SPRING FARM SCHOOL
Farm Preschool
March 21, 25, 26, 27, 28, April 4, 11, 25, May 2 | 9am – 12pm
Age 4 – Kindergarten (must be potty trained) | $50
Farm School
March 18, 25, 26, 27, 28, April 1, 8, 15, 22, 29 | 9am – 3pm
1st – 5th Grade | $65
At Farm School, nature is the classroom and the teacher. Children will expand their joy of learning as they care for the animals, tend to the gardens, and explore native Ohio habitats. From seed to table, Farm Schooler’s will participate in age-appropriate farming activities, engaging all of their senses, and gaining a deeper understanding of where their food comes from.
Spring Farm School Fridays have a highlighted focus each month:
March | Farm Babies & Vernal Pool
April | Wildflowers & Pollinators
Farm School will support grade level Ohio Academic Standards. Check with your district about Alternative Learning Experience credit for attending Farm School in place of a traditional school day. We’re excited for your child join us for a day of growth, exploration, and fun – where every moment is a lesson and every lesson is an adventure!
WILDFLOWER WALKS
Saturday, April 5 | 10am – 12pm | Edibles Within Spring Ephemerals
Saturday, May 17 | 10am – 12pm | Wildflower Identification
Recommended for adults or families | $5
Step into the beauty of spring with our guided Wildflower Walks at Stratford! Choose one (or both!) of our engaging sessions. In session one you’ll discover the delicious side of spring ephemerals as we explore edible wild plants hidden among the season’s first blooms. Learn to safely identify and sustainably harvest nature’s tastiest treasures. In session two take a deeper dive into the dazzling diversity of spring wildflowers. From delicate trilliums to vibrant violets, sharpen your identification skills and uncover the fascinating stories behind these fleeting beauties. In both sessions, you’ll have the opportunity to see how many different wildflowers you and your kiddos can find on a wildflower scavenger hunt as you immerse yourself in the magic of Ohio’s springtime blooms!
BEEKEEPING 4-H SPIN (SPecial INterest) CLUB
Every Other Thursday | April 3 – August 7, August 28 + September 4 | 4pm – 6pm
Ages 12 – 18 years old | $65
In association with the Delaware County 4-H Program, this is a unique opportunity for aspiring beekeepers and nature enthusiasts. Participants will thrive by combining classroom learning with invaluable hands-on experience caring for a dedicated beehive with guidance from expert apiary mentors with 80+ years combined experience! This club is specialized for youth ages 12-18 years old who are interested in learning all about honeybees and the roles these pollinators play in our ecosystem. As with anything in nature, nothing exists in isolation, and this is a great opportunity to learn a key skill that is important for sustaining our food supply, and the habitat needed to sustain both honeybees and native bees. Cost includes the use of Stratford’s equipment; veil, hive, bees, and all the tools needed to care for a dedicated honeybee hive.
SHEEP SHEARING DAY
Saturday, April 26 | 10am – 2pm
Open to all ages | $8 (Ages 2 and under free)
Bring the whole family to Stratford for a wooly experience! Stratford will provide visitors with an engaging experience while the resident sheep (and llama) receive their annual shearing. The flock will be shorn throughout the day, and our shearers will interpret the process from start to finish. Your family can visit stations to learn how wool is processed. Celebrate the spring season with us through hands-on fiber projects, visiting the farm babies in the barn, taking a picture with our selfie frame, tossing feathers up to see the tree swallows catch them out of thin air, hiking the trails for a wildflower walk and more!
Walk-ins welcome, but pre-registration is strongly encouraged to help us plan and to expedite check-in when you arrive. Pre-registration closes at 9am on April 25.
EDIBLE PLANT ID WALK & LUNCH
May 3 | 11am – 1pm
Ages 18 and up | $30
Join members of Stratford’s Herb Study Group for a spring walk in our gardens and woods to identify and learn how to incorporate culinary wild plants into your own meals. Then stay for lunch and sample dishes made from edibles obtainable this time of year. Handouts and recipes will be available for you to try at home.
EARTH DAY TREE PLANTING & INVASIVE SPECIES REMOVAL
April 12 | 10:00am – 12:00pm
Open to all ages | Free
Celebrate Earth Day with us! Help us plant native trees and remove non-native, invasive plants in our forest. Please wear clothes that can get dirty and closed toe shoes. We encourage you to bring your own work gloves, but we’ll have some available to borrow too. Tools will be provided.
Feel free to stay and visit the farm afterwards. Pet the animals in the barn, hike the trails, see what you can find in the vernal pools and more! You’ll have a chance to purchase our homegrown greens, pasture-raised, grass-fed meat, pure maple syrup, and more. What better way to celebrate Earth Day than helping to preserve our 236-acre slice of heaven?
Online registration required.
SECOND SATURDAY VOLUNTEERING | GARDENING OR INVASIVE SPECIES REMOVAL
Second Saturday of the Month | May – October | 9:00am – 12:00pm
Ages 18+ | Free
Join us for Second Saturday Volunteering! Each month we’ll tackle essential projects around the farm and nature preserve. Volunteers will have the option to choose between two important activities: (1) working in our greenhouse and gardens to nurture the crops we have growing or (2) helping to remove invasive plants that threaten the balance of our natural landscape. Whether you’re passionate about gardening, committed to ecological restoration, or just want to spend your Saturday morning giving back to the community, there’s a meaningful way for you to contribute.
No experience necessary! Training will be provided. Plan to wear clothes that can get dirty and closed toed shoes. We encourage you to bring your own work gloves, but we’ll have some available to borrow too. Tools will be provided.
Online registration required.
FAMILY FARM CHORES
Second Saturday of the Month | April – October | 9:30am – 11:30am
Geared towards families | $10 per person
Cock-a-doodle-doo! Rise with the rooster and join one of our experienced farm stewards to assist with morning chores. Get a behind the scenes experience feeding the animals, filling their water, gathering and washing eggs, and watering the garden. The whole family will leave with a deeper understanding of what it takes to run a small, family farm. You’ll also gain insight into the seasonal rhythms of farm life and the hard work that goes into producing our food.
STORY TIME ON THE FARM
Second Monday and Third Saturday of the Month | April – October | 10am – 11am
Recommended for ages 18 months to 8 years old | $5 per family
Stories are a fun way to introduce young children to nature and farm life. Each Story Time will have a theme based on the seasonal happenings at the farm and nature preserve. After listening to the story the children will then bring the story to life as they visit the farm and nature preserve. Online registration required.
YOGA ON THE FARM
Second Saturday of the Month | May – August | 8am – 9am
Recommended for adults | Donation Based
Embrace the tranquility of nature with Yoga on the Farm, led by a skilled instructor, this program invites you to start your day in harmony with the natural world. Enjoy a series of gentle yoga poses and mindful breathing exercises designed to enhance flexibility, strength, and inner peace. Set against the backdrop of lush greenery, each session offers a revitalizing experience for participants of all levels. Whether you’re a seasoned yogi or new to practice, you’ll find solace and rejuvenation on the beautiful grounds of Stratford! Online registration required. Class will be moved inside in the case of inclement weather.
PHOTOGRAPHY CLUB
Third Thursday of the Month | January – November | 10am – 12pm
Adults | All skill levels | $20 for the entire year
Calling all photography enthusiasts! Monthly meetings provide an opportunity to share and edit photos, learn techniques from local experts to photograph landscapes, animals, gardens and more. All skill levels welcome! Just show up and bring your camera, even if it’s your phone. Participants are welcome to wander the fields and forests of Stratford to capture the abundant beauty of the seasons. Please contact photography@stratfordecologicalcenter.org for more details.
HERB STUDY GROUP
Second Tuesday of the Month | January – December | 1pm – 3pm
(June – August 9:30am – 11:30am due to afternoon heat)
Adults | All skill levels | $10 for the entire year
Dive into the world of herbs with us as we explore different varieties each month, from culinary classics to medicinal wonders. Each month the group examines different herbal topics and works together in the herb garden, tending, harvesting and learning from one another while building a sense of community. Whether you’re a seasoned herbalist or just starting, there’s always something new to discover in this participant led group. Swap seeds, recipes, and herbal wisdom all year long!
BOOK TALKS
Third Friday of the Month | January – December | 1:30pm – 3:30pm
Adults | $10 for the entire year
Have you ever wanted to join a book club, but feel like you don’t have time to read the whole book? Then this is your kind of book talk! Join fellow participants who want to explore literary works from Stratford’s library in a lively discussion on topics ranging from agriculture, nature writers and homesteading. Librarian and incredible naturalist Liz Barker does the heavy lifting by reading a series of books on a particular subject, and then convenes the group to share her learnings and lead a discussion. It’s a social summary with friends! Explore and recommend topics with Liz any time you want.
VERNAL POOL MONITORING
Friday, March 14 | 6pm – 8pm
Saturday, March 22 | 6pm – 8pm
Recommended for adults or families with children ages 4 and up | $8
Have you ever heard nature’s orchestra perform? It’s time for the spring awakening in the wetlands when the frogs begin to sing in harmony. Join our experts who will help you get up-close and personal with some of the creatures who make the vernal pools their home. After learning inside, put on your mud boots for a sunset hike to the vernal pool. Listen for mating calls, look for salamanders, frogs and egg masses. You will be participating in a state-wide preservation effort of one of Ohio’s disappearing ecosystems.
