's 6th Annual Museum Day 2010 - Billings Farm & Museum offers free admission to Smithsonian subscribers.
October
1, 15: Foodways Fridays – Discover how we use seasonal produce harvested from the heirloom garden in historic recipes. Take home a different recipe each Friday!
2 & 3: Pumpkin & Apple Celebration – Interactive programs highlight these two important fall crops. Apple and pumpkin displays, apple tasting, trivia contests, cider pressing, pumpkin bowling, apples-on-a-string, making pumpkin ice cream, cooking apple butter in the farmhouse, and horse-drawn wagon rides.
9 & 10: Harvest Weekend – A Top 10 Fall Event! Join in this celebration of the Vermont harvest featuring a traditional husking bee and afternoon barn dance; cider pressing, harvesting root vegetables, putting food by and more; spiced cider & homemade doughnuts.
15: Foodways Fridays – Discover how we use seasonal produce harvested from the heirloom garden in historic recipes.
16 & 17: Wagon Ride Weekend – Capture the colors of autumn on a narrated horse-drawn wagon ride around the fields; farm programs and activities.
30: A Family Halloween - A not-so-scary, fun celebration for all ages! Doughnuts-on-a-string, pumpkin carving, Halloween tales, wagon rides, and more. Costume parades at 12:00 and 2:00 p.m. Children in costume admitted free when accompanied by an adult.
November
6 & 7; 13 & 14; 20 & 21: Wagon Ride Weekends - Horse-drawn wagon rides; tour the dairy farm, farmhouse and farm life exhibits; programs and activities. 10:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.
26-28: Thanksgiving Weekend - Visit with costumed guides as they demonstrate the preparation of a traditional late 19th century Thanksgiving meal in the farmhouse. Engaging activities for every age and programs in the parlor each day. Enjoy a homemade treat and a horse-drawn wagon ride. Last weekend of the season to visit the farm life exhibits! 10:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.
10, 11 & 12: Wassail Weekend Friday: 1:00 - 3:30 p.m., Saturday & Sunday: 10:00 - 3:30 p.m. Tour the 1890 Farm House – authentically decorated for the season – and make an historic Christmas ornament. Traditional music performed in the parlor on Saturday at noon. Horse-drawn sleigh or wagon rides on Sunday.
Christmas at the Farm – December Weekends & Dec. 26-Jan. 2 Visit the authentically decorated farmhouse with preparations underway for the holiday meal; tour the operating dairy farm. Holiday programs and activities, plus making historic ornaments. Dec. 26-Jan. 2: horse-drawn sleigh ride or wagon rides. 10:00 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.
2011 Winter Events
January & February Weekends – Visit the dairy farm, featuring the Jersey herd, draft horses, oxen and sheep; tour the restored & furnished 1890 Farm House – a model of efficiency in its day; A Place in the Land, our Academy Award®-nominee film which chronicles the development of the Billings Farm, is shown in the theater. 10:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.
Sleigh Ride Weekend – January 15 - 17 Horse-drawn sleigh rides through the frosty farm fields, sledding with jack jumper sleds; visit the dairy farm and restored farmhouse; farm programs and hands-on activities. 10:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.
President's Week - February 19 - 27 Horse-drawn sleigh rides, sledding with jack jumpers; tour the dairy farm and farmhouse; farm programs and hands-on activities. Sample Presidential cookie favorites and spiced cider! 10:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.
