Calendar

The public is welcome to join a local birding group to conduct a survey of the wild birds present on the grounds of Hildene. The purpose of the walks is to gather long-term data on the presence of birds, their abundance, and changes in populations. Observations are entered into the (Vermont) eBird database where data is stored by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology for free access and international public use. For more information, please contact Stephanie at 802.367.7960.  Meet in the Welcome Center parking lot, 8:00am. Participants are asked to wear a mask (in the case of shared transportation) and practice social distancing. Free.

Join Hildene horticulturist, Andrea Luchini, for a stroll through gardens rooted in history and maintained to ensure a sustainable future. Explore both the historic formal, cutting and kitchen gardens, as well as the newer plantings such as the native plant pollinator and butterfly gardens. Come with your questions! This hour-long tour is for individuals or groups up to 10 persons: $10/person; Mondays, 11:00 to noon, and Fridays, 2:00 to 3:00pm, June 7 – October 15, by reservation only. Please note that this is an add-on tour and does not include general admission (which is $23/adult, $6/children ages 6 to 16, and free for children under 6 and for our members). Please contact Stephanie at (802) 367-7960 or stephanie@hildene.org.

Join Hildene Farm managers Ann Hausslein (gardens) and Kim Pinsonneault (livestock) on Sundays for a wagon ride exploration of Hildene Farm in the dene. Learn about the diverse natural and cultivated ecosystems and sustainable farming systems. Swing by the greenhouse, hayfields, orchard, wetland overlook, compost facility, apiary, animals (including alpaca, Randall cattle, pigs, sheep, rabbits and chickens), and vegetable, flower, and herb gardens. There is a lot to be discovered in the dene! Choose between a morning or early afternoon ride, September 5 – October 24. Registration required. $50 for a family/group (up to 4 people); $10 for each additional member, up to 8 maximum. Call or email Stephanie at (802) 367-7960 or stephanie@hildene.org.

Handmade for the Holidays!  Make decorative felted goat milk soap (scrubbies) Sunday, November 14, 1:00 to 3:00pm, with Hildene Farm managers Kim Pinsonneault and Misty Hosley. Felted soap acts as a soap and washcloth all in one. Wool, naturally antimicrobial and soft, makes for an ideal shower scrubby.  As you use it, the wool continues to shrink while the soap gradually diminishes. When the soap is gone, the shower scrubby remains. No waste! You’ll use Hildene Farm wool fiber and goat milk soap to create a sustainable, festive and useful home good or gift. In-person: $15 members/ $20 non-members, plus $15 materials fee which includes soap plus all fiber and tools. Limited to 15 participants. Preregistration required by Wednesday, November 10: stephanie@hildene.org or call 802-367-7960.

Looking for a fun way to nurture your child’s appreciation for the natural world? Check out our Into the Woods exploration backpack which contains all the essential tools for discovery. Through a series of stops along a Hildene trail, children will engage in hands-on forest activities. Suggested for ages 5 to 10, the adventure is intended to take between 1- 2 hours. Appropriate for all seasons with the exception of winter. Packs can be checked out from The Museum Store: $10 members/$15 for nonmembers in addition to admission. If the cost of this program presents a hardship, or for more information, contact Stephanie: (802) 367-7960 or stephanie@hildene.org.

The public is welcome to join a local birding group to conduct a survey of the wild birds present on the grounds of Hildene. The purpose of the walks is to gather long-term data on the presence of birds, their abundance, and changes in populations. Observations are entered into the (Vermont) eBird database where data is stored by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology for free access and international public use. For more information, please contact Stephanie at 802.367.7960.  Meet in the Welcome Center parking lot, 8:00am. Participants are asked to wear a mask (in the case of shared transportation) and practice social distancing. Free.

Robert and Mary's home is decorated as though it were Christmas Eve 1912. As of December 2nd and through the month, you'll experience the time, traditions, and nostalgia of holidays past. Current COVID protocols suggest there will be limited capacities in the home; masks and social distancing required.

The public is welcome to join a local birding group to conduct a survey of the wild birds present on the grounds of Hildene. The purpose of the walks is to gather long-term data on the presence of birds, their abundance, and changes in populations. Observations are entered into the (Vermont) eBird database where data is stored by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology for free access and international public use. For more information, please contact Stephanie at 802.367.7960.  Meet in the Welcome Center parking lot, 8:00am. Participants are asked to wear a mask (in the case of shared transportation) and practice social distancing. Free.

Hildene Reads will host a discussion of Witold Rybczynski’s A Clearing in the Distance on Wednesday, December 15, 6:00-7:00pm via Zoom. Frederick Todd was the landscape architect who designed Hildene's upper grounds for Mary and Robert Lincoln.  Because he apprenticed with the firm Olmsted, Olmsted and Eliot, we thought it would be fun to learn more about the great American landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted some of whose theories informed Todd’s designs.  (Todd himself would go on to be considered the “father of landscape architecture” in Canada.) Books may be purchased at Hildene’s Museum Store. To register for this free event, please email Stephanie: stephanie@hildene.org or call (802)367-7960.