Press Release

Fire up the Grill! Backyard Grilling with Chef Emery

A Billings Backyard Series Presentation Saturday, July 17, 2021, 10:00 – 11:30 am

WOODSTOCK, VERMONT . . . There is no better way to cook a delicious meal this summer than outside in the fresh air on the grill! The Billings Backyard Series presents Backyard Grilling with Chef Emery on Saturday, July 17 from 10 – 11:30 AM.

The art of grilling is easy to master if you know what to look for and how to best utilize your grill for different foods. Follow along with Chef Emery as she demonstrates how to prepare a delicious meal entirely on the grill using fresh, local ingredients, including offerings from your summer garden. Whether you are a seasoned at-home griller or new to the game, this class is perfect for all!

This presentation is offered at Billings Farm & Museum and is followed by a 30-minute Q&A period. The workshop costs $15/person; $10/BF&M Member. Space is limited! Reserve your spot at www.billingsfarm.org/classes-workshops/ or call 802-457-2355.

About Chef Emery. Emery Gray, the Farm to Table Manager at Billings Farm & Museum, had a passion for food at a very young age. Seeing the way that people connected through the growing, sharing, and cooking of food inspired her to make a career in the kitchen. She attended The Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York, earning her Associates Degree in Baking and Pastry Arts. Traveling the world has translated her passion into a deep appreciation for sustainability of local food systems.

Visiting safely. We take the safety of our staff, animals, and our guests seriously. 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 and outdoors when 6 feet of distance cannot be maintained from people who are not in your traveling party.

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. Upcoming workshops:

August 21: Autumn Gardening and Putting Your Garden to Bed with Master Gardener Ben Pauly

September 11: Making Jam with Billings Farm’s Chef Emery

November 13: Felted Soapmaking with Fiber Artist, Tiana St. James

December 4: Holiday Gifts from the Kitchen with Billings Farm’s Chef Emery

*Some workshops will be held on site and some may be live on Zoom. Check our website for further details.

Billings Farm & Museum, now in its 39^th 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 150^th 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: Chef Emery Gray, Farm to Table Manager at Billings Farm & Museum

Spoons up for Ice Cream Sundaes As Billings Farm & Museum

Billings Farm & Museum Celebrates National Ice Cream Day! Sunday, July 18, 2021

WOODSTOCK, VERMONT. . . Billings Farm & Museum joins the nation in celebrating the “Great American Dessert,” Sunday, July 18 from 10AM-5PM.

Sample ice cream, sundae toppings and homemade cones. Enjoy the lively music of Tom McKenzie and take a wagon ride around the farm. Children can make ice cream cone bookmarks and listen to ice cream stories. At 2pm, baseball fans and players are invited to join our staff in an old-fashioned game of “base ball.” The Dairy Bar will feature our Celebration Sundae topped with chocolate and caramel sauce, available for purchase on July 18th only.

A bonus for event attendees is the 35^th Annual Quilt Exhibition on display through August 22. Check Out the Chickens at 11 am, 1 & 3 pm and get up close with the farm’s heritage breeds. Families can partake in a “chicken” scavenger hunt in the Farm Life Exhibits. Find out how flowers were used as secret messages in the Victorian Flower Language at 12:00, 2:00 & 4:00 pm.

PHOTO COURTESY OF BILLINGS FARM & MUSEUM

Square in a Square by JSimon-Bouton 2020

Billings Farm & Museum’s 35th Annual Quilt Exhibition Piecing the Past to the Present July 17 – August 22, 2021

WOODSTOCK, VERMONT… Billings Farm & Museum will host its Annual Quilt Exhibition, on site and online from July 17 through August 22, featuring quilts made by Windsor County quilters. For 35 years, Billings Farm & Museum has played a significant role promoting and encouraging the quilting tradition in Windsor County. Still considered both a creative and utilitarian household craft, renewed interest in the tradition dovetails with the museum’s mission of celebrating Vermont’s rural culture.

Explore this colorful display of juried contemporary quilts made by Windsor County quilters and historical quilts from the museum’s collection. See hand quilting demonstrations and enjoy challenging scavenger hunts for young and old. Vote for your favorite large and small quilts to be selected for the People’s Choice Award. Our virtual exhibition will feature the contemporary quilts and in-depth conversations with the jurors as to how the design, color, fabrics and technical skills play a part in determining the winning quilts.

Five quilts from our historic quilt collection will be on display during the Quilt Exhibition. The techniques and patterns in these quilts from the 1870s-1900s are typical examples of the late 19^th century handwork. Visitors will see that some of these traditional patterns have been used in this year’s exhibit, giving tradition a contemporary twist.

Challenge quilts made by the Heart of the Land Quilters’ Guild from the Hartland, Vermont area will also be on display. A quilt challenge requires specific design and construction rules agreed upon by guild members, with the goal of improving their quilting skills. For 2021, guild members paired up quilt blocks of reproduction fabrics from the late 1800s with blocks of contemporary fabrics. These quilt blocks will be used to make “heartwarmer quilts” for families in need.

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.

PHOTO COURTESY OF BILLINGS FARM & MUSEUM: From the 2020 Quilt Exhibition: Square in a Square by Judi Simon-Bouton, White River Jct., VT

Billings Farm & Museum's Sunflower House

Largest Sunflower in the United States Blooms in Woodstock, VT This Summer

WOODSTOCK, VT (June 30, 2021) – Merging a passion for gardening with a degree in architecture and landscape design, Master Gardener Benjamin Pauly of the Woodstock Inn & Resort has crafted a 20,000 square foot sunflower house on the grounds of the nearby Billings Farm & Museum. The Instagram-worthy must-see opens July 31 peaking in mid-August with blooms through early September.

Entering its third year in bloom, the 2021 floral footprint is double the square footage of last year’s sunflower house, making it the largest sunflower house in the United States. There are also twice as many varieties of sunflowers, 100 total, for a kaleidoscope of colors, sizes, and blooms.

Thousands of sunflowers were planted in a maze-like structure to form various rooms and hallways for exploring, and nearly endless photo opportunities for #SunflowerSelfies. Visitors can walk, weave and wander through the bright, bold flowers ranging in height from 18 inches to a towering 14 feet.

On Sunday, August 22 at 9:00am the Billings Farm & Museum will host a free guided meditation walk leading guests through mindful moments while surrounded by the radiant sunflowers. After meditating and yoga stretching, light refreshments including herbal tea infused with herbs grown on the farm will be available for attendees.

For more meditation experiences at Billings Farm & Museum, Mindful Mondays will take place starting July 12 through August 30. From 10:30am to 12:00pm a meditation expert will lead 20-minute mindfulness programs at 10:30am, 11:00am and 11:30am. When purchasing entry at the ticket desk, guests will receive a mission focused mantra and instruction card to use while mindfully exploring the grounds and sunflower house.

As a certified Bee Friendly Farm (BFF), the Billings Farm & Museum is hosting a Pollination Celebration on Saturday, August 28 and Sunday, August 29. Leading up to the festivities, the Woodstock Inn & Resort will serve a themed Pollinator Cocktail at the Red Rooster and Richardson’s Tavern. The Kelly Way Gardens Bee’s Knees is made with Barr Hill Gin, Kelly Way Garden’s honey, fresh lemon juice and a lemon twist.

The farm’s Pollinator Garden is dedicated to growing produce that assists Vermont’s star pollinators. Some plants are more pollinator-friendly than others, like oregano, lavender, and broccoli. Other onsite gardens include a Pizza Garden, with red pepper, basil, garlic, and more, as well as a Victory Garden that mirrors the historic gardens of World War II, and an Heirloom Garden.

In addition to exploring the sunflower house during the Pollination Celebration weekend, guests can learn backyard garden tips to support pollinators. Locally crafted honey ice cream made with honey from Benjamin Pauly’s bees will be available for purchase from the Dairy Bar. On Sunday, August 29 Trail Break Taps and Tacos food truck will be on site from 11:00am-4:30pm serving a variety of tacos, quesadillas, street corn, chips and salsa, plus a beer garden and refreshing non-alcoholic options.

“From building a bee bath with clean water to creating small stick houses for laying eggs, there’s a lot to learn about attracting pollinators,” said Benjamin Pauly, Master Gardener of the Woodstock Inn & Resort, and the architect behind the sunflower house. “Although it’s popular for its picturesque structure, the sunflower house serves the greater purpose of providing native flowers for butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds.”

Benjamin Pauly also spearheads the Woodstock Inn & Resort’s Kelly Way Gardens and is commonly known as the “Tomato Whisperer.” Among his many gardening talents, Ben grows nearly 60 types of tomatoes each season at the resort’s 3.5 acre, certified organic, Kelly Way Gardens. He also crafts a Gourdwalk measuring 135 feet long and nine feet high. The trellis archway becomes covered in 17 different varieties of hanging gourds.

The Billings Farm & Museum is open daily from 10:00am to 5:00pm. Admission rates, hours, and events can be found by visiting www.billingsfarm.org.

About Billings Farm & Museum

Located in Woodstock, Vermont, the Billings Farm & Museum is an operating Jersey dairy farm that continues a 150-year tradition of agricultural excellence with programs and exhibits that explore Vermont’s rural heritage and values.

About the Woodstock Inn & Resort

Located in idyllic Woodstock, Vermont, the Woodstock Inn & Resort defines country sophistication in one of New England’s most charming and popular year-round vacation destinations. The 142-room, AAA Four Diamond Resort, and a member of the Preferred Hotels & Resorts LVX Collection, offers award-winning dining in two restaurants, ranked among the finest in New England. The Woodstock Inn & Resort is owned and operated by The Woodstock Foundation, Inc. Proceeds from Resort operations support The Woodstock Foundation and Billings Farm & Museum education and conservation programs. For more information about the resort visit: www.woodstockinn.com.

About Preferred Hotels & Resorts

Preferred Hotels & Resorts is the world’s largest independent hotel brand, representing more than 750 distinctive hotels, resorts, residences, and unique hotel groups across 85 countries. Through its five global collections, Preferred Hotels & Resorts connects discerning travelers to the singular luxury hospitality experience that meets their life and style preferences for each occasion. Every property within the portfolio maintains the high-quality standards and unparalleled service levels required by the Preferred Hotels & Resorts Integrated Quality Assurance Program. The I Prefer™ hotel rewards program, Preferred Residences℠, Preferred Pride℠, and Preferred Golf™ offer valuable benefits for travelers seeking a unique experience. For more information, visit PreferredHotels.com.

CONTACT:

Stephanie Croteau

Redpoint

212.229.0119

croteau@redpointspeaks.com

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: 

3^rd 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.

35^th 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.

PHOTO: COURTESY OF BILLINGS FARM & MUSEUM

Baa, Cluck, Moo, Maa – Farm Animal Theme Weeks at Billings Farm & Museum this July & August

WOODSTOCK, VERMONT… Beginning July 5, Billings Farm & Museum will highlight a different farm animal each week with daily up-close programs, displays and explorations and a “themed” food recipe.

Meet our farm animal of the week with daily programs at 11 am, 1 pm and 3 pm in July and August:
Meet a Sheep: July 5-11 and August 2-8

Check Out the Chickens: July 12-18 and August 9-15

Gentle Jersey Cows: July 19-25 and August 16-22

Giddy Goats: July 26-August 1 and August 23-29

Visitors will learn more about the featured farm animal and their role on the farm, both past and present through up close and interactive programs and displays. Families can enjoy a “featured animal” scavenger hunt in the Farm Life Exhibits and pick up a themed recipe from the Learning Kitchen.

Programs take place daily, except on Special Event Days: (August 1, 28 & 29).

An Old Vermont Fourth A Family Celebration at Billings Farm & Museum Sunday, July 4, 2021

WOODSTOCK, VERMONT . . . Start your Independence Day celebration at Billings Farm & Museum’s “Old Vermont Fourth” on Sunday, July 4, from 10:00 am until 5:00 pm. The day’s event features good old-fashioned fun with traditional music, wagon rides, patriotic speeches, and an historic game of base ball.

Hear a reading of the Declaration of Independence by the local Boy Scout Troop 220 at noon.
Listen to live traditional music performed by Tom McKenzie and Patti Casey from 10:45 am – 3 pm.
Get into the patriotic spirit listening to the presidential speeches of Calvin Coolidge and Franklin Delano Roosevelt at 11:30 am, 2:30 & 4:30 pm.
Test your 19^th century vocabulary skills in spirited spelling bees! 11 am: Youth Bee/1 pm: Adult Bee
Enjoy a wagon ride around the farm from 11 am – 2 pm.
Families can make Uncle Sam bookmarks and Firework Rings.
Kids can barrel race a hobby horse and enjoy children’s stories at 10:30 am, 1:30 & 3:30 pm.
A Time for Justice, an Oscar-winning documentary film that captures the spirit of the civil rights movement, will be shown throughout the day in the Visitor Center Theater.
Trailbreak Taps and Tacos, a popular local eatery from White River Junction, Vermont, will be on site with their food truck from 11 am – 4:30 pm serving a variety of tacos, quesadillas, street corn, chips and salsa, plus a beer garden and refreshing non-alcoholic options.
See live demonstrations on how to make Strawberry Shortcake and Quick Pickles in the Learning Kitchen from 11 am – 4 pm. Enjoy samples!
Old-fashioned fun continues at 2 pm with an historic game of base ball in the Billings’ fields. Join in or cheer on the teams!

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PHOTOS COURTESY OF BILLINGS FARM & MUSEUM

BFM children-flag: visitors with their handmade 43-star American flag

Dairy Celebration Days and Billings Farm’s 150th Birthday Party! Saturday and Sunday, June 26 & 27, 2021

WOODSTOCK, VERMONT. . . Billings Farm & Museum’s annual Dairy Celebration Days takes place June 26 & 27, 2021 from 10:00am – 5:00 pm each day. Celebrate Billings Farm’s 150^th Anniversary and Vermont’s rich dairy heritage during this two-day event.

Sample award-winning Billings Farm Cheddar Cheese.
In the Learning Kitchen, watch how Cheese Straws are made and enjoy a sample!
Step behind-the-scenes and visit with local youth in the Show Barn as they groom their cattle and prepare to compete in the Youth Invitational Dairy Show on Sunday.
Take part in hands-on dairy programs. Meet our very own prize-winning Jersey cows and learn about these milk producers and the products made from their milk.
Help us celebrate Billings Farm’s 150^th. Enjoy our Dairy Bar Birthday Special: homemade Strawberry Rhubarb ice cream made with Billings Farm milk and sample complimentary birthday cake. Learn about Billings Farm’s most famous cows and view artifacts and images from the past 150 years. Sign the Birthday Card for Billings Farm and share your favorite memories.

Weekend Highlights:

On Saturday, see how the cows are prepared for competition. Join the Farm staff in Judging Dairy Cattle at 11 am & 1pm and learn how to identify certain characteristics that make up a prize dairy cow. Take an Instagram-worthy picture from 12:00-12:45 pm with one of our prize-winning Jerseys and help Brush a Heifer at 2 pm.! Tina Tuckerman of One Chicken at a Time Farm will demonstrate how to make goat’s milk soap.

On Sunday, watch local youth and their cattle compete in the Third Annual Youth Invitational Dairy Show. The Woodstock Inn & Resort will be on site making their famous Billings Farm Grilled Cheese Sandwich with Tomato Jam for purchase from 12:00-3:00 pm.

Billings Farm Celebrates 150 Years:

One hundred and fifty years ago, Frederick Billings imported Jersey cattle from the Isle of Jersey, building a prize herd and transforming his Woodstock estate into a model farm that employed the latest sustainable agricultural practices.

While the intervening years brought successes – as in 1893, when Billings Farm’s Jerseys garnered top honors at the Columbian Exposition in Chicago – and heartbreaking challenges, as when the herd was sold off during hard times in the 1930’s – the Billings family’s dedication to Frederick Billings’ vision held true.

Today, the Billings Farm & Museum breeds and milks a herd of nearly 50 blue ribbon Jerseys, producing more than 650,000 pounds of milk, some of which goes to Agri-Mark for Cabot products and some of which is used to craft award-winning artisan cheeses in partnership with Grafton Village Cheese. The Woodstock landmark is a Vermont destination which attracts thousands of visitors annually with its educational exhibits, engaging programs and special events that bring to life Vermont’s rural heritage.

Visiting safely. We take the safety of our staff, animals, and our guests seriously. Billings Farm & Museum follows guidance from the CDC and the State of Vermont’s Universal Guidance 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 and outdoors when 6 feet of distance cannot be maintained from people who are not in your traveling party.

PHOTOS: Courtesy of Billings Farm & Museum

Youth lined up with their cattle during competition in the 2019 Youth Invitational Dairy Show at Billings Farm

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Celebrate DAD this Father’s Day at Billings Farm & Museum ~ Where fun & history meet!

Free Admission for Fathers, Historic Base Ball,
Plus Burgers and Hot Dogs on the Grill
Sunday, June 20, 2021

WOODSTOCK, VERMONT. . . Billings Farm & Museum celebrates Father’s Day, Sunday, June 20 from 10AM-5PM. Free admission for fathers! Families can participate in the 3-legged races and egg races and join in a rousing game of historic base ball at 2PM. Youngsters can craft a handprint gift for dad featuring a rooster or a billy goat. The Woodstock Inn chefs will be on site grilling up burgers and hot dogs for purchase from 12:00-3:00. In the Learning Kitchen, sample homemade barbecue sauces and take home the recipes. Stop by the Dairy Bar for a root beer float and delicious Vermont ice cream.

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 atinstagram.com/billingsfarm/.

Celebrate with Billings Farm & Museum in July July 4th Festivities, Quilts, Grilling, Ice Cream and Farm to Ballet!

Woodstock, Vermont…Experience Billings Farm & Museum in July with a variety of summer events. Stroll through the gardens, sit on the bench and enjoy the vistas and watch as the summer progresses into full bloom on the farm. Meet our farm animals and learn about their care. Step back into time in the 1890 Farm Manager’s House and Farm Life exhibits. Savor the taste of delicious ice cream and sample traditional and modern farm fresh recipes offered throughout the month.

Join us for these special events in July:

Old Vermont 4^th – A weekend of traditional celebration (July 3 & 4) for the whole family! Special on July 4^th: a reading of the Declaration of Independence, historic speeches, wagon rides, music, and games including an old-fashioned game of “base ball” – join in or cheer on the teams! Trail Break Taps and Tacos food truck will be serving a variety of tacos, quesadillas, street corn and more plus a beer garden and refreshing non-alcoholic options from 11am-4:30pm.
35th Annual Quilt Exhibition, July 17-August 22 – Billings Farm hosts this unique annual display of juried contemporary quilts made by Windsor County, Vermont quilters, historical quilts from the museum’s collection, and challenge quilts created by the Heart of the Land Quilt Guild.
Billings Backyard: Grilling with Chef Emery, July 17, 10-11:30 am – Summer means fresh air and grilling! Join Billings Farm’s Chef Emery as she prepares a delicious meal entirely on the grill using local ingredients, and helps participants master the art of the grill. Space is limited. Additional fee and preregistration required.
National Ice Cream Day, July 18 – Sample ice cream, sundae toppings and homemade cones. Enjoy wagon rides, live music, and an afternoon game of “historic base ball.” The Dairy Bar will feature our Celebration Sundae topped with chocolate and caramel sauce, available for purchase that day only.
Farm to Ballet – July 25, 6:30 pm – This colorful ballet performance uses dance to explore the relationship between farmers and the land, natural food cycles, and the human role in ecosystems. Bring your blanket and a picnic or purchase Billings Farm Grilled Cheese Sandwich prepared by the Woodstock Inn & Resort. Prepurchase tickets – see link on our website.
Sunflower House, opening July 31 – Thousands of sunflowers and over 100 different varieties ranging from 18 inches to 14 feet form the rooms and hallways of this “a-maze-ing” natural structure. In bloom through mid-September.

Weekly programs in July:

Billings Bookworms – Children ages 6-8 will read a farm-themed book and explore the farm through hands-on activities from milking a cow to feeding the chickens, planting in the garden and learning about native plants. Mondays, 10-11:30AM, from July 12-August 16. Space is limited. Additional fee and preregistration required.
Time Travel Tuesdays– Experience chores and pastimes from the 1890 era led by interpreters in period costumes. View demonstrations of historic recipes and sample the delicious creations, play Guess the Artifact and engaging activities and games from the past. July 6-August 31.
Wagon Ride Wednesdays – Enjoy a wagon ride around the farm from 11 am-3 pm. July 7-August 25.
Thursday Threads– Celebrate the fiber arts with ongoing demonstrations of textile-related crafts such as weaving, spinning, and quilting, and create a craft to take home. July 22-August 19.
“Foodie” Fridays– Discover how we use seasonal ingredients from our farm and gardens to make delicious recipes. Culinary demonstrations, food samples and interactive garden programs. Weekly through October.

PHOTOS: Courtesy of Billings Farm & Museum. Square in a Square, Quilt by Judi Simon Bouton, 2020 Quilt Exhibition, july4: BF&M staff in period clothing for the July 4^th celebration.