Billings Farm & Museum

Fun place to visit! The museum was very interesting - the video on making a wooden tub was informative. The grounds are beautiful and serene, given there weren’t very many other people around. There wasn’t as many farm animals as I was expecting. The farm manager’s house and tour were my favorite part of the visit.

A wonderful meshing of American history and contemporary dairy farming. My daughter and I visited recently and had great fun exploring the exhibits in the visitor center, touring the 130+ year old farm manager's home that also houses a creamery in its basement, and petting the cows, calves, and sheep. There was a "farmers market" on site that day with lots of vendors selling freshly made cheeses, maple syrups, etc. There was even live music. All in all, a wonderful experience that added to our enjoyment of Vermont.

It's really a good place. The staff is very friendly. There was a butter making program and I had a great time participating with the kids. It was also great to be able to see the actual milking.

Excellent place to go for a visit, to learn history, to tour the Mansion house and to experience farm life. Wonderful views and a place to sit and have a picnic with a really good coffee or hot chocolate. My husband and I became members. They showed a wonderful movie in the afternoon called the Cowboy and the Queen. A true story about a horse whisperer and the Queen of England. I'm British so it was very moving for me personally.

An excellent family experience when visiting the Woodstock area, especially during the colorful Fall season! The farm and museum are packed with activities to keep everyone engaged. There was a hayride around the farm, several cows and calves on display, horses goats and sheep on the range, an apple orchard at the back of the property, and an extensive museum and gift shop. Apparently some of the apple trees in the orchard are one-of-a-kind, meaning the apples from there are unlike those from any other tree in the world. A great place to spend time with the family!

It was a really nicely renovated and maintained farm and farm house. The employees were very informative and gladly educated the visitors. There was a butter making program, and the woman doing the demonstration was very patient and genuinely interested in education of the butter making process. The little children and adults alike were enlightened by the experience. The museum is superbly done... so much great information and artifacts for maple syrup making, apple harvesting and other activities. The only reason for 4 stars is that I would have liked to have seen more animals, and the garden was small.....one of the 2 things you expect to see in a farm....oh well, all in all, I'm glad we went!

We went for the Frida documentary and soiree. The movie was difficult but her story was so inspiring. A woman who despite all the trials shed suffered through, really leaned on her own abilities (painting and selling of her art) to bring herself happiness and fulfillment. After the movie, the space upstairs was decorated with bright colors and live music. It was really nice. I think I was a little disappointed by the food options, they were a bit limited. And the standing situation wasn't great. Although the decorations were great, I think I would have preferred to pay more for a sit down event so we can more easily socialize with others about what they thought. Alternatively, if there were sit down tables just for couples, that would have been fine also. But because the tables were for standing alone, it's kind of hard to be there for more than 1 hrs, rather than the 3 hrs we anticipated.

This was really a great place to visit. I had no idea of the history that was nestled right in this area. I sat in the theater and watched the presentation explaining of how the area came to be and it's influence over the years. I absolutely loved every minute. I took the tour of the whole place. The Farm Boss house was such an amazing step into history, and I loved the interior. I also took the milking tour and holy cow. It was a fun time. I think my kids would love it. We also hiked the prosper rd trail to the top of mount Tom. There are so many beautiful trails with amazing scenery.

We have been visiting Billings every year on Mem Day weekend for four years now. We have always had an incredible experience, seeing dozens and dozens of cows. We were always able to pat them, see their DOB, who their children are, and their achievements on their name plates above their stalls, etc. last year there was even a cow in the field who had just given birth and we saw mom and calf. This year, no cows were in the field. We saw two (2!!!) cows inside the barn, and were unable to see the rest of cows that were inside the barn as it was roped off. We asked where all the cows were, and they said they had not done the first cutting of grass so they could not be on the field in the day. I feel as if we should have been given a warning that the cows were put away before we spent the $19 for admission. As always, the ice cream shop was closed!

This was one of the best tours that I've recently been too. The property itself is amazing. You can see the farm animals, including inside where the cows are kept as well as outside where you can get up close and personal with the sheep, a curious calf, goats, you name it. The caretakers cottage was interesting too. And they sell the best maple ice-cream here. You do have to pay for a tour of the main house and they have their own scheduled times, but it was very interesting to learn about it's history, including seeing the original wallpaper in one of the rooms and getting a taste of how the Rockefellers used to live. Must visit!

You get to see and learn a lot for the price of admission. There are plenty of animals to see and the house tour is very enjoyable as well. The staff we talked to inside the house is very knowledgeable about the family, time period, and furnishings. It looked like they were working on renovating some of the gardens when we were there as well, and everything looked like it is well-kept.

The cows are pretty and friendly. We only did the hiking trails, good views of town from the top

This place does not have the victorian mansion, it is across this place but they share parking space with the farm. Tours are set at times depending on the crowd and sells ticket on the spot. A good half day to fully be involve but a day worth of trip if you are going to read every description. A good place for a family visit. Lots of awards and family history.

I freaking adore this farm. I wish there was a portal for me to come and visit whenever I wanted to spend a few hours. There's an adorable vegetable garden with lots of different crops, a huge sunflower maze that's about as twice as all as a person, cows, sheep, goats (I LOVE the baby goats!!! so much!! they are so friendly and adorable), weird fluffy chickens, a giant rabbit, some wild-ish apple trees, a snack bar that served me a raspberry fruit popsicle that was so good I felt my face reacting in shocked amazement, a demo center where I watched a woman making little apple-cheddar turnover bites with phyllo dough (no small feat! that stuff is tricksy), and the original house of the... farm manager, maybe? There's also a short hike through the woods that takes you over to a small river. Very manageable, no up-and-down. Wear socks though. It's very chill here, you're not herded around from place to place so you really could just come and relax and see things at your own pace. Definitely recommend this for children especially if they love animals and/or flowers. Also, if you have a chance to (gently) pet the stem of a Mexican sunflower -- the smallish red-orange one -- it is velvety soft like a baby bunny.

The staff was amazing, well versed in history, and extremely friendly. Plenty of snacks and things for visitors of all ages at the gift shop.

Cute farm with good history. Was able to see the cow milking. Would high recommend seeing the video first and starting your tour at the managers house. We did it backwards still good, but makes more sense the other way.

This farm was so cool and surprisingly interactive. We watched all of the cows during their milking. My daughter named one of the cows "meaty" which I got a big kick out of. Super highly recommended - a great time!

Very beautiful place loved the sunflower garden/maze. Very interactive. Museum was educational. Cheese was great.

A wonderful place to learn about the importance of farming and conservation. Lots of fun for young children and pretty amazing cheese!

What a fun farm! Who doesn't want to hug a horse, pet a calf and learn how butter was made in the late 1800s? You can do it all here. We spent about 2 hours wandering the ground, petting everything in site and learning from the awesome staff staged across the farm and museum. Recommend checking out the daily schedule when you arrive and plan your adventure across the farm and museum accordingly. Try to squeeze in the educational movie first. It's super interesting and well made, telling the history of the farm and it's impressive history of attracting and fostering conservationists.

Such a slice of heaven. My sister and I were visiting from NYC and Billings Farm was just what the soul needed. We came on a Wednesday afternoon so it was nice and quiet. They have an interactive and educational exhibit on the history of farming and Vermont that was really interesting. Great for kids and adults alike. The Farm Manager's house is a neat piece of history as well with friendly and informative tour guides who were great to learn from. It was fascinating learning the impact that George Aitken had on Vermont and the farming industry and how progressive he was. The cherry on top of course was meeting the amazing animals. The cows are such a joy to be around and so neat to see the ladies at work. The staff inside the barns are also great to talk to to and very informative. They love their animals and their enthusiasm was contagious. We also had the privilege to meet and pet some calfs who were so friendly and sweet. Walking around the farm grounds is also a treat and picturesque with beautiful horses galloping against the rolling green hills of the Green Mountain State. We finished our visit with apple cider, cheese and donuts from the Dairy Barn. Make sure you buy cheese! We were informed that the pandemic has resulted in overproduction of it, so be sure to support the ladies and buy some cheese! All in all a 5-star experience for all ages.

The farm is beautiful, but unfortunately my visit today was ruined just as it began by an egregious instance of xenophobia. A Chinese man in front of me was speaking to the woman working at the outdoor front desk. She was extremely rude to this man, making fun of his accent and laughing that his email address was with QQ because she hadn't heard of it (the fifth most visited website in the world). She then explicitly told her colleague to follow him around because she did not believe he was going to buy a ticket inside as he said he would. Unfortunately I did not get her name as she was covering her name tag, but I did catch that the last name started with "H." Until they get their racism under control, I would absolutely not suggest visiting.

The price for entrance was expensive for what they offered ($16 per person). Too many individuals asking if we needed help (hard to believe, I know). We had to try an avoid them in order to not get interrupted as we were looking around. Can see the animals but can't touch any besides the Jersey cows, which I understand with COVID (price should definitely be lowered). Jersey cows were the best part of it. There was also cute sheep.

The Woodstock, VT area is beautiful. I totally need to visit now when the leaves change as I imagine it'll be quite spectacular. I saw a story on the house of sunflowers exhibit and since that's one of my favorite flowers I really needed to check it out. I believe it's going to be on display until the end of the season. Billings Farm & Museum is actually a huge property. You have the farm area and across the street is an area with trails and the history of the mansion museum. Signage is not great. I was initially trying to find the sunflowers first and somehow ended up at the trails. Really nicely maintained trails that are steep but not too difficult. There's a spot 1.4 miles away that I'll be back to try when the weather is a bit cooler. The displays are nicely put together and informative. It wasn't very crowded in this part of the farm. The farm is also vast but once you go the correct direction there are plenty of signs guiding you to the exhibits. It's free to enter and roam around, and also has a cute gift shop. My first stop was the sunflower display and this was actually the most disappointing part of the visit. It's not as big and not as nicely put together as photos showed online. Plus, it's one way and if you get trapped behind a group of IG photo takers, well... you're kind of slowed down and trapped and if you're like me a bit annoyed to be held up. I only did a portion of the exhibit before moving on to the animals and barns. You can pet baby goats outside. There are tons of sheep. I saw some rabbits in one barn that were as large as dogs. No info on any of these animals though which would have been appreciated. And highlight of visit, I got to pet a cow. I think she liked it but hard to tell. Cool experience. I'll definitely return in the fall and probably based on timing, if you can get in and not stuck behind large groups then the sunflower attraction is definitely worth checking out.

Loved this place! You really get to see the goings on of a working dairy farm and all the people that work there are so helpful and informed. we spent two hours there cause we got there late but you could definitely spend 4 hours there easily. We didn't get a chance to see all they had on the second floor. I would highly recommend and hope to return.

My kids (13 and 16) were not in favor of this visit but LOVED it. The animals stole their hearts and made them howl with laughter. The managers house, candle making and mince pie making were engaging. Except for the one lady in the pie making who kept yelling about them covering their noses. That was obnoxious. Otherwise it was well worth the visit.

Loved everything about this place! Super special! Very nice people and everything was well kept. Highly recommend!

Beautiful farm, wonderful animals and a super knowledgeable staff! Everyone is so friendly. Also, the cheese is awesome.

We enjoyed stopping here for family day with young children. It is very scenic and fun to see some cows and horses. There is not that much to do for young kids (not enough patience for the museum), so good for a family who enjoys simple pleasures and ability to run around a little. We packed a picnic lunch and ate at their outdoor tables. There was also an opportunity to buy ice cream and cheese.

Delightful spot for a safe, physically distant, family outing. We went to Billings with our crew of high school and college aged teenagers. You get to see the workings of the farm, see the animals, in our case - look at a quilt exhibition/contest, and best of all eat ice cream. I'd highly recommend a stop at Billings if you're in the area.

This was a small stop on my wife and I's drive out to Burlington. We didn't have much expectations and were just looking to see some dairy cows and try some cheese. We ended up spending almost 2 hours here just looking around at all the different farm animals and museum with old agricultural artifacts. It was fascinating and we had a blast! Bonus points for being able to pet some sheep and heifers, and seeing some crazy looking chickens! BTW - the 3 cheeses which they let you sample for free were excellent as well :)

The girls and I had a lot of fun at the farm. The museum is very educational and laid out very nicely. I love being able to teach my kids how and where their food comes from and the work that goes into it. There were a lot of activities from time period yard games, thrashing grain, apple pealing, live music, milking cows, a presentation on chickens, horses, sheep, ice cream, farm house tour...plenty to fill and afternoon. I highly recommend checking it out.

We had a great time at the Museum. Did not expect to have such a great time. We visited during the Christmas Season and the house was decorated for the season, but more importantly the staff created some really interesting crafts for the little ones. My grandson enjoyed making his own ornaments and resting his own candle. The staff was really great and patient working with the little ones of all ages. The Museum portion was also very informative, it was appropriate for all ages. I enjoyed seeing all the tools and artifacts which helped farmers in this region develop but yet my grandson of 6 was enjoying reading the information on all the displays. Next we moved to the farm house and they had someone there reading a Christmas story for the little ones again a nice touch to keep the little ones engaged and they also had another crafts section where kids built their own cornucopia. Finally we visited the barn which provided an opportunity for us to pet and learn about the barn animals. Overall we really enjoyed the visit and highly recommend it for adults and children as well. Definitely take the time to include this museum if you are in the area.

Beautiful grounds, really interesting museum, and nice people working there. My only downside was that their dairy bar was only open to the students on field trips so we couldn't try their food. Otherwise, we loved roaming around, making butter, meeting the sheep and goats, trying the delicious milk from their cows, and- by far the highlight of my daughter's life and mine- getting to pet and cuddle the calves. They were beautiful and so sweet and cuddly, and I wanted to take home one so badly!! It was nice for suburban folk to get so up and close with those beautiful animals.

This is a must-do if you're visiting Woodstock. Especially if you're with kids, but even without. We went over President's Day weekend, which was a unique time, as the farm is on a different schedule. The best thing about going on a winter day was the sleigh ride, included in the (already very reasonable) price of admission. When you tour the farmhouse, you'll find knowledgeable staff who can tell you all about the history of the area and will likely be baking something delicious-smelling in the old wood-burning stove (when we were there it was the favorite cookies of Teddy Roosevelt, which we got to sample along with some hot cider!). They have various programs where you can learn about and interact with the farm animals, but you can still visit and pet them on your own time. The sheep are very friendly--especially Heidi--she'll have you pet her nose and give you a lick in return (don't worry--all the barns have hand sanitizer). Definitely stop by the gift shop, where you can sample various cheeses. One warning--the farm can be VERY muddy, so best to wear rain boots or something you can rinse off easily.

Billings Farm is on a large expanse of land. It has a lovely set up that allows visitors to learn a lot about the farm and to meet the farm's animals. My kid especially liked the ice cream making demonstration- and eating it of course. The horses and cows were also very friendly.

Billings Farm is a lovely place to spend an afternoon. I recently went to Baby Animal Day and it was so fun to pet all of the animals, learn about their cheese production, and get some ice cream while looking around at Picturesque Woodstock, VT. It's a perfect activity for families or couples! Enjoy!

What a cool experience. Well staffed, organized, and professional. The farmhouse, complete with multiple interpreters waiting inside to deliver the fascinating story of the farm. Great way to spend a day in Woodstock, any season.

Our family LOVES Billings Farm. It is great fun for all ages. The sleigh rides in the winter, the wagon rides in the summer, the baby animals in the spring. The staff is lovely! There are lots of great activities for kids. The old house is great to tour. The scenery is awesome. Make a day of it and visit The Worthy Burger in Quechee for lunch afterwards!

If you are in Woodstock and have some time, you should visit the Billings Farm. It does a good job of presenting a working farm and has some very good demonstrations of a working farm. This is a good stop.

David Simmons runs an excellent museum. Our youngest child was riveted throughout the day, the older school kids learned a lot and engaged in the hands on stuff, the staff were authentically enthusiastic about what they were presenting, and the facility overall is top notch. A day well spent.

While in Woodstock, VT we checked out a real working dairy farm. Billings Farm & Museum, is not just a dairy farm, it also is a museum dedicated to preserving the history and values of rural Vermont. It boasts artifacts dating back to 1871. My daughter and I didn't do the tour here. We opted just to see the farm as her four year old attention span didn't seem interested in farm life from the 1800's. We found our way to the dairy farm and I was able to teach her where our milk comes from. We were also able to pet sheep, cows and horses which we both really enjoyed. Beyond that there wasn't much to do for little kids so our visit was a short one at about 45 minutes. It was a bit sad to see all the dairy cows in their little stalls. But that's the truth about life in a dairy farm.

If you like history, this is a wonderful part of our history in the United States. Take time to watch the short movie about the mansion and it's owners over the years. The 1-hour tour takes you to the 3rd floor. But you get to see most of the mansion in the 30 min tour.

Excellent...go there! Experience a live, working farm. We loved petting the cows! Tour the farm and museum and go on a hike in the National Park which is right there.

My boyfriend and I were staying in Killington but due to weather conditions had to forgo skiing one day during our trip. We drove to Woodstock to walk around and found this farm. The museum is really something special and I really enjoyed meeting the sheep and pigs. The market/gift shop had lots of local treasures like cheese and maple syrup. Had a really nice visit. The cows were chained up in their stalls and although it may be for good reason, it made me really sad to see. That's the reason I give 4 stars instead of 5

Sure, not every one is into fine art and conservation history or baby animals or finding out how tough Vermonters made do "back in the day." But I find it fascinating. Lived close by for a year and never went. Shame. But took my folks there recently. Sadly, we only had an hour before it closed. Our options were to go outside and see the working dairy farm; stay in the main building and see the museum; watch a documentary in the museum; go across the street and see the old mansion that was last occupied by the Laurence Rockefellers before they donated it to the National Parks. We stayed inside to explore the museum exhibits and read about the families that lived on this farm. Lots of info about the conservation movement started by Marsh and continued by Billings and Rockefeller. Very interesting for any environmentally concerned citizen! They also had lots of artifacts from old farm days -- not just butter churns but plow parts and ice-cutting things and barrel-making tools. Stuff you never really think about. It was especially interesting for me to go with my dad, who grew up in rural Korea in the 40's, when it still unindustrialized. He compared the equipment and methods he had seen used to the ones presented and explained in the museum. The we dashed across the street for our scheduled tour of the Mansion. My husband is a contractor, I love old houses, and we all love art and history, so this was way cool for us. Our guide was some kind of intern -- very nice kid who really knew his stuff: about trees, architecture, art, the furniture, the families who had lived there. It's beautiful inside, of course. Lots of nice pieces from the Hudson River School of Art, graceful furniture. Billings farm is a nice way to travel in time to a world gone by, and to understand how some forward-thinking people have shaped the world we live in today by thinking about nature and conservation and how we can be good stewards of our world. And yes, there are lots of cute animals!

Visiting Billings Farm was an enchanting experience. The beautiful land stretches across green pastures and foliage clad hills. More important than this physical beauty, this place embodies a progressive and ethical approach in its treatment of its animals. The cows were the best cared for I have seen and exhibited gentility- would be a wonderful activity to take children into the barn to see the animals. Docents at the farmhouse were knowledgeable and eager to share the history of the estate with visitors. When I visited, there was also a fantastic craft show occurring where local Vermont woodworking craftsmen/ women were sharing their crafts and selling reasonably priced bowls/ other products. The way this craft show was organized was not overly commercialistic and maintained the true Vermont spirit. I would highly recommend visiting the dairy bar which had amongst the best quality ice cream that I have ever had- loved the root beer float. This place is a must see.

If you are traveling along Route 4 and you happen to stumble upon Billings Farm, you could stop in and think you are in fr a good time. What it really amounts to is a working farm, that is more for kids than anything. Aside from the Rockefeller house with not much in it besides art, there is not much here and even on harvest festival days, it is pretty dull for the 11 bucks a prson you are shelling out. I would skip this more "tourist trap" and try going to one of the Brewery tours or something more worth while. This place is not much more than a dull time.

I wish I could give this place 0 stars, for the embarrassing and despicable way I was treated by a clerk. When at the gift shop I asked about local restaurants, and to my surprise the response was horrendous. I was told "this isn't a place for my kind, it's an upscale area and upscale restaurants and they don't serve people like you". I didn't quite understand what she was insinuating, and then she said again, that this isn't a place for people like me, and to top it off she added, "did I make myself clear". Excuse me, I didn't come to our establishment to deal with bigotry and racism, when everyone else who she helped, was served with respect, and all happened to be a few shades lighter. She even turned her face to ask the people behind me if they needed help. I couldn't believe it, even another employee there looked at her, bewildered by what she was doing. But no said anything, they just watched. Thank you for ruining what could have been a good day. I hope no one ever receive customer service in that manner.

Another hidden gem of Woodstock. Sometimes it can be busy on the weekends, but it is still a great place to visit. I have only gone once during Wassail weekend. They have a great museum that gives an extremely detailed history of the farm. The best part was taking a gander at the livestock. Though the farm is very much an attraction it is still a working farm, so there are always a lot of things happening at once. If you go be sure to get a gander at the draft horses - they are by far the biggest horse I have seen - they make the Anheuser Busch Clydesdale's look like seeing eye ponies.

Very cool to go to especially if you are not all that familiar with dairy farming. THe people working there make it a top notch place to go to learn about the farming process and a bit about late 19th century history in the house tour and the museum. It wasn't crowded when we went - we got to talk with a gentleman who knew a whole lot about cows and showed us a ton - saw cows in the milk line, also saw newborn calfs which was really cool - they also have horses, chickens and sheep, so it'd be fun for little kids to see. The museum above the visitor's center had literally no one in it, but I found some good stuff up there as well Definitely a place to spend a few hours on a nice day - worth the 11 bucks to get in

The museum and film were both interesting, but the person who took my money was not very helpful. I was actually there to see the National Park, not the Farm. Turns out the Park Service Visitor Center was closed so I'm glad I saw the movie and museum to give me the history of the place. The farm is not good. The cows are chained in their stalls and barely have room to lie down. They were way overdue to be milked. If you want to see a very nice dairy farm, go to Kreiders in Lancaster, PA..

Randomly stumbled on this place while searching the internet for something to do in New England on president's day weekend that did not involve skiing. We went for their sleigh weekend and very much enjoyed touring the grounds, meeting the animals, and checking out the restored farmhouse. Had a great time and would definitely visit again.

We have come with our toddler and brought many out of state friends for the past 4.5 years when we moved to Vermont. I am surprised to read one cranky reviewer's complaint about the staff whom, in my experience, are ever helpful. Our son had a birthday party here in May, and the staff could not be more gracious or helpful. Imagine a dozen 2 and 3 year old kids roaming around, and the patience required to engage them in semi-structured activities. They went out of their way to provide a fun and meaningful experience. We've come for lots of special weekends here and are always impressed with the quality of the programs and professionalism of the staff. This is a great value - would and do highly recommend! The holidays are a particularly nice time to visit. The sleigh rides are included in your admission, and the decorations spectacular.

Had no expectations when we arrived. First impression was it seemed a little touristy. However, after talking with the manager who sold us our tickets and gave us the lay of the land, we really enjoyed ourselves. Very interesting how the Billings family were pioneers in sustainable farming. Every employee there seemed to love their job. We felt as if we had stepped back in time. Very good use of 3-4 hours.

I absolutely love this place! I went here with my family when we were visiting Vermont from San Francisco and can't wait to go back. Everyone who works there seem really passionate about what they do and answer all of your questions about the museum and farm animals. We got the chance to be there for feeding time with the new calves which was a really cool experience as we also got to pet them. If you go to visit definitely check out the gift shop, they sell the best cheese I have ever had - I am ordering supplies to send to SF! I can't recommend it enough.

Nice working farm and museum. I took the docent led tour of the house/farm office. The volunteers were friendly, and I admit I liked their gift shop. For you National Park Stamp folks, you can get the regular stamp for the Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller NHS here, too.

This was a great stop. You could walk the grounds and see and pet the cows and horses. The tour of the house was nice because it was decorated as a late 19 th century house. Many interesting features including copper/tin bathtubs and kitchen gadgets.