Bookmark Felting Workshop
Sunday, February 1st
1:00 - 3:00 pm
Gather in the greenhouse, bring your favorite book, sip some tea, and learn how to felt whimsical bookmarks using a mix of roving from Hildene’s flock of Corriedale sheep and Huacaya alpaca with Hildene Farm Agriculture Manager and Educator Kim Pinsonneault. Felted bookmarks are gentle on both books and hands and make lovely gifts.
$30 members /$35 nonmembers, which includes materials fee.
Limited to 15 participants. Registration required by Thursday, January 29. Call Stephanie at (802) 367-7960 or click the button below to register.
Bird Walk
Saturday, February 7th
9:00 - 10:30 am
Join local birders to gather long-term data on the presence of birds, their abundance, and changes in populations. Appropriate for birders of all skill levels, the walks traverse uneven terrain on forest and meadow trails and around the main house. Meet at the Welcome Center parking lot.
February Bird Note: Red Crossbills and White-winged Crossbills are medium-sized finches with distinctively crossed bills adapted to extract seeds from spruce, fir, pine and other conifer tree cones. When they pry into a cone, the crossed bill tips come together. With some twisting and turning of their heads, they force a gap between the cone scales. They then use their tongues to retrieve the seed inside. Crossbills are largely nomadic, following cone production. Because cone production in the north has been low this year, there is a prediction that this will be an eruption year: finches will be heading south looking for food. Crossbills flock year-round. They often call in flight and can be spotted feeding at the tops of conifers. Each species has its own feeding niche. While there have not been any sightings of the White-winged Crossbills at Hildene yet, there have been sightings of the Red Crossbill.
No registration is required. Call Stephanie at (802) 367-7960 or click the button if you have any questions.
Hildene Reads! Our Ancient Faith: Lincoln, Democracy, and the American Experiment
Thursday, February 12th
7:00 - 8:30 pm
In honor of President Lincoln’s birthday, join Hildene staff for a discussion of 3-time Gilder Lehrman Lincoln Prize winner Allen Guelzo’s timely and riveting “Our Ancient Faith.” Guelzo examines Lincoln’s deep commitment to democracy –- a portrait that speaks to today’s struggles to safeguard the nation's founding principles.
The discussion is free and will be held from 7:00 to 8:30 pm online. For more information and to register, call Stephanie at (802) 367-7960 or click the button below.
Pullman Porters: Unsung Heroes
Sunday, February 15th
2:00 - 3:30 PM
In honor of Black History Month and the 100th anniversary of the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters Union, Hildene is offering an immersive program on the Pullman porters, followed by a guided tour of its 1903 Pullman railcar, Sunbeam. Join Hildene educator Lisa Maggio to learn about the critical role Pullman porters played in the Pullman Company, the emergence of America’s Black middle class, and the formation of the Black labor movement. Discover how the porters helped to advance the civil rights movement. This fascinating slice of American history actually begins with the Emancipation Proclamation and ends with the March on Washington. Explore what it was like to travel and work on a Pullman car and engage in discussion about the porters’ enduring fight for social change and justice in America.
$20 Members / $25 Non-members.
Registration is required by Friday, February 13. Call Stephanie at (802) 367-7960 or click the button below to register.
