Senator Justin Morrill

Justin Smith Morrill was a serious student of landscape design and an avid horticulturist.  His designs and plantings for the walkways and grounds around his home are in the best tradition of the mid-nineteenth century Romantic Landscape Movement in America. Morrill’s landscape plans draw from Victorian tastemaker and horticulturist Andrew Jackson Downing. His gardens were filled with new plants just being introduced to this country from Europe, Asia, and South America.  Come learn more about our famous Senator’s landscape design and horticultural interests. Please pre-register.

Suggested donation: $5.00

For more information or to register, please visit morrillhomestead.org, or call (802) 765-4288.

This is a program of the the Friends of the Morrill Homestead. 

World Story Exchange teacher Scott McClure Miller has taught photography to children in 11 countries for the past decade. Young people ages 8 to 11 can join Scott this summer for a week-long exploration of photography on the lovely grounds of the Morrill Homestead. Each day will be a fun mixture of learning and practicing new skills while enjoying the outdoors. The week will culminate with a photo exhibit of campers’ work in the Strafford Post Office. Cameras are provided.

Dates: July 26 - 30

Time: 9:00 a.m. - noon

Fee: $150 per camper

For more information or to register, visit morrillhomestead.org, or call (802) 765-4288.

This is a program of the Friends of the Morrill Homestead. 

A week-long camp for young artists, ages 6 to 12. Explore the nature and architecture of the Morrill Homestead through drawing, nature journaling, and watercolor painting with instructor Jennifer Brown. Make your own handmade books for sketching and finished work. Drawing will include direct observation of nature, drawing games, and techniques to improve your skills. Pre-registration is required.

Dates: July 19 -23

Time: 9:00 a.m. to noon

Fee: $125 per camper

For more information or to register, please visit morrillhomestead.org, or call (802) 765-4288.

This is a program of the Friends of the Morrill Homestead.

A walking tour of Strafford Village which remains much the same as in Morrill’s time. Tours include Morrill’s birthplace, his father’s blacksmith shop, two libraries, the Strafford Town House, and the mausoleum where Morrill is buried.

Fee: Adults $6 (Children under 15 free)

For more information, please visit morrillhomestead.org, or call (802) 765-4288.

This program is offered in collaboration with the Friends of the Morrill Homestead. 

Join photographer Scott McClure Miller for a 3-class series in creative and technical photography.  Scott has worked in a variety of photographic disciplines including documentary, studio, landscape, and macro. The class will be structured as part visual seminar, part field practice, and part critique/problem-solving. While people with all levels of experience will benefit from taking this series, the emphasis will be toward those with no formal training. Bring your own camera and laptop, or use one of our cameras and laptops.

Pre-registration required.

Dates: July 14, 21 & 28

Time: 5:00 to 7:00 p.m.

Fee: $150 

For more information or to register, visit morrillhomestead.org or call (802) 765-8288.

This is a program of the Friends of the Morrill Homestead.

Celebrate the start of summer with a visit to the Sen. Justin S. Morrill State Historic Site in Strafford, Vermont. For hours of operation, exhibit listings, and information on amenities, please check the site webpage.

Do you know which wild plant has sap containing salicylic acid (aspirin) or why apple seeds contain a touch of cyanide? Would you like to learn which native plants exude sap that can cure warts, or treat poison ivy? Join Michael Caduto, author of the Keepers of the Earth series, for this 1 ½ hour walk. Fee: $15 adults, $5 under 15. For more information or to register contact: director@morrillhomestead.org  Sponsored by the Friends of the Morrill Homestead. 

This one-week photo and video camp will be led by World Story Exchange teachers, Lindsay and Scott McClure Miller. Campers ages 12 to 16 will create photographs and documentary stories from start-to-finish using a variety of media tools and technology while exploring the history of the Justin Morrill State Historic Site and the village of Strafford. The camp day runs from 1:00 to 3:00 PM. Fee: $150 for the week. Sponsored by the Friends of the Morrill Homestead.

The annual Gallery in the Garden art show opening and silent auction is a highlight of the Upper Valley art season. This year’s show features works created in an array of styles by fine artists from the Strafford community, the Upper Valley, and beyond. Fifteen artists present their unique perspectives on the theme Farms & Barns, Roads & Rivers in ways that are moving, playful, profound, and inspiring. Featured artists are Matt and Jennifer Brown. Sponsored by the Friends of the Morrill Homestead.

This presentation for gardeners includes honeybee history, current threats to pollinator populations, benefits of honeybees in your garden, and best choices for pollinator foraging. We will discuss chemical vs. natural weed & pest control. Questions encouraged! Presentation by Sheri Englert of Vermont Beekeeping Supply. Admission fee: $5  Sponsored by the Friends of the Morrill Homestead.