Sunday, June 24, 10 a.m.—WOODSTOCK—Billings Farm & Museum, gateway to Vermont’s rural heritage, invites the public to its 35th anniversary celebration on Sunday, June 24. Admission is free for the entire day.
Activities and programs for all ages are planned and will include a farm animal parade, 1860s baseball, ice cream making, 19th century magic performed by Robert Olsen, music from David Carpenter and Tom McKenzie, and gourmet cheese sandwiches from the Woodstock Inn. A complete schedule of activities may be found online at billingsfarm.org.
Special guests include Anson Tebbetts, Vermont’s Secretary of Agriculture, Food, and Markets, and Wendy Knight, Commissioner of the Vermont Dept. of Tourism & Marketing.
At 3 p.m., they will be joined by local dignitaries for celebratory remarks under the tent. Immediately following the program, visitors will cheer on Anson Tebbetts as he is challenged to a hand-milking competition by Billings Farm & Museum’s executive director David Simmons.
The event will mark the debut of two new offerings for Billings Farm & Museum. The first is a new cheese made from the raw milk of the Billings Farm famous Jersey herd. Billings Farm Smoked Cheddar, available only in limited edition, will be introduced the day of the event and samples will be available for tasting.
Also included in the celebration is a first glimpse at “Huck’s Way Home,” a new children’s book about one of the farm’s most adventurous animal residents. Author and illustrator Kristina Rodanas, who is also an interpreter at the museum, will be reading the story and sharing her original illustrations. Rodanas was captivated by the story of Huck after noticing a line in the Vermont Standard police log describing a loose calf seen running along Elm Street.
“Somehow, I knew that little loose calf had something to do with Billings Farm & Museum!” After meeting with farm manager Chuck Deome, and interviewing the Woodstock police department about Huck’s adventure, this true-life story began to take form. Rodanas, who lives in Woodstock, has previously authored and illustrated 14 books for children. Following the program, visitors can meet the real-life Huck and his partner, Finn.
Billings Farm & Museum is located one-half mile north of the Woodstock village green on Vermont Route 12. For information, call 802-457-2355 or visit billingsfarm.org.
Photo courtesy BFM
The herd of Jersey cows at Billings Farm & Museum is responsible for its new cheese made from their raw milk.
