Feb. 13-21 from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.— WOODSTOCK—Billings Farm & Museum will host its annual Maple Celebration, Feb. 13-21 from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. The Vermont traditions of maple sugaring will be on display—the tools, historic photos and exhibits on the maple sugaring process. Daily cooking demonstrations and samples of two popular maple recipes, maple popcorn and maple French toast cookie, will delight your tastebuds.
Meet Camelot, the adorable Jersey calf, and visit the sheep, chickens and goats, all cozy for the winter in the Small Animal Barn and ready to greet guests. Learn about herd and dairy operations in the Activity Barn and find the award-winning cheeses produced with Billings Farm milk in the museum gift shop.
Conditions permitting, Billings Farm & Museum will offer horse-drawn sleigh rides Feb. 13-20 to families (socially distanced) from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. Reservations for rides will be taken upon arrival at the ticket desk, on a first come, first served basis. The cost is $5 per person in addition to the purchase of a general admission ticket.
Enjoy the winter landscapes with a snowshoe trek through the picturesque snow-covered farm fields and along the Ottauquechee River— bring your own or rent from the nearby Woodstock Inn & Resort’s Nordic Center or Activity Center. Bring your sled to speed down the small hill next to the orchard. Gather round the fire pit and warm up with hot chocolate and s’mores. Families can also enjoy a story walk along the pasture fence featuring “Snowflake Bentley.”
Tour the farm life exhibits to see what life on the farm was like in the 1890s and hunt for the snowpeople hidden within the exhibits. Learn about the families and history of Billings Farm in the Upon This Land Exhibit. “A Place in the Land,” the Academy Award – nominated film which chronicles the development of Billings Farm is shown throughout the day. Guests are invited to view re-creations of the sitting and dining rooms and the creamery from the on-site but closed 1890 Farm Manager’s House, inside the Activity Barn.
Join for an evening of fun with a special after-hours snowshoe by torchlight, Feb. 20, 4:30 p.m.-6:30 p.m. Take a twilight trek along the Ottauquechee, warm up with hot drinks and s’mores by the fire pit and settle in for some Vermont folk stories told around the fire. Additional fee; reservations are required. Find more information at billingsfarm.org.
Billings Farm & Museum enforces safety standards in compliance with Vermont state guidelines. They take the safety of staff, animals, and guests seriously. Each person must answer health screening questions including if they have quarantined according to Vermont 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 outdoors. For more about visiting Billings Farm safely, updates on site capacity, and to learn which exhibits are open, visit billingsfarm.org/safety.
