Welcome Back!

By Chris Hubbard, Education Director

Late in the winter of 2020, our sights were on Pancake Breakfast and the upcoming field season, as we anticipated the arrival of schoolchildren coming for field trips. We had begun scheduling Sap to Syrup programs, which allow children to explore maple sugaring, and we were anticipating our spring 6th grade Next Generation Science Standard (NGSS) program season. That planning all came to an end in mid-March of 2020, as plans were put on hold due to Covid.

Today, we are planning and offering a full line-up of programming. Currently we have school groups coming up to learn about maple sugaring, as students explore the stories and science behind this timehonored tradition through interactive experiences. We are also planning and looking forward to the return of students for our 6th grade NGSS program. Regional teachers are booking and scheduling their multi-day field trips which will allow their students the opportunity to investigate the landscape as they delve into a variety of ecosystem studies with hands-on interactions.

April will bring two workshops, one focused on phenology and vernal pools and how to document observations using pencil and paper and smartphone apps. Families will be able to join us for an Earth Day celebration as we take a walk to the farm to meet our sheep and then engage in a hands-on project creating felted woolen Earth balls. Professional training courses are being offered and are filling up, with Game of Logging chainsaw safety courses and a Wilderness First Aid class being offered in May and June. And soon we’ll begin offering our classic Sunday and Thursday Meet and Feed programs, where families can join us as we take care of our animals during our daily rounds of chores, feeding and watering our sheep, piglets, chickens, and horses.

It’s exciting to have people back on the land, to be able to offer our full suite of programs to the public after such a long hiatus. It’s wonderful to be able to see a child’s eyes light up at the sight of a new lamb, or to feel the nuzzle of a horse’s nose. And it’s gratifying to see students become excited about the world around them, as they discover that science can be fun, and something they’d be interested in pursuing as a career. The sun is getting warmer, and soon the grass will be getting greener. And we’re looking forward to seeing you up on the mountain!