A summer guide to Billings Farm & Museum

Do you want to roam open pastures with a summer breeze at your back? Cuddle farm animals softer than any stuffed animal? Go nose-to-nose with a friendly cow? Or just spend a day away from it all?

At Billings Farm & Museum, just a few minutes’ walk from the center of Woodstock’s Village, you’ll find each of those family-friendly adventures, plus the chance to explore a historic 1890 Farm Manager’s House, take part in special events, and even grab some Vermont ice cream!

Check out this quick guide to the perfect summer’s day at Billings Farm to help you plan your trip now. Billings Farm & Museum is open daily, April – October 10 AM to 5 PM, as well as weekends and vacation weeks from February through November. As an added bonus to guests of the Woodstock Inn, entry is free!

gET TO KNOW the Animals

It isn’t a true day at the farm without an animal meet-and-greet! Make the barns and paddocks your first destination to meet the famous herd of 40+ Jersey dairy cows, as well as Belgian draft horses, Southdown sheep, goats, steers, and chickens. In the Calf Nursery, get up close to the newest arrivals, some only a few days old! All of the animals love meeting visitors, being pet, and posing for selfies. Check in with the team of interpreters, who know each animal’s history like the back of their hands, and will share details about each ewe, horse, and calf’s care with a smile.

Next up is the Cow Barn, where you can catch daily milking demonstrations of the Jersey cow herd each afternoon at 3:15 PM.

When it comes to asking questions, don’t be shy; there’s a wealth of information available about the animals’ daily routines, the journey their milk goes on to make delicious Billings Farm cheddar cheese, and much more!

Feel free to stay in the barn till closing time… you might be lucky enough to catch the cows heading to the pasture for the night.

STEP BACK IN TIME Inside the 1890 Farm Manager’s House

After visiting the barns, stop by the 1890 Farm Manager’s House, built as a multi-purpose addition to the expanding farm operation and now fully restored to its 19th-century heyday.

The house contains a business office for farm manager, George Aitken, a private living space for his family, a creamery for the production of butter, and an adjoining ice-house.

Considered state-of-the-art when it was built, the 1890 Farm Manager’s House features cutting-edge creamery equipment, as well as conveniences including hot running water, central heat, gas lighting, and an indoor bathroom.

UP THE FUN-FACTOR WITH Special Events

Although there’s always lots going on, try to plan your visit (or visits if you can’t cram all the action into one day!) around one of Billings Farm’s series of events, occurring throughout the calendar year: From the Old Vermont 4th, with its reading of the Declaration of Independence, wagon rides through the farm fields, and rousing games of historic baseball, to the clanking, grinding magic of Antique Tractor Day, featuring dozens of beautifully-restored tractors made between the 1920s and 1980s, there’s something for everyone!

Check the Billings Farm & Museum website for a full calendar of what’s coming up.

Cheddar Cheese, PLEASE

Want to bring a piece of the farm home with you? Before leaving, stop by the Gift Store to pick up four delicious varieties of cheddar cheese, all made at the renowned Grafton Village Cheese Company!

All Billings Farm cheese is made using 100% raw milk exclusively from the Billings herd of over 40 purebred, registered Jersey cows, with no additives, preservatives, or artificial coloring.