These event are deemed appropriate for younger children
Annual events features a colorful parade with children and pets in butterfly costumes. Registration for parade begins at 8:45 a.m. Live monarch butterfly releases will be held near the Grapevine Cotton Belt Depot. Enjoy butterfly exhibits, entertainment and interactive butterfly arts and crafts. See website for complete schedule.
The Nature Center is full of life in the form of wildlife, wildflowers, trees and more. However it does not take much time on the Refuge to find a tree that is not lush with green leaves. We will discuss these trees called snags and the role they play in nature and at the Nature Center. Program geared for Pre-K to elementary aged children. FREE (with paid admission).
There is not much one must do to prepare feeders in the fall and winter, but there are a few extra things you can do in order to attract winter birds. Steve Woodward from the Wild Bird Center will talk about these enhancements and also discuss some birds you may encounter at your feeders in the cooler months. FREE (with paid admission).
Join a naturalist as we try to wake up with the birds. We will take a leisurely hike around the Nature Center to see if we can find birds beginning their day. This is the best time of the day to see our fine feathered friends. Bring your binoculars and cameras to enhance your experience. Pre-registration required. $10 (includes admission fee)/MEMBERS $5.
Come and enjoy an evening stroll on the Nature Center’s trails as we explore nature before nightfall. Evening provides a unique opportunity to view animals that make the Nature Center their home. Bring water and wear weather appropriate clothing. Pre-registration required. $10 (includes admission fee)/MEMBERS $5.
Yard Smart is a free seminar, featuring experts from the Texas AgriLife Extension Service, designed to provide effective, beneficial ways to use water wisely in the landscape. Topics vary by season and have included butterfly gardening, landscape watering, container gardens, perennials, trees and much more. This semi-annual seminar is offered each spring and fall. See website for fall seminar topics. Spring seminar topics will be posted in spring. No pre-registration is required.
Yard Smart is a free seminar, featuring experts from the Texas AgriLife Extension Service, designed to provide effective, beneficial ways to use water wisely in the landscape. Topics vary by season and have included butterfly gardening, landscape watering, container gardens, perennials, trees and much more. This semi-annual seminar is offered each spring and fall. See website for fall seminar topics. No pre-registration is required.
Over the past 11 years, this community and family oriented Green Living Fair has grown to be the largest “green show” in the South. It occurs at the end of September, every year, in historic Fredericksburg, Texas. You can see the latest in eco-friendly technologies. Learn how to save and create your own energy. Attend informative talks by the experts. Visit with our vendors to see contemporary green living and sustainability practices. Come test drive the next generation in personal transportation. It’s fun, environmentally friendly, and a great place to learn how you can make a difference!
Comprehensive course taught by Wayne Weiseman of The Permaculture Project. Permaculture — from permanent and agriculture — is an integrated design philosophy that encompasses gardening, architecture, horticulture, ecology, even money management and community design. The basic approach is to create sustainable systems that provide for their own needs and recycle their waste.
For more information, visit www.permacultureproject.com. Cost: $1,200.
Learn how to preserve abundant harvests with a hands on class taught by long-time gardener and canner Tina Arons, who was featured in the Star Telegram recently. Attendees will learn basic pickling and no fuss canning. Have fun learning plus you get a glass jar of the locally grown produce that we can.
Please register online or come in to the shop to pre-pay. Paying ahead of time secures your spot. If we get more attendees than will fit in our kitchen, those who haven't secured their spot will be kindly asked to come to another canning class offered later to accommodate the interest.
NOTE: If you are coming to only the canning class, then please feel free to register and pay online. If you are an active member AND/OR also coming to the Fall Gardening and City Farming Workshop, then your class fee is reduced to $10 and you will need to come in to the shop to get your discount. Members who have done their volunteer hours can come to the canning class for $5 if they don't take a jar.