Explore our tomato growing process and sample from a selection of our finest tomatoes in this tasting tour! Participants will take note of the different flavor profiles of each cultivar and learn what makes each one taste so unique! We will be meandering through our field and growing tunnels, so be sure to wear farm appropriate shoeware.
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Come to the Trailside Nature Museum and learn some introductory skull identification techniques where you will interpret an animal’s skull to extrapolate clues on the animal’s diet, behavior, and environment.
Let’s gather together to enjoy Autumn in the gardens and orchard. We will record our stories in a journal, build with sticks, stems, rocks and blocks, and exercise our imagination. This is a chance for littles and caregivers to dig into gentle gardening with soil, water, bulbs, roots, or seeds. We always end with gratitude for forest friends and a cup of warm tea. Dress for the weather and bring a snack. Registration required. Ages 18mo-4yr
Join us in this hands-on workshop where you will learn how to sustainably collect seeds from native plants, both in the wild and within our Seed Increase Plots! Participants will learn to properly identify species, examine plant populations, determine whether a population is suitable for collection, check seed for ripeness, perform a cut test, and fill out a data sheet to record important information for future collections.
Pre-registration is required for this workshop. All techniques are researched by scientists and implemented by the Bureau of Land Management’s National Seed Strategy.
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Join us at the Trailside Nature Museum and lean about some medicinal plants that likely grow in your own yard. Find out where these plants came from, their uses, and methods to prepare them.
Take a shoreline hike with Read Sanctuary’s resident Naturalist to learn about the intertidal and marine ecology of the Sound and visit the Living Shoreline habitat restoration. Ages 7 and up, footwear appropriate for rocky shoreline required.
Meet at the nature lodge for a guided hike, followed by mindfulness activities for students grades 4+.
Join us at Trailside this weekend for a guided exploration of our fall landscape. Together we will identify the many wildflowers only visible during the autumn months and learn about their historical uses.
Discover the diversity of plant life on Hilltop’s trails, along with historical uses, foraging practices, crafting potential, and more in this guided walk.
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Come along on an exciting outdoor adventure at our ice pond! In this hands-on program, you’ll venture to the pond to search for macro-invertebrates — small aquatic beings that tell us a lot about the health of our water and ecosystem. Through this experience, you’ll discover how the presence or absence of these critters can help us assess water quality and environmental well-being. This program is perfect for curious learners who appreciate environmental conservation and don’t mind getting a little wet or muddy while exploring nature. We’ll provide all the materials you need for this exploration, but be sure to wear clothes that can get messy and, if possible, waterproof boots to stay comfortable during your aquatic adventure!
For ages 8+. Pre-registration required.