For 20 years, the Plowshare Farm Shepherds' Play has brought joy to the region.

“I’ve had people stop me on the street and say, ‘This is my Christmas tradition-- thank you’,” said Plowshare Farm Director Kimberly Dorn. “There is something about the sweetness and purity of the play that really touches people.  Our folks, with their limited lines, they just give pure emotion.”

The play will be performed this year Wednesday, Dec. 18, at  7 p.m. at Union Congregational Church in Peterborough.

When Plowshare first decided to perform the Shepherds' Play in 2004, Dorn “cut 90% of the lines” to accommodate Plowshare’s students, who are have different levels of developmental disabilities. Each student performing in the play is assisted by a Plowshare staff member.

“We have the innkeeper, but then we have the ‘assistant innkeeper’  and other staff helping  the students with lines to make everything goes well,” Dorn said.

Plowshare Farm in Greenfield is a residential lifesharing community for people with a wide range of abilities and capabilities. Students at the farm participate in farming and animal care, and the farm produces much of its own food. Plowshare sells products from the farm at the Local Share coffee shop at 43 Main St. in Wilton. 

Plowshare’s Shepherds' Play is an abridged version of the “Oberufer Shepherds’ Play,” a German medieval folk tale that has been passed down through generations.

“The Oberufer  Shepherds' Play is commonly performed in Waldorf schools, but typically, the teachers would perform the play for the students. At Plowshare, we decided the students would perform,” Dorn said. 

The play tells the tale of shepherds leaving their flocks on a winter night to follow the star to the manger where Jesus is born. While the Shepherds' Play was first performed at Plowshare, a ConVal teacher, the late Josie O’Donnell, encouraged Dorn to bring the play to Union Congregational Church in Peterborough. 

“We were a bit hesitant to do it at first, but the church was just wonderful. They made the programs, they sang carols for us, they made a great meal, and we started performing after their church dinner on Monday nights,” Dorn said. 

The play grew in popularity, and for years, the performance was standing-room-only in the UCC’s 100-seat hall. 

“Some years we performed to a full house on both Monday and Thursday nights the week before Christmas,” Dorn said. 

Plowshare has invited residents of similar communities, including the Tobias Community and Four Winds, both in Temple, as well as members of the public, to take part in the play each year. When COVID came, Plowshares brought  the play back to the farm for several years, but it returned to the UCC in 2023, and Dorn has “happily” handed of director’s duties to farm administrator  Sam Blair. 

For information about Plowshare Farm, go to plowsharefarm.org.