January Brings Adventure & Education Indoors & Out to Billings Farm & Museum
Adventure awaits at Billings Farm & Museum with an evening snowshoe trek through the beautiful Billings Farmstead, horse-drawn sleigh rides, a visual journey with the Woodstock Vermont Film Series, and a warm-your-heart cooking class with Chef Emery in the latest Billings Backyard workshop.
Marcel the Shell with Shoes On, Woodstock Vermont Film Series, December 31 & January 1
Directed by Dean Fleischer Camp. 90 minutes. Rated PG.
The tiny humor of this stop-motion animated mockumentary will bring big joy to the Billings Farm & Museum Visitor Center Theater. Get to know Marcel, a beloved character in this hilarious and heartwarming story about finding connection in the smallest corners. Saturday and Sunday showings are at 3:00PM. Tickets are $15 for all regular screenings, and $12 for Billings Farm & Museum members. For tickets and more information, visit billingsfarm.org/filmseries or call 802-457-5303.
Ruth Stone’s Vast Library of the Female Mind, Woodstock Vermont Film Series, January 7 & 8
Directed by Nora Jacobson. 76 minutes. Not rated.
Saturday’s screening will be followed by a discussion with the filmmaker.
A visually beautiful film that captures the rural grist of Stone’s heroic career as a poet, mother, and teacher, leaving no question as to why she has become both a Vermont and national treasure. It leaves its viewers inspired, enlightened, entertained, and uplifted. Saturday and Sunday showings are at 3:00PM. Tickets are $15 for all regular screenings, and $12 for Billings Farm & Museum members. For tickets and more information, visit billingsfarm.org/filmseries or call 802-457-5303.
Billings Backyard “Cozy Stews & Breads” Workshop with Chef Emery on Saturday, January 7, 10:00AM – 11:30AM, followed by 30-minute Q&A
There is nothing better than a warm, homemade stew with fresh bread in the winter. Chef Emery will demonstrate delicious ways to use preserved vegetables and herbs in a creative and cozy meal, including stew and a no-knead loaf of bread.
Billings Backyard is a series of workshops designed to teach sustainable living skills to adult participants and is underwritten by a generous grant from the SpringRiver Private Foundation Trust. Each workshop includes hands-on demonstrations and concrete steps for incorporating these skills into everyday life. All sessions are $15/person, $10/member. Registration and course details are at billingsfarm.org/billings-backyard
Torchlight Snowshoe, January 13, 4:30PM – 6:30PM
In this wintry after-hours adventure, Billings Farm & Museum guests can walk, snowshoe or ski around the Billings Farm loop illuminated by torchlight. The trail meanders along the Ottauquechee River with views of Woodstock, the East End Park, and the beautiful farmstead. Guests can meet a National Park Ranger from the Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park and learn about local wildlife, the history of the land, and the people who lived here. Families and friends can warm up by the crackling outdoor fire with complimentary s’mores, hot cocoa, and coffee. A limited number of adult snowshoes are available to borrow. Tickets are $10 for adults, $5 for children. This event is free for Billings Farm & Museum members. Not yet a member? Join Today! Billingsfarm.org/join/. For more info, visit billingsfarm.org/torchlight-snowshoe
Citizen Ashe, Woodstock Vermont Film Series, January 14 & 15
Directed by Sam Pollard and Rex Miller. 94 minutes. Not rated.
Saturday’s screening will be followed by a discussion with the filmmakers.
The film charts Arthur Ashe’s personal evolution from Grand Slam champion to global activist against a tumultuous backdrop that included the civil rights movement, South African apartheid, and the AIDS epidemic. Saturday and Sunday showings are at 3:00PM. Tickets are $15 for all regular screenings, and $12 for Billings Farm & Museum members. For tickets and more information, visit billingsfarm.org/filmseries or call 802-457-5303.
Martin Luther King Jr. Day Weekend, January 14 -16, 10:00AM -4:00PM
In observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, the Museum will air A Time for Justice, the 38-minute award-winning documentary film by Charles Guggenheim that captures the spirit of the civil rights movement. The film will be shown daily and included with admission. Guests can enjoy activities inside and outside throughout the long weekend. Horse-drawn Sleigh Rides will be offered on Monday on a first come, first serve basis. The 10-minute ride is included with the price of admission; donations are welcome. For more details, visit tinyurl.com/MLKWeekend23.
Bitterbrush, Woodstock Vermont Film Series, January 21 & 22
Directed by Emelie Mahdavian. 91 minutes. Not rated.
A portrait of friendship, life transitions, and the work of two skilled young women in the isolated and beautiful landscape of the American West. Saturday and Sunday showings are at 3:00PM. Tickets are $15 for all regular screenings, and $12 for Billings Farm & Museum members. For tickets and more information, visit billingsfarm.org/filmseries or call 802-457-5303.
Art & Krimes by Krimes, Woodstock Vermont Film Series, January 28 & 29
Directed by Alysa Nahmias. 85 minutes. Not rated.
As a convicted felon and celebrated artist, Jesse Krimes turns the spotlight on people still in prison, asking us to recognize overlooked beauty and celebrate the transcendent power of art. Saturday and Sunday showings are at 3:00PM. Tickets are $15 for all regular screenings, and $12 for Billings Farm & Museum members. For tickets and more information, visit billingsfarm.org/filmseries or call 802-457-5303.
Horse-drawn Sleigh Rides
Guests can enjoy an old-fashioned horse-drawn sleigh ride through the beautiful farmstead in winter on select days through the end of February. Public sleigh rides are included with admission; donations are welcome. Private sleigh rides are available for booking January – March. For information on horse-drawn sleigh rides, visit billingsfarm.org/horse-drawn-rides.
Admission to Billings Farm & Museum includes the Animal Barns, Vermont Farm Life Exhibits, and the 1890 Farm Manager’s House featuring the creamery, the kitchen, and in-home innovations that were considered state-of-the-art for the time. Visitors can meet the farm’s cows, draft horses, sheep, goats, and chickens cozy in the barns. Families can enjoy the Story Walk as page by page, Over & Under the Snow by Kate Messner unfolds along the pasture fence. Guests can walk, snowshoe or ski along the Ottauquechee River with views of Woodstock, the East End Park, and the farmstead.
The Billings Farm Volunteer Program is a way to make meaningful connections with the Billings community. Volunteers make new friends, share their enthusiasm for farming, rural life, and history, and learn new skills. There are a number of opportunities and timeslots available. Volunteers will greet guests, give out Billings Farm Cheese samples, assist with crafts and more. To get involved, please visit billingsfarm.org/volunteer.
