The Trustees of Reservations (The Trustees) has announced its full slate of end-of-year programs ranging from outdoor after-school activities to farm festivals to cooking classes, aimed at getting visitors of all ages outside as the nation continues to battle COVID-19.
“We’re thrilled to be able to offer in-person events and are dedicated to helping everyone safely enjoy the outdoors,” said Trustees Executive Vice President Jocelyn Forbush. “This wide variety of programming includes some new initiatives and returning favorites, while reflecting the diversity of our properties and our guests.”
Outdoor Learning Adventures
Preschoolers, homeschoolers, remote learners, and students back in the classroom are a priority right now, which is why The Trustees created programs for outdoor after-school learning at a half dozen properties to help parents and kids navigate this unique and challenging time.
The Appleton Farms Afterschool Adventure is two days a week for elementary students to experience environmentally focused, farm-based activities that explore sustainability, agroecology, life cycles, soil science, and history that connect to their ongoing STEAM learning. Afternoon Adventures at Weir River Farm is specifically tailored to elementary students in learning pods or homeschool groups every Tuesday through Friday, focusing on different themes each week such as the life cycle of plants and animals and wonders of the woods.
Harvest Weekends
Once school is out on the weekends, families can enjoy Harvest Weekends on the Farm at Appleton Farms, Powisset Farm, and Chestnut Hill Farm. These quintessential autumn gatherings include pizza picnics, live music, food and drink, games, crafts, hayrides, fresh produce for sale, and learning programs for our younger visitors. These events are on a timed-entry basis and require purchasing passes in advance.
CraneOutdoors
While the weather is getting colder, that isn’t stopping people from enjoying nature in fun and creative ways via The Trustees’ CraneOutdoors programs. This includes Dunes by the Light of the Full Moon hikes at Crane Beach, the Snowy Owl Prowl at Castle Neck that lets hikers potentially glimpse wintering Snowy Owls, and a variety of other outdoor hikes.
Full Moon Adventures
Nighttime hikes at Crane Estate, Appleton Farms, and World’s End offer a spooktacular trek for the whole family (even though Halloween is over). Art lovers will have the opportunity to see the pieces at deCordova Sculpture Park and Museum in a new light by touring the grounds after dark, while yoga enthusiasts can enjoy Boo Moon yoga at Long Point Wildlife Refuge.
Cooking Classes
Autumn is a time for culinary delights, and The Trustees has no shortage of cooking programs for all ages. Powisset Farm is rolling out new cooking classes as part of its PowissetCooks series, featuring Kiddos in the Kitchen, Fall Comfort Soups, Teens in the Kitchen, Tapas, and Pie Perfect programs. Boston Community Gardens is also hosting a Butternut Squash Galette course for vegetarians.
Art Classes
Fall is an opportune time for blossoming artists to learn a new medium or for established artists to hone their craft. The Creative Clay Canisters Online Workshop courtesy of deCordova Sculpture Park and Museumintroduces people to the pinching, adding clay, and slab-building techniques suitable for all ages, while the virtual Introduction to Watercolor Techniques at Fruitlands Museum taking place this winter introduces amateur painters to the basics of the medium.
And for those looking to purchase art instead of create it, the Crane Estate Virtual Art Show: Living in the Moment event allows art enthusiasts to buy a one-of-a-kind gift for the holidays while simultaneously supporting a great cause.
Frontline Worker Days
The Trustees is eternally grateful for the frontline workers (healthcare professionals, supermarket employees, restaurant workers, public safety officials, etc.) who have kept us all going during COVID. To thank them, once a month, we are offering frontline workers and their families free access to almost all of our properties with proper identification. The next Frontline Worker Day is November 16.
Holiday Events
One of The Trustees’ signature events, Winterlights, is returning for 2020 to Naumkeag in Stockbridge and the Bradley Estate in Canton where people can enjoy hundreds of thousands of LED lights, food and drink, and get in the holiday spirit from November 27 to January 2.
Stevens-Coolidge Place in North Andover is hosting a Family Holiday Stroll & Festive Parade of Trees from December 3 to December 20 during which people can explore two dozen intricately decorated holiday trees and even vote for their favorite, while also bringing a canned good for Neighbors in Need.
Castle Hill on the Crane Estate will be creatively lit up for the holidays as part of its Castle Hill Illuminated: The Longest Night light show, allowing visitors to experience the magic of the Winter Solstice as a multi-sensory experience in the landscape while staying warm by a fire and drinking hot chocolate and coffee.
For the full slate of Trustees’ end-of-year programs visit thetrustees.org/program/fall-activities/.