Upcoming Events › Adults

Have you always wanted to keep honeybees, but didn’t know where to start? Here’s your chance! Learn beekeeping from Dodge staff at Shepard Farm in Cottage Grove. You’ll work bees throughout the entire season, starting from a new package in spring, harvesting honey at summer’s end, and preparing the hives for winter.   Protective gear (bee suit, gloves, and veil) is required to work in the hives. Participants must provide their own gear. We recommend Mann Lake Bee & Ag Supply for gear needs.

Slow down, look closely, and let nature spark your creativity! Inspired by the practices of forest bathing and morning altars, this two-hour workshop invites you to connect with the land and create art in collaboration with the natural world.   We’ll ground ourselves in the peaceful setting of the woods, take time to wander and gather natural materials with care, and craft collages that reflect the season. Together, we’ll share our creations—then gently return them to the earth.   Please dress for the weather and bring…

Join Silvae Spiritus Nature & Forest Therapy, certified by the Association of Nature and Forest Therapy Guides and Programs, for a guided forest bathing experience!  Forest bathing is a slow-moving, deeply sensory, mindful and “bodyful” walk in nature that has shown to result in measurable physiological, cognitive, and emotional benefits. Much like walking meditation or yoga, these activities can be practiced on one’s own, almost anywhere, and yet the benefits greatly increase with regular practice. Forest bathing is significantly more immersive when facilitated by properly trained and…

This program is cancelled. Visit the Activities Calendar for more upcoming programs. Join blacksmithing instructor Lee Meilleur from Chicago Avenue Fire Arts Center for a two-day blacksmithing workshop at Dodge’s forge at Shepard Farm!  Transform steel into a hummingbird figure! Using forge, hammer, and anvil, you'll learn core blacksmithing techniques such as tapering, shaping, and texturing.  Aligned with the energy of the summer solstice, this class invites lightness, focus, and presence into the forging process. The hummingbird carries deep spiritual symbolism across many cultures. It often represents joy,…

Explore the science of honey and how it’s made into mead, the world’s oldest alcoholic beverage. Put on a bee suit and get up close to our honeybee hives. Learn about and sample a variety of delicious meads. Bee there or bee square!

The growing season is ending—it’s time to harvest all the bounty from your garden and at farmer’s markets! But what to do with all that produce? Join naturalist Teresa Root to learn how to enjoy all that food now and in the months ahead by using techniques like drying, pickling, and freezing. Bring an appetite because there will be a variety of foods to sample. Learning was never so delicious!

Join blacksmithing instructor Lee Meilleur from Chicago Avenue Fire Arts Center for a one-day blacksmithing workshop at Dodge’s forge at Shepard Farm!  Transform a piece of raw metal into an artistic yet functional fire poker for your fireplace or fire pit. You'll learn about traditional methods and equipment, including the coal forge, hammer, tongs, and anvil. To create your custom hand-forged piece, you'll practice essential skills: taper, bend, twist, forge weld, and collar.  Open to beginners, though some forging experience will be helpful. All materials and consumables included in class…

Learn how to make a simple yet satisfying honey whole wheat yeast bread in this fun and informative 3-hour class!  We’ll lead you through the entire process, from explaining the differences in flour and yeast to guiding you as you mix and shape a beautiful loaf. While the dough rises and bakes, delve into the art of making butter and simple jams to perfectly complement your homemade bread.  Learning was never so delicious!