We have a new registration system!
We moved to SmartRec by Amilia for activity, event, and camp registrations. Learn how to create your SmartRec account and see registration instructions here.
Activities
Experience Nature All Year Long
Events Search and Views Navigation
List of Events
Foraged Foods
$12
This program is sold out. Visit the Activities Calendar for more upcoming programs. Discover what wild edibles are beginning to bloom as you venture through the nature center on a foraging hike! Learn how to prepare different plants for the dinner table and savor the tastes of nature. Preregistration is required. Registration typically closes the day before the program at 12 p.m. Program fees are final and transfers are not permitted.
Find out more »Rock the Barn 2024
$8
Put on your boots and come on down for Dodge’s annual farm and music festival—all while supporting the Dodge Nature Preschool Scholarship Fund! Enjoy live bands and musicians as spring blooms around the nature center. Bring a blanket to picnic with family and friends. Get up close to farm animals, make dandelion fritters, and ride the hay wagon. Opportunities to support the Scholarship Fund at the event include a bake sale, raffle baskets, lemonade stand, and more. Get your tickets…
Find out more »Here a Chick, There a Chick
$10
This program is sold out. Visit the Activities Calendar for more upcoming programs. Baby birds are a true sign of spring—come meet the newest arrivals at Shepard Farm! Chicks, ducklings, and poults (baby turkeys) are some of Mother Nature’s cutest creations. Learn the natural history of these birds and get a chance to hold these adorable creatures. Preregistration is required. Registration typically closes the day before the program at 12 p.m. Program fees are final and transfers are not permitted.
Find out more »Here a Chick, There a Chick
$10
Baby birds are a true sign of spring—come meet the newest arrivals on Dodge’s Main Property farm! Chicks are one of Mother Nature’s cutest creations. Learn the natural history of chickens and get a chance to hold one of these adorable creatures. Register through our new system! Click here for more information.
Find out more »Coal Forge Blacksmithing Basics 1 (8-session Series)
$400
This class is sold out. Visit the Activities Calendar for more upcoming programs. Join blacksmithing instructors from Chicago Avenue Fire Arts Center for a eight-week dive into the basics of blacksmithing at Dodge's new forge at Shepard Farm! This course is designed to ignite your passion for blacksmithing and introduce you to the seemingly endless ways of shaping iron with fire and hammer. You’ll gain basic knowledge of iron and its characteristics, an understanding of the dynamics of forging using a coal…
Find out more »Offices Closed – Trails Open
Dodge buildings and offices will be closed for Memorial Day. Trails are open during daylight hours for you to hike and explore!
Find out more »Discover the Night Science Festival
$10
Explore the sights and sounds of the nature center at night! After the sun sets, join naturalists at our Shepard Farm Property in Cottage Grove for a festival of science. Activities for all ages include: Bat Monitoring and Detection Moth Discovery Night Creature Touch, See, and Listen Table Biofluorescence UV Walk Stargazing Bring your flashlight and sense of adventure—get ready to discover the night! Register through our new system! Click here for more information. Day-of ticket sales at the gate…
Find out more »Morning at Shepard Farm
$5
Join a Dodge naturalist for a farm tour of Shepard Farm in Cottage Grove! Meet farm animals as you explore the historic barn, poultry pens, bee apiary, and wide pastures. Register through our new system! Click here for more information.
Find out more »ROCC the City Juneteenth Celebration 2024
Free
Join West St. Paul’s ROCC (Residents of Color Collective), one of Dodge’s community partners, for a joyous Juneteenth celebration at the nature center! Juneteenth, also known as Emancipation Day, is a holiday commemorating the end of slavery in the United States observed annually on June 19. Free entry! All are welcome and invited to celebrate. Shop from BIPOC-owned businesses and make community connections. Learn something new in nature with Dodge naturalists. Get creative with arts & crafts and face painting. Enjoy live music…
Find out more »Coal Forge Blacksmithing Project Shop: Bottle Opener (One-day Workshop)
$95
This class is sold out. Visit the Activities Calendar for more upcoming programs. Join blacksmithing instructors from Chicago Avenue Fire Arts Center for a one-day blacksmithing workshop at Dodge's new forge at Shepard Farm. Build your blacksmith skills with a fun and useful project: making a bottler opener! They’re quick to make and can incorporate all basic blacksmithing processes in one compact project. We’ll end class with a celebratory bottle-opening to try out your new tool—that means a beer or soda is…
Find out more »Coal Forge Blacksmithing Date Night (One-day Workshop)
$145
This program is sold out. Visit the Activities Calendar for more upcoming programs. Grab a friend, partner, spouse, or kid (ages 16+) and join instructors from Chicago Avenue Fire Arts Center for a blacksmithing workshop at Dodge's new forge at Shepard Farm! In this short workshop, you'll use fire and hammer to shape red hot iron into interesting objects that will bring out your personal creativity. Project options include simple items like skewers, roasting forks, cheese cutters, or decorative knots. Your dynamic duo…
Find out more »Offices Closed – Trails Open
Dodge buildings and offices will be closed for the Fourth of July holiday. Trails are open during daylight hours for you to hike and explore!
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