Upcoming Events

This program is sold out. Visit the Activities Calendar for more upcoming programs. Join blacksmithing instructors from Chicago Avenue Fire Arts Center for an eight-week dive into the basics of blacksmithing at Dodge’s 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 forge, and the ability to safely shape…

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…

Join blacksmithing instructor Lee Meilleur from Chicago Avenue Fire Arts Center for a one-day blacksmithing workshop at Dodge’s forge at Shepard Farm!  Get a taste of blacksmithing as it's been done throughout the ages in this introductory workshop, designed with newcomers in mind. You'll learn about traditional methods and equipment, including the coal forge, hammer, tongs, and anvil. Practice your technique by forging an S hook, a J hook, or a shape that has yet to be invented. Feel the force when shaping molten metal!  No experience necessary.…

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…

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, resilience, adaptability, and the ability to find sweetness even in…

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!