Billings Farm

Voices from the Land, A Photography Exhibition by Jim Westphalen
2021-10-05 10:00 - 17:00, 2021-10-06 10:00 - 17:00, 2021-10-07 10:00 - 17:00, 2021-10-08 10:00 - 17:00, 2021-10-09 10:00 - 17:00, 2021-10-10 10:00 - 17:00, 2021-10-11 10:00 - 17:00, 2021-10-12 10:00 - 17:00 (America/New_York) and 8 more dates | VT
Sept. 18-Oct. 20
Traveling through Vermont, we might assume rural beauty to be commonplace. But what do we “see” when we pass an old barn or outbuilding? In this exhibition of 22 large-format photographs by celebrated Vermont photographer Jim Westphalen, hosted by Billings Farm & Museum, each picture tells a story, through indelible images of rural structures and landscapes of Vermont.
The photographs are available for purchase and a portion of the proceeds will support Billings Farm & Museum.

Harvest Celebration
2021-10-09 10:00 - 17:00, 2021-10-10 10:00 - 17:00 (America/New_York)
Dig in the dirt and do-si-do at the Billings Farm & Museum’s Harvest Celebration on Saturday, October 9 and Sunday, October 10, from 10:00 am – 5:00 pm. The weekend features traditional harvest activities, homemade foods, and a barn dance set in the colorful backdrop of green, red, and golden hills.
Activities and demonstrations for all ages are offered on both days:

Help harvest vegetables from our heirloom garden at 11:00 am, 1:00 pm, and 4:00 pm.
Swing your partner in a rousing barn dance with live traditional music at 12:00, 2:00, and 3:00 pm.
Sample homemade Apple Butter and Cider Cake and see how they are prepared.
See demonstrations of cider pressing from 11-3
Learn about pumpkins and squash.
Families can stroll along the pasture fences and follow the children’s StoryWalk Before We Eat: From Farm to Table.
Take a scenic walk along the Ottauquechee River Walking Trail.
Try your hand at pumpkin bowling and make a leaf rubbing.
Sample different varieties of local apples along with Billings Farm cheddar cheese.

Billings Farm & Museum will offer several food options over the weekend.

Warm up with a cup of squash soup made by the chefs at the Woodstock Inn & Resort, along with hot and cold local cider and cider donuts!
The Dairy Bar features Vermont-made ice cream, including this month’s special: pumpkin ice cream, plus Billings Farm cheeses and other snacks.

While at Billings Farm, guests can also visit Voices from the Land, a photography exhibition on display through October 20. In this exhibition of 22 stunning, large-format photographs by celebrated Vermont photographer Jim Westphalen, each picture tells a story, through indelible images of rural structures and landscapes of Vermont.

November at the Farm
2021-11-06 10:00 - 16:00, 2021-11-07 10:00 - 16:00, 2021-11-13 10:00 - 16:00, 2021-11-14 10:00 - 16:00, 2021-11-20 10:00 - 16:00, 2021-11-21 10:00 - 16:00 (America/New_York)
November is Family Stories Month!
Did you know that all three daughters of Frederick Billings helped oversee the operations of the farm and estate after their father’s death in 1890? And that Elizabeth Billings, as an amateur botanist, collected 1,128 specimens within a 6-mile radius of the Billings estate?
Learn about the Women of Billings Farm and the important roles they had in the farm in today’s programs at 12 pm & 2 pm.
While at Billings Farm & Museum:

Meet one of our prizewinning Jersey cows, get up close and experience brushing a cow in our Gentle Jersey program at 11 am & 1 pm.
See the afternoon Milking of the Herd beginning at 3:15 pm.
Make a paper pumpkin or apple to take home
Hunt for the hidden pumpkins in the Farm Life Exhibits
Enjoy the Giving Thanks StoryWalk along the pasture fences.
Warm up by the fire pit with hot cider and cider donuts, available for purchase from 10-4.

There are many things to do and see:

Visit our barns and meet our Jersey cows, draft horses, chickens, sheep, and goats.
Explore what life on the farm was like in late 19th century Vermont through the Farm Life Exhibits and the 1890 Farm Manager’s House, considered state-of-the-art when it was built.
Learn about the families and history of Billings Farm in the Upon This Land Exhibit.
Go deeper into Vermont’s place in conservation history with A Place in the Land, the Academy Award® – nominee film which chronicles the development of Billings Farm.

Billings Backyard: Homemade Felted Soap
2021-11-13 10:00 - 12:00 (America/New_York)
Learn how to make your own felted soap! Felted soap lasts longer and helps exfoliate as it cleans. Using locally made soaps and wool from our own Billings Farm & Museum sheep, Tiana will walk participants through the processes of both wet felting and needle felting to make a charming and sustainable product. Try out new skills, embrace your creativity, and have some good, clean fun! For more information visit Billings Backyard: Homemade Felted Soap.
A Q&A period with the presenter may continue for up to 30 minutes past the scheduled end time.
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. Find more Billings Backyard Series workshops
This workshop may be offered on Zoom or as a live session at Billings Farm & Museum depending on health and safety restrictions.

The Truffle Hunters: Special Screening
2021-11-20 15:00 - 18:00 (America/New_York)
Following the film, we will host a
Post-film discussion with Executive Producer, Geralyn Dreyfous
highlighting the international conservation effort inspired by the film, and
Light refreshments featuring fresh truffles
and truffle-inspired specialty offerings catered by Heart Rock Kitchen
Paired with wine and Billings Farm cheese
Saturday, November 20
3:00 PM Screening & Discussion, Billings Farm Theater
5:00 PM Reception in our renovated, historic barn

$100 per person
includes film screening, post-film discussion and reception
Seating is limited. Purchase tickets by November 14
Ticket proceeds benefit the Woodstock Vermont Film Series
Contact 802-457-5303 or email jflaster@billingsfarm.org.
Proof of vaccination and masks are required for entry.

Geralyn Dreyfous is one of the most prolific and successful producers in independent documentary film, with 154 credits ranging from Born Into Brothers, Allen vs Farrow, and The Hunting Ground to Won’t You Be My Neighbor and 2021 Sundance award nominee, Try Harder. Her films have won Academy Awards and Emmys.
The Truffle Hunters follows a vanishing breed of now elderly men and their faithful dogs through the forests of Northern Italy’s Piedmont region in search of the white Alba truffle, a prized delicacy, the most coveted of which can command astoundingly high prices at auction.
These savvy hunters are at one with nature while trusting their dogs’ keen sense of smell to unearth these culinary treasures. The last of a generation, the hunters show a mix of passion, humor, a sense of good-hearted adventure and pride in what they do, reflecting old world values and operating in tune with the gentle rhythms of life within environs of natural beauty.

There will also be a general admission showing of The Truffle Hunters on Sunday, November 21 at 3:00. Purchase tickets in advance.
The 12th season of the Woodstock Vermont Film Series will feature 10 award-winning documentary films that reflect our vision: to share place-based stories of people near and far, to engage our audiences, and to inspire conversations that increase connections with each other and our world. Showings take place on select Saturdays from January 1 – March 12. Film tickets and season passes will go on sale on November 22.
Film Series Safety In consideration of the health of our guests and staff, attendees are expected to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. You will be asked at entry to show proof of vaccination, either as vaccination card, photocopy of the card, or cell phone photograph of the card. All guests will be required to wear masks at all times during film viewings in the Theater. We thank you in advance for your adherence to these policies.

The Truffle Hunters: general admission showing
2021-11-21 15:00 - 16:30 (America/New_York)
Deep in the forests of Piedmont, Italy, a handful of men, seventy or eighty years young, hunt for the rare and expensive white Alba truffle—which to date has resisted all modern science’s efforts at cultivation. They’re guided by a secret culture and training passed down through generations, as well as by the noses of their cherished and expertly-trained dogs. They live a simpler, slower way of life, in harmony with their loyal animals and their picture-perfect land, seemingly straight out of a fairy tale. They’re untethered to cell phone screens or the Internet, opting instead to make their food and drink by hand and prioritizing in-person connections and community.
Purchase tickets here.
The 12th season of the Woodstock Vermont Film Series will feature 10 award-winning documentary films that reflect our vision: to share place-based stories of people near and far, to engage our audiences, and to inspire conversations that increase connections with each other and our world. Showings take place on select Saturdays from January 1 – March 12. Film tickets and season passes will go on sale on November 22.
Film Series Safety In consideration of the health of our guests and staff, attendees are expected to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. You will be asked at entry to show proof of vaccination, either as vaccination card, photocopy of the card, or cell phone photograph of the card. All guests will be required to wear masks at all times during film viewings in the Theater. We thank you in advance for your adherence to these policies.

Billings Backyard: Holiday Gifts from Your Kitchen
2021-12-04 10:00 - 12:00 (America/New_York)
Learn to make delectable gifts for family and friends to complement their holiday table from start to finish!
Follow along in your home kitchen with Chef Emery as she demonstrates recipes for an appetizer: Savory Cheddar Crackers, a dessert: Cherry Wink Cookies, and an after-dinner treat: Butter Mints. Each of these dishes are easy to ship to friends and family so that you can share the holiday cheer.
This live, interactive Zoom workshop will be presented on Saturday, December 4th, from 10-11:30 am and is followed by a 30-minute Q&A period. In addition to step-by-step preparation of the recipes, Chef Emery will provide tips on presenting and shipping your homemade gifts to faraway friends and family. Register by Wednesday, Dec. 1 to receive advance instructions, recipes and preparation details.
For more information visit Billings Backyard: Holiday Gifts from Your Kitchen.
A Q&A period with the presenter may continue for up to 30 minutes past the scheduled end time.
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. Find more Billings Backyard Series workshops

Wassail Weekend
2021-12-12 10:00 - 16:00 (America/New_York)
Candle dipping, holiday stories, and cooking demonstrations of holiday foods and gingerbread ornaments. Warm up with a cup of Wassail along with cider donuts served at the Dairy Bar. Learn about a Victorian Christmas with a viewing of our authentically decorated farmhouse parlor. Sunday: Horse-drawn wagon or sleigh rides, conditions permitting.

Christmas at the Farm
2021-12-21 10:00 - 16:00 UTC
Billings Farm & Museum brings old-fashioned cheer to Woodstock, VT, with family-friendly festivities throughout the entire holiday season. Christmas at the Farm will be featured daily through Jan. 2, 10:00 am – 4:00 pm (closed December 24 & 25).
Enjoy these Christmas at the Farm daily programs:

Victorian Christmas program
Make mince pies: 10am-3:30pm
Meet our Gentle Jerseys
Daily Milking: 3:15-4pm
Candle Dipping
Purchase S’more kits, Hot Chocolate & Coffee
Warm up by our fire pits

Festive holiday trees and decorations will fill the Visitor Center and historic barn. Visitors can learn about a Victorian Christmas, experience the authentically decorated parlor of the 1890 Farm Manager’s House, and dip candles. Be sure to see the 1890 Farm Manager’s House re-created in gingerbread and vote for the best staff-made gingerbread house on display, ending January 2.
On the farm, guests can meet Jersey cows, draft horses, chickens, sheep, and goats in the barns. Visitors can warm up around the fire pits. Light adventure can be found on a snowshoe hike along the Ottauquechee River, weather permitting.
* Note: Christmas at the Farm indoor activities subject to change due to COVID-19 safety and staffing protocols.
Find unique holiday gifts and Billings Farm cheese in the Museum Gift Shop. Select items, including cheeses, are also available online at billingsfarm.org.
Weather permitting, take a snowshoe trek along our Ottauquechee River Trail. Bring your own snowshoes or rent from the Nordic Center or the Activity Center at the Woodstock Inn & Resort.
Horse-drawn Sleigh Rides are available December 27 through January 2 (conditions permitting). Reservations for rides will be taken upon arrival at the Ticket Desk, on a first come, first served basis. The cost is $5 per person in addition to the purchase of a general admission ticket. Ages 2 and under are free. Rides are available 11:00-3:00 and are approximately 10 minutes long.
