Billings Farm & Museum August 2021 Events
Woodstock, Vermont…Quilts and tractors, farm animals up close, bees and butterflies, and sunflowers galore – August at Billings Farm & Museum is buzzing with activity! .
August will feature these special events and experiences:
3rd Annual Sunflower House. Delight in this artfully designed garden created by the Woodstock Inn & Resort’s Master Gardener, Benjamin Pauly. This 20,000 square foot extravaganza – the largest Sunflower House in the United States – has over 100 varieties of sunflowers ranging in height from 18 inches to a towering 14 feet planted to outline hallways and rooms in a maze-like structure.
35th Annual Quilt Exhibition, on display through August 22 – Explore this exhibition of juried contemporary quilts made by local quilters, historical quilts from the museum’s collection, and challenge quilts from the Heart of the Land Quilters’ Guild from the Hartland, Vermont area. See hand quilting demonstrations and enjoy scavenger hunts for young and old.
Antique Tractor Day – August 1. Calling all tractor lovers! See working antique tractors on parade and cheer on your favorite in the “Slow Race.” Tractor-drawn wagon rides around the farm, pedal tractors pulls for kids and wooden tractor crafts make for a complete tractor experience! Trail Break Taps and Tacos will be on site serving a variety of tacos, street corn chips and salsa and a beer garden.
Putting Your Garden to Bed, August 21, 10:00-11:30 am. – A Billings Backyard Workshop. As the summer starts to wind down it’s time to think about putting your gardens to bed. Master Gardener Ben Pauly will show you best practices to end the garden season. The presentation is followed by a 30-minute Q&A. Register by August. 20.
Sunflower Sunday – August 22, 9:00 am. Find bliss in the Sunflower House. Join us for a free guided meditation walk leading guests through mindful moments while surrounded by radiant sunflowers. Light refreshments including herbal tea infused with herbs grown on the farm will be available for attendees following the meditation and yoga stretching.
Pollination Celebration – August 28-29. Enjoy the beauty of the flower and vegetable gardens and learn about the importance of bees, butterflies, moths through programs onsite at Billings Farm. Meet a beekeeper, explore the Sunflower House in full bloom and see the pollinators in action. Enjoy homemade honey ice cream at the Dairy Bar, a Garden Talk with Master Gardener Ben Pauly and join us for Herbal Teatime at the Garden Shed. Kids can learn the honeybee dance and make seed balls to take home. Sunday only: Trail Break Taps and Tacos will be on site from 11:00-4:30 serving a variety of tacos, street corn chips and salsa and a beer garden.
Weekly activities at the farm:
- Farm Animal Weeks – Meet a different farm animal each week in up-close daily programs and activities: Sheep Aug. 2-8, Chickens Aug. 9-15, Jersey Cows Aug. 16-22, and Goats Aug. 23-27.
- Mindful Mondays – Heighten your senses in our relaxing farm landscape in a 20-minute instructor-led mindfulness activity offered at 10:30, 11:00, and 11:30 am.
- Time Travel Tuesdays – Travel back in time with 1890 farm activities! Guess the artifact, butter making, hands-on crafts and games.
- Wagon Ride Wednesdays – Enjoy a wagon ride around the farm offered from 11:00 – 2:00.
- Thursday Threads – Celebrate the fiber arts with demonstrations and hands-on textile-related crafts. August 5, 12 and 19.
- Foodie Fridays – Discover how we use seasonal ingredients from our farm and gardens to make delicious recipes and enjoy sampling! Enjoy the beauty of the Sunflower House from the porch of the Garden Shed during Herbal Tea Happy Hour from 3:00-4:30.
Visiting safely. Billings Farm & Museum follows guidance from the CDC and the Vermont Forward Plan to determine our protocols. For the continued safety of our staff and guests, all guests over the age of 2 are required to wear a face covering in all indoor spaces. For outdoor spaces, mask wearing is optional for fully-vaccinated persons; unvaccinated persons must wear masks when around people and unable to maintain 6’ physical distances. No entry is permitted without a face covering. Visit billingsfarm.org/safety for details.
Billings Farm & Museum, now in its 39th season, is open daily, 10AM-5PM, through October 31 and weekends 10AM-4PM, November-February. Find the Special Events Calendar, daily schedules, admission pricing and membership information at billingsfarm.org. Celebrate Billings Farm’s 150th Anniversary with a visit this season and support its education mission at billingsfarm.org/donate.
The Billings Farm & Museum is owned and operated by The Woodstock Foundation Inc., a charitable non-profit institution. Billings Farm & Museum is committed to providing educational opportunities and experiences to our visitors, whether here in Woodstock, Vermont or at home wherever you are through our online resources at Billings Farm at Home. Visit us on billingsfarm.org, and find us on Facebook at facebook.com/BillingsFarmMuseum/ and Instagram at instagram.com/billingsfarm/.
PHOTO: COURTESY OF BILLINGS FARM & MUSEUM
