Upcoming Events & Programs
Bird Walk: Song Sparrow
8 am, Saturday, September 13
Join local birders to gather long-term data on the presence of birds, their abundance, and changes in populations. Meet in the Welcome Center parking lot. Appropriate for birders of all skill levels, the walks run along uneven terrain on forest and meadow trails and around the main house. Free. No registration required.
Hildene's Autumn Harvest Festival
4:00 PM - Dusk, Friday, September 26th
Join us for a festive fundraiser in support of our Annual Fund.
Mark your calendar for a celebration where joy and generosity come together.
Please join us for a fun, family-friendly fundraising celebration at Hildene Farm in the dene! This community gathering features local food, live music, drinks, flower picking, barnyard animals, crafts, children’s games, pumpkin picking, an apple pie contest, and more!
Tickets are only sold online until September 12; you will not be able to buy a ticket at the event.
Your support helps sustain all that is Hildene — from its historic home and gardens to its farms and educational programs. Thank you!
Questions? Please email Christine Furman.
Morning in the Formal Garden
Morning in the Formal Garden
10 - 11 am, Saturday, September 13
Join us for our final Formal Garden gathering of the season! Enjoy a morning stroll through the flower gardens of Hildene with a horticulturist. Learn a little bit about the history of the Formal Garden and beyond, along with current ecological gardening techniques. Ask your gardening questions while exploring the formal garden, pollinator gardens, and cutting & kitchen gardens.
Free with admission. All guests must check in at the Welcome Center to pay admission or pick up their member stickers. (Pre-registration not required.) Meet under the awning at the back of the Lincoln family’s home. Rain or shine.
Hildene Reads!
Eager: The Surprising, Secret Life of Beavers and Why They Matter
7 - 8:30 pm, Wednesday, September 17
Online & Free
Join Hildene staff to discuss Ben Goldfarb's PEN Award winner, a powerful story of how one of the world’s most influential species can help us fight drought, flooding, wildfire, extinction, and climate change — and how we can learn to coexist with our fellow travelers on this planet. “A marvelously humor-laced page-turner about the science of semi-aquatic rodents… Goldfarb has built a masterpiece of a treatise on the natural world.” — The Washington Post
The discussion is free and will be facilitated via Microsoft Teams. For more information and to register, contact Stephanie at 802-367-7960 or send an email.
Peony Dividing Workshop
11 - 12 pm, Saturday, September 27
Have your peony plants outgrown their space in your garden? Do you want to share their beauty with others? Learn the best methods and tools for dividing peonies from Hildene’s horticulturists in this hands-on workshop. Participants will practice on some of Hildene’s historic peonies and take home one of the divisions. Discussion will include the history of the estate’s historic peony collection and best management practices for planting and growing healthy plants.
Program fee: $25 for members/ $30 for non-members. Space is limited. Registration required by Thursday, September 25. Contact Stephanie at 802-367-7967 or send an email.
Members Only! Early Access Day: Fall Foliage
9 am, Saturday, October 4
Join us an hour before we open to walk our trails to enjoy the fall foliage! Beat the crowds and bring your camera to take in the gorgeous colors in the morning light. First, check in at the Welcome Center with your membership card, then walk the trails and the Formal Garden. Please note, the house will not be open until 10 AM when we open to the public.
For more information, contact Christine at 802-367-7964 or send an email.
Fall Wagon Rides
Family Fun at Hildene Farm
10:30 am - 2:30 pm, Sunday, October 5, 12, and 19
The Hildene farm staff will host autumn wagon ride tours of the dene. Stops along the route include the greenhouse, pastures, orchard, wetland/floating boardwalk, apiary, animal barn (including alpaca, Randall cattle, pigs, sheep, rabbits and chickens), and vegetable and flower gardens. Come meet our animals and learn about Hildene’s diverse natural and cultivated ecosystems and sustainable farming practices. The tractor—drawn wagon rides will be making a continuous loop of the dene between 10:30 AM and 2:30 PM. You may get on and off at any stop, as room permits.
Free with admission. All parking is at the Welcome Center; participants may walk or take the tram to the dene. For more information, please contact Stephanie at 802-367-7960 or send an email.
Bird Walk: Ring-necked Duck
8:00 - 10:00 am, Saturday, October 11
Join local birders to gather long-term data on the presence of birds, their abundance, and changes in populations. Meet in the Welcome Center parking lot. Appropriate for birders of all skill levels, the walks run along uneven terrain on forest and meadow trails and around the main house. Free. No registration required. Questions? Contact Stephanie at (802) 367-7960 or click to email .
The Ring-necked Duck is one of those birds who seem to be misnamed. Its most distinctive field mark is a white ring around the BILL, but it gets its name from a chestnut collar on the black neck which is rarely noticeable in the field. The male is a dark-colored duck with white/gray sides and belly; the female is a uniform dark brown with a distinct narrow white eye ring and bill ring. These birds gather in large mixed flocks during fall migration and are common on VT lakes. They breed further north and winter in the southern U.S. and Mexico. With the diverse habitat at Hildene, the Ring-necked Duck is on Hildene’s ‘Life List’ of ‘seen’ birds.
Members-Only Walk
Dellwood Cemetery Stroll with Shawn Harrington
9 am, Friday, October 25
Park on Hildene Road next to Dellwood where we will meet Shawn Harrington and explore the interesting history of the cemetery. Shawn is always amazing with his historical knowledge of Manchester, Hildene, and the cemetery.
Please wear comfortable walking shoes, plan for some mud, bring water, and wear sunscreen/bug spray. No need to RSVP.
For more information, contact Christine at 802-367-7964 or send an email.
Bird Walk: Blue Herons
9:00 - 10:30 am, Saturday, November 15
Meet at the Welcome Center parking lot. 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 run along uneven terrain on forest and meadow trails and around the main house. No registration required. Questions? Contact Stephanie at (802) 367-7960.
It might seem strange to profile the blue/gray Great Blue Heron in November, but these birds are hardy and will stay around as long as there is open water for feeding on fish, frogs, cray fish, small rodents, turtles — anything within reach of their long, spear-like bills and long necks. The long legs match the long bills enabling herons to stalk tall along the edges of the waters and strike their quarry with incredible accuracy and speed. Their long necks have a special vertebra to help with bending and flexibility that allows them to swallow large prey whole. Great Blue Herons seen in flight flap slowly, have trailing legs, and carry their heads in an S shape.
Bird Walk: Brown Creeper
9:00 - 10:30 am, Saturday, December 6
Meet at the Welcome Center parking lot. 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 run along uneven terrain on forest and meadow trails and around the main house. No registration required. Questions? Contact Stephanie at (802) 367-7960.
Seeing a Brown Creeper is always special! This slim bird, with a brown speckled back and white front, probes for insects in crevices of a tree trunk with its slender, downcurved bill. It uses its long, spine-tipped tail as a balancing tool. Brown Creepers build their hammock-shaped nests behind peeling flakes of bark. Sometimes hearing their high pitched, thin call is the only indication that Brown Creepers are about. They live throughout the U.S. and are year-round residents in Vermont.
