November Brings Cheer & Excitement to Billings Farm & Museum
As the days get shorter and colder, Billings Farm & Museum is finding lots of ways to stay cozy, warm, and busy! November is filled with opportunities to step into history through events and programs, get creative in classes and workshops, and engage with culture through films, music, and more!
Fiber Arts Series: Introduction to Dyeing & Felting on Tuesdays, November 1, 8, 15, 5:30PM – 7:30PM
Led by local textile artisan Tiana St. James, this three-part workshop will explore fundamentals in wool dyeing, the ancient and simple art of wet felting, and the modern technique of dry needle felting. Participants will experience the wonder of transforming raw wool into a colorful and decorative landscape wall hanging. For ages 16+. Registration for the series is $110/person, $100/member. Materials are included. Register in advance at billingsfarm.org/fiber-arts/
Date Night Cooking Class Featuring Italian-inspired Cuisine, November 3, 5:00PM -7:30PM
In this class, couples will follow Billings Farm’s Chef Emery Gray to prepare a menu inspired by the cuisine of Italy. The feast begins with a plate of Prosciutto and Winter Melon with Basil and Balsamic Drizzle demonstrating that fresh ingredients can still be featured in the “off season.” Participants will learn knife skills and how to balance color and flavor while creating a Shaved Fennel and Pear Salad with a Honey and White Wine Vinaigrette. For the delicious main dish, class members will roll their own gnocchi for Gnocchi with Tuscan Butter Sauce and Pan-Seared Salmon Fillet. The evening will conclude with a classic Cannoli dessert. This popular class has limited space and will be returning in 2023. For more information, visit billingsfarm.org/datenightcooking/
Billings Backyard Series: Natural Decorations with Ben Pauly on Saturday, November 12, 10AM – 11:30AM, followed by 30-minute Q & A. As holiday decorations are pulled from storage and dusted off, participants can ditch plastic décor in favor of sustainable and “evergreen” alternatives. Ben Pauly, Creative Director of Landscape Design at the Woodstock Inn & Resort, will share his creativity and knowledge along with his favorite natural materials for decorating. Each participant will have a chance to make a natural decoration and bring home some sustainable cheer.
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. The session is $15/person, $10/member. Registration and course details are at billingsfarm.org/billings-backyard/
Homeschool Days: Harvest & History on Wednesday, November 16 and Thursday, November 17, 10:00AM – 1:00PM
In this history-filled day of fun, students can learn the importance of harvest on the farm in the past and present. With a chance to examine historic sources like photographs and artifacts from the Billings Farm & Museum collections and exhibits, students will observe harvest practices of the past. In the present day, students will try out harvest activities on the farm such as peeling and pressing apples into cider, husking and shelling corn for the farm’s animals, and learning different methods for preserving harvest produce. Each student must be accompanied by an adult. The price for one day is $9/student and $14/adult. Member pricing is $7/student and $12/adult. Transportation providers are free. The program will be the same on both days. billingsfarm.org/homeschool-programs/
Woodstock Vermont Film Series Kicks Off with A Celebration of Film, Food, and Community: Film Screening and Reception, Saturday, November 19 at 3:00PM
Billings Farm & Museum will hold an event to benefit the Woodstock Vermont Film Series, featuring a screening of Come Back Anytime followed by a reception on Saturday, November 19. Centered on the life of a self-taught Japanese ramen master, the documentary highlights how community and food go hand in hand. Following the screening there will be a gathering around food, drink, and cheer to celebrate the connection to land, traditions, family, and hometown community. Beginning on December 31 and continuing through February 19, there will be weekly film screenings on Saturdays and Sundays at 3:00PM in the Visitor Center Theater. billingsfarm.org/filmseries/
Music at the Museum: A Billings Farm Chamber Music Concert, Sunday, November 20, 2PM
Billings Farm & Museum, along with concert organizers David Green and Margaret Edwards from Barnard, VT, are pleased to present Music at the Museum: A Billings Farm Chamber Music Concert featuring the Balourdet Quartet with violinists Angela Bae and Justin DeFilippis, violist Benjamin Zannoni, and cellist Russell Houston. Tickets are $15/person. billingsfarm.org/events/music-at-the-museum-november/
Thanksgiving Weekend Friday, November 25 – Sunday, November 27 10:00AM – 5:00PM
An experience for the whole family with 19th century Thanksgiving traditions, crafts, and food. Guests can peek into history with a Thanksgiving setting displaying food that graced the table in the 1890s. Guests will enjoy the delicious aroma of food cooking in the 1890s Farm Manager’s House kitchen. Recipes from the past will include oyster soup, mashed turnips, roasted squash, salted almonds, bread rolls, and baked apples. To delve deeper into the history, guests can join the “What’s for Dinner” program at 12:00PM and 3:00PM. For a hands-on cooking experience, guests can stop by the Learning Kitchen to make an apple turnover treat to take home.
Families are invited to share stories about their favorite traditions on the Sharing Wall. Children can create a woven paper placemat and enjoy reading Giving Thanks: A Native American Good Morning Message on the StoryWalk along the pasture fence. Guests can warm up by the outdoor firepits with hot spiced apple cider and cider donuts for purchase at the Farmhouse Café. billingsfarm.org/events/thanksgiving-weekend-3/2022-11-25/
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 range of positions and flexible timeslots available. Volunteers will greet guests, educate about our artifacts, give out Billings Farm Cheese samples, take care of our farm animals or help in other ways. To get involved, please visit billingsfarm.org/volunteer/.
