Laughing All the Way Billings Farm offers weekend of frosty fun and frolicking

Author: Kelly Janis

We serve as the gateway to rural Vermont's heritage," said Assistant Director of Billings Farm & Museum David Miles, straining to be heard over the insistent "bah"s of animals congregating at the edges of their pens following the "How to Keep a Sheep" workshop in which they starred.

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Such a distraction was to be expected at the farm and museum's Sleigh Ride Weekend, held from Feb. 16-18 in Woodstock, Vt. at the working farm, dating back to 1871, which aims to preserve tradition while adopting sustainable, progressive practices. The event afforded visitors the opportunity to embark on chilly sleigh rides propelled by horses Jim and Joe, whiz down an embankment on "jack jumper" sleds, tour a farmhouse restored to its 1890 prime and watch presentations ranging from "Up Close With a Jersey Cow" to "On Behalf of a Calf" and "Machine Milking of the Herd."

In an on-site theater, the farm and museum's rich history was expounded upon in twice-hourly screenings of "A Place in the Land," Charles Guggenheim's 1998 Academy Award-nominated film chronicling the landmark's development, and its commitment to conveying humankind's "obligation to live in harmony with [nature] and to pass it on, enriched, to future generations."

The vision espoused in "A Place in the Land" is one to which the farm and museum's employees ardently subscribe.

"We play a significant role locally in terms of tourism, and also in terms of education," Miles said. "People come here, and they learn more about Vermont, other ideas, other areas to explore."

This process of education extends to those who assist in facilitating it.

After he retired last year from his post as Assistant Director of Gift Planning at Dartmouth College, Rick Carbin - who spent the day loading passengers onto a horse-drawn sleigh for a seven-minute ride around the farm's grounds - sought to occupy his time in a manner he found meaningful. "I didn't just want to put my legs up and rest," he said.

That pursuit, coupled with his background in land-use planning and conservation, brought him to Billings Farm & Museum.

"It's a great place to come just to recreate and meet good folks who are working on the farm," Carbin said. "And for the larger community, it's a real lesson. The history of this farm is one of conservation and stewardship, and that tradition continues today. There's a lot to learn, a lot to see, and it's something vital to the future."

Carbin reported that the day was proceeding smoothly, with the exception of an inevitable hitch every now and again.

"I do a program on where the milk goes, and we have a vacuum pump you're supposed to plug in so you can show how artificial machine working works," he explained. "Well, the vacuum pump blew up [during the demonstration]."

Alongside these unexpected turns, the museum strives to inject its operations with vitality by infusing events with elements well-aligned with the season. In this vein, the visitors' center marked President's Day weekend by pairing their offering of hot spiced cider with "Favorite Cookies of the Presidents." Grace Coolidge's nutty and delicious Ice Box Cookies were a daily fixture, accompanied on a rotating basis by Rutherford B. Hayes's Hermits, Grover Cleveland's Snickerdoodles, Zachary Taylor's Black Pepper Cookies, Franklin Pierce's New Hampshire Seed Cookies, George Washington's Jumbals and Ulysses Grant's Lemon Drops.

Katie Brobst, 11, of Randolph, Vt., spent the weekend relishing her station as a "junior volunteer," working alongside museum staff to dole out the coveted cookies and assist youngsters in piecing together presidential silhouettes with paper, glue and scissors.

"It's a lot of fun," Brobst said. "I really enjoy it."

Much of her enjoyment was admittedly cultivated by the benefits to which Brobst is privy in exchange for the contribution of time. "When you volunteer here in the summer, you get a free ice cream," she said.

When a fellow volunteer reminded her that they are responsible for the task of eating the broken leftovers during the museum's donut sales, Brobst agreed that such a fact also proves a compelling draw.

Her eagerness did not immediately extend, however, to the sleigh rides taking place outside.

"I did that last year," she said. "It was raining, so it was a wet blanket [in the sleigh] instead of a warm one."

Assuming that the rain remains sufficiently at bay to retain the blanket's warmth - and even if it does not - those who are in search of a supplement to Winter Carnival ski-gazing are in luck: Billings Farm & Museum will repeat its sleigh ride festivities this weekend, furnishing those who missed out on indulging in Snickerdoodles and jack jumpers on President's Day an opportunity to slosh their way through glistening white fields before the frost recedes. The event will be the final opportunity to visit the farm and museum prior to the kick-off of its regular season on May 1.

If you go, here are some details you should know:

Billings Farm & Museum Sleigh Ride Weekend

Dates: Feb. 23 and 24

Time: 10 a.m.-4 p.m., both days

Cost: $11 for adults

Phone number: (802)-457-2355

Address: Route 12 & River Road P.O. Box 489, Woodstock, VT 05091-0489

Directions:

•Travel 32 miles south on US-7.

•In Rutland, turn left onto Woodstock Ave/US-4 East. Continue for 30 miles.

•Travel a half mile north of the town of Woodstock. Turn left on Route 12 North, and bear right on River Road to arrive at Billings Farm's main entrance.