We loved the Billings Farm so much on Wednesday that we returned on Thursday. Our ticket was good for both days, and so on Thursday we were able to see the full butter-churning presentation and the academy award-winning movie about the Rockefeller who ultimately owned the estate and the farm. Abe and I were so moved to learn how much he gave and also how deeply all of the stewards of that farm cared for and regenerated the land. I had read about Thomas Marsh in my Alexander Von Humboldt book, but this was huge re-enforcement. I would have totally forgotten him as a character if I hadn’t had this experience. What an incredible person. Abe and I were talking about the irony that he and Joseph Smith were born within miles and a few years of each other.
One claimed to be a prophet while raping women. The other made no such claim but totally transformed the land and preserved America’s ecology by championing conservation so effectively. Vermont in the early 19th century had 80% fewer trees than it does today. It is thanks in part to Marsh’s revolutionary book and advocacy that America started to recover its native ecology.
We went on a hay ride and afterwards spent a lot of time admiring the quilt show in the barn. Clarissa played for an hour with quilt blocks while Ammon and Abe meditated on a slooooow movie from the 80’s about a craftsman making a water trough. It was a really nice movie, but the pace was nail by nail. Perfect after a week of hurried activity, so both of them just sat there transfixed. I watched a while but started wondering how the girls were doing and so went to find them and admire the quilts some more.
Ammon making butter: https://photos.app.goo.gl/PSDEZz3u43G7DP3z7
Clarissa making butter: https://photos.app.goo.gl/exnUySpsugvTWTLR8
Then we headed to back to The Skinny Pancake for lunch. It was much busier than the day before and ate up almost two hours of the day. We waited in line forever, but it was worth it. I honestly would go back to Vermont or Maine or wherever The Skinny Pancake lives just to eat there. It is on my top five of all time restaurant list. I hope one comes to Raleigh! Those beet hushpuppies are something else.
Then we checked out Woodstock. We went to a cute gift shop where I bought a blue glass necklace and wandered to the local covered bridge. We also ducked into the Danforth Pewter shop and discovered that every year they make one of Snowflake Bentley’s snowflakes! What a thing to collect. I was tempted but it doesn’t quite go with my tree theme. But maybe?
Then we headed back to the Rockefeller estate and caught the gift shop just before closing. The kids wanted to play croquet and not hike, so Abe and I took a brief walk to the gardens and in a mini loop behind the house while the kids played. By the time we came back we found the croquet gone (the staff put it away when the center closed) and Ammon entertaining all the girls by acting silly and doing somersaults down a hill. They were just sitting there laughing and watching him. I was worried about ticks and it was getting to the point where we felt we might cut it close for dinner.
Ammon entertaining the girls as he so often does: https://photos.app.goo.gl/cssgbC95pQEhhPzs6
We then drove back to Liberty Hill Farm, where we were sadly the only guests that night. We missed our German friends! But it was nice talking to Beth and Cheryl, and I learned the name of a lake I need to check out if we make it to Maine anytime. Sebago Lake is her favorite, and she lives in Maine. She and Beth learned in that conversation that they both went to Sebago Lake every summer as children, and they have been friends for over four decades!
After dinner the kids played cards while Abe and I packed and packed. I think at least half of us took baths. Then we finished up the night by playing Cover Your Assets together as a family, and we all had so much fun. That is definitely my favorite game to play as a family. By far.
Then I gave everyone a magnesium chocolate with calcium and put everyone to bed. It was a lovely, lovely day.