Sheep Shearing & Herding

Billings Farm’s annual Sheep Shearing & Herding takes place on Saturday and Sunday, April 24 & 25 from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Reserve your entrance time to receive expedited entry!

Celebrate all things sheep and wool with a weekend of shear fun! Meet herdsman Jim McRae and his team of Border Collies and watch demonstrations of herding sheep in the farm fields during narrated programs at 11:30 a.m., 1:30 and 3:30 p.m. each day.

The farm’s Southdown sheep will receive their spring “wool cuts” by Craig & Philo Marcotte at 10:30 a.m. and 12:30, 2:30, and 4:30 p.m.

Spinning, and carding demonstrations will highlight the skills needed to turn fleece into yarn. Visitors are invited to help skirt a fleece (the process of preparing the wool for washing), try their hand at carding, and make a wool butterfly.

In the Learning Kitchen from 11 a.m.-4 p.m., see a cooking demonstration for Spanakopita made with sheep milk cheese and enjoy a sample!

Why reserve an entry time?

Every guest, regardless of age, must provide a name and phone number for contact tracing purposes. We require at least one phone number per group. By reserving the entrance time for you and each member of your party, you can save time when you arrive and help us ensure a safe flow of guests through the site during the day.

The reserved entry time is the window in which you should plan to arrive at Billings Farm & Museum. This reservation is not your admission ticket. You must still purchase a ticket when you arrive or proceed to the member table to check in if you are a member. The reservation does not reserve a spot at any of the timed demonstrations. Once you have completed a health screening and paid for your admission, you may stay and enjoy the demonstrations and programs for as long as you’d like.

Reservations must be made at least 24 hours before your selected entry time. Walk-ins are welcome, however advance reservations are strongly recommended.

Reserve your entrance time for Sheep Shearing & Herding

Visiting safely Billings Farm & Museum enforces safety standards in compliance with Vermont State guidelines. We take the safety of our staff, animals, and our guests seriously. Each person must answer health screening questions and follow the Vermont’s travel guidelines. Contact tracing information and temperatures are taken for each visitor. Face coverings must be worn by all guests over the age of 2 everywhere on the site, including the outdoors. For more about visiting Billings Farm safely, updates on our site capacity, and to learn which spaces are open, visit billingsfarm.org/safety.