How do I book a field trip at Billings Farm & Museum?
Please download and fill out a request form and email it to schoolgroups@billingsfarm.org. A complete request form is required to finalize booking. The earliest we can host you on site is two weeks after receiving your request form. Please call Mollie Surprenant at 802-457-5330 with any questions.
What does a field trip at Billings Farm & Museum look like?
Book a field trip April-February. Field trips are not available during the month of March.
Each Field Trip Includes:
• 60-minute guided program of your choice (see options above)
• Guided tour of the dairy barn
• Time to play historic 19th-century games
• Designated lunch area
Pricing: $9.00/student. Employees of your school or organization receive complimentary admission. Any additional chaperones are $14 each.
Payment: Groups can choose to be invoiced or pay upon arrival. Invoices will go out to your organization after your scheduled visit. Groups that choose to pay upon arrival will do so at the admissions desk when they arrive (cash, check, or credit card are accepted). Checks should be made out to Billings Farm & Museum.
Scholarships that cover admission and bus expenses are available for schools with Title 1 status or with 40% or more of students qualifying for free or reduced lunch. Scholarships are accessed on a case-by-case basis. Please email gbourassa@billingsfarm.org to receive a scholarship request form.
What programs are available for booking?
Preschool
From exploring our barns to meet farm animals, observing pollinators in our gardens, learning about our apple orchard, to walking through our sunflower house. There are ample opportunities to explore your learning goals here at the farm & museum. Please reach out to Mollie Surprenant (msurprenant@billingsfarm.org) to build your custom field trip.
Kindergarten – 3rd Grade
We enjoy building upon the learning taking place in your classroom! Please reach out to Mollie Surprenant (msurprenant@billingsfarm.org) to learn more about the custom programs we can make for your learners. From learning about tools and pollinators to exploring social emotional opportunities at the farm, we are happy to plan a program that best fits your learning goals.
Children on Hill Farms: Using sources from the past, explore the role of children as productive members of the 19th -century farm family. While learning about the daily lives of children in the past – including chores, school, and play – today’s children will compare and contrast the past with the present.
Delightful Dairy: Learn about all things dairy! Students will dive into the world of dairy by meeting one of our cows and learning how she is milked, and making butter by hand. We will also meet the farm’s calves, and talk about the life cycle of our dairy cows.
4th – 6th Grade
We enjoy building upon the learning taking place in your classroom! Please reach out to Mollie Surprenant (msurprenant@billingsfarm.org) to learn more about the custom programs we can make for your learners. From learning about tools and pollinators to exploring social emotional opportunities at the farm, we are happy to plan a program that best fits your learning goals.
History Detectives: Learn what life in Vermont was like long ago using photographs, letters, and objects from the past. We’ll spend time hands-on with special artifacts from our collections and exhibits and see what we can learn from historic photographs. Students will put on their “history detective” hats to examine primary sources for themselves and present their findings to the group.
Sheep & Wool: Meet a sheep from our herd and learn how her wool can be used to make warm clothing and fabrics. We’ll talk about the history of sheep in Vermont, how they impacted the environment in the 1800s, and how their wool was processed and used. Students will try some of the wool processing steps themselves and leave with a hand-spun bracelet.
Delightful Dairy: Learn about all things dairy! Students will dive into the world of dairy by meeting one of our cows and learning how she is milked, and making butter by hand. We will also meet the farm’s calves, and talk about the life cycle of our dairy cows.
High School
We have worked with high school history teachers to explore our archives to learn more about Vermont’s golden age of dairy and science teachers to create programs on native plants, pollinators and sustainable farming. Please reach out to Mollie Surprenant (msurprenant@billingsfarm.org) to build a custom program for your learners.
School Group Policies
- Safety Policy: Masks are encouraged, but not required for school group participants. If any participants have symptoms of a respiratory illness, they should wear a mask or consider visiting another time.
- We can accommodate groups of 10-60 students.
- To give students the best experience, we recommend no more than 1 chaperone per 5 students. Additional chaperones will be charged the full price of admission and may not be able to take part in timed programs due to limited capacity in our spaces.
- Please share this information sheet with all of your chaperones before the visit.
- Membership and library passes do not apply to field trips
Contact: schoolgroups@billingsfarm.org or call 802-457-5330