2010 Events
February
6 & 7: Winter Weekend Visit the working dairy farm and 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 each hour in the theater. 10:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.
13 - 21: February Sleigh Ride Week- Horse-drawn sleigh rides, sledding with jack jumpers, and interactive programs each day. In honor of Presidents' Day, make a presidential silhouette and be sure to sample favorite cookies of the presidents! 10:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.
15: Teddy Roosevelt: Mind, Body, and Spirit - A Vermont Humanities Council event. A 50-minute performance of Teddy Roosevelt presented by actor Ted Zalewski. Admission is free; please reserve in advance.
16 & 17: Children's February Vacation Programs: A Day at the Farm - Ages 8 - 12. Program offered Tuesday or Wednesday, 9:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Winter fun on the farm. Enrollment is limited, reservations required.
18 & 19: Children's February Vacation Programs: Winter Warmth on the Farm - Ages 6 - 8. Programs offered Thursday or Friday, 9:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. Winter fun on the farm. Enrollment is limited, reservations required.
27 & 28: Winter Weekend Visit the working dairy farm and 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 each hour in the theater. 10:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.
March
3: Farmer Discussion Group: Water Quality Planning in the Ottauquechee/Black Watersheds. A discussion on the agricultural recommendations and actions to address issues and concerns to be included in the Basin Plan. 7:00 - 8:30 p.m.
May
1 & 2: Spring Farm Festival – Celebrate the start of our 28th season with an entire weekend of traditional spring farm activities, including the annual shearing of the Southdown flock. Farmers from the region will match plowing skills in the fields with their teams of draft animals: oxen on Saturday; draft horses on Sunday. We'll offer visitor plowing with the Billings' teams and our first-ever visitor-plowing competition. Also: horse-drawn wagon rides, programs, and activities. The Teago Volunteer Fire Department will provide lunch, with proceeds benefitting the department. NEW!
29 & 30: Cows & Camembert Weekend – We're kicking off National Dairy Month in June with a celebration of Vermont's dairy heritage, featuring ice cream and butter making, judging Jerseys with the farm manager, and dairy education programs. Sample cheese varieties provided by a number of Vermont cheese makers, from small artisans to larger producers. Cow trivia and making cow pizzas for the children. Admission includes our 25th annual spring commemorative button and children's art show. NEW!
June
19 & 20: Draft Horse Days – Discover the wonder and power of the mighty draft horse, as our Percheron teams work in the farm fields and provide horse-drawn wagon rides. Children's programs and activities, including making clothespin horses. NEW!
July
4: Old Vermont 4th – A family celebration featuring the reading of the Declaration of Independence at noon, historic debates, horse-drawn wagon rides, making 1890 flags, a spelling bee, ice cream making, the egg toss, and more.
6, 13, 20, 27: Time Travel Tuesdays – Lend a hand with late 19th century chores and past times in the farmhouse. There's plenty of work and fun for every age! Every Tuesday through August 24.
7, 14, 21, 28: Wagon Ride Wednesdays – Horse-drawn wagon rides featured each Wednesday from 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. Through September 29.
16, 23, 30: 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.
18: National Ice Cream Day – Help make and sample four different flavors of homemade ice cream as we celebrate “the great American dessert.” NEW!
25: 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! Every Sunday through September 19.
31 & August 1: Quilt Exhibition Opening Weekend – Join us for the opening of our 24th Annual Quilt Exhibition, a juried exhibition of colorful quilts made by local quilters. Quilting programs, an informal workshop for beginning quilters, plus activities for all ages. Meet Windsor County's talented quilters as they discuss their work. 24th Annual Quilt Exhibition continues through September 26th.
August
1, 8, 15, 22, 29: 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! Every Sunday through September 19.
1 - September 26: 24th Annual Quilt Exhibition – A juried exhibition of colorful quilts made by Windsor County quilters. Quilting demonstrations and activities for children and adults.
3, 10, 17, 24: Time Travel Tuesdays – Lend a hand with late 19th century chores and past times in the farmhouse. There's plenty of work and fun for every age!
4, 11, 18, 25: Wagon Ride Wednesdays – Horse-drawn wagon rides featured each Wednesday from 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. Through September 29.
6, 13, 20, 27: 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.
8: Antique Tractor Day – Tractors from the 1930s to the 1960s are displayed by the folks who restored them. A tractor parade circles the grounds at 1:00 p.m., with a narration of interesting and historic tractor trivia. Tractor-drawn wagon rides and tractor activities for children. Plan to purchase lunch from the Teago Volunteer Fire Department, with proceeds benefitting the department.
14: Children's Chicken Day – It is thought that the closest relative of Tyrannosaurus Rex is . . . the chicken! We'll have a variety of breeds on hand for our first ever Children's Chicken Day and learn about their similarities and differences. Educational programs, fun facts, plus children's games and activities including the egg toss and stenciling. NEW!
September
1 - September 26: 24th Annual Quilt Exhibition – A juried exhibition of colorful quilts made by Windsor County quilters. Quilting demonstrations and activities for children and adults.
1, 8, 15, 22, 29: Wagon Ride Wednesdays – Horse-drawn wagon rides featured each Wednesday from 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
3, 10, 17, 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, 11, 18, & 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.
5, 12,19: 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!
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.
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.
