Mark Humpal working in his studio.
Sunday, Sept. 12 — WOODSTOCK — Billings Farm & Museum will host Traditional Crafts Day, a celebration of makers and the handmade, on Sunday, Sept. 12, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Visitors can learn how these pragmatic and beautiful crafts are made, view demonstrations, and meet practicing artisans in the region.
Skilled demonstrations will include:
- Wheel-thrown pottery with Laura White of Woodstock. White learned her craft through years of schooling and apprenticeships and continues to explore new techniques and ideas. Guests can watch as she creates artful bowls and other vessels for daily use using a pottery wheel. Kids can work some clay at her table and make their own creations.
- Leather working with Mark Humpal of Cornish, New Hampshire. Humpal has been doing leatherwork for four decades, having apprenticed to a master saddlemaker and a European shoemaker. He will demonstrate how to make and repair leather harnesses for horses.
- Sheep-shear silhouettes with Carolyn Guest of St. Johnsbury. Using only sheep-shears, Guest practices the art of papercutting as a way to tell about her experiences, the stories she has heard and to reflect on her rural Vermont heritage.
- Fiber art crafts with the Billings Farm staff. See how wool is spun and used for weaving knitting, and crochet.
Guests young and old can also try a craft themselves: finger knitting led by Billings Farm interpreters. The traditions continue in the Learning Kitchen where guests can see demonstrations featuring hand churned butter and homemade ricotta cheese and try samples.
Billings Farm Cheddar, made exclusively from milk produced by our Billings Farm Jerseys, is hand-crafted in small batches at Grafton Village Cheese in Grafton, and carefully aged for at least 60 days. The Billings Farm artisan-crafted cheddars will be available for sale as will select items sold by the craftspeople on site. Special seasonal treats such as apple cider and cider doughnuts will also be available for sale.
