Events & Programs
We are happy to host you for a sustainability tour/visit. School groups, church groups, garden clubs, individuals, etc. are all welcome. Host your staff meeting here and include a pizza lunch or snack of homemade bread & jam. OR just come to hang out, walk the trails and BE. Please call/email to set a time. The labyrinth & trails are self-guided, just call / email to let us know you're coming.
TO SIGN UP: Some classes/activities are limited. PLEASE sign up by contacting us via email, phone (need: your name, phone, email & class/activity), or thru the website (be SURE to indicate class you're signing up for). Schedule subject to change, confirm before coming.
ABOUT FEES: We practice an economy of “reciprocity”, giving in accordance to what you receive (i.e., labor, money, goods needed, etc.), for a balance; it is not “required”. We trust that participants will honor a different way of doing economy. (some classes do have a "supplies" fee which is noted.)
StoryWalk Along Forrest Ridge Trail
Self-Guided & Open most days
The StoryWalk is along the Forrest Ridge Trailfor adventurers to join reading, Sheep Take a Hike by Nancy Shaw. The story stations also have fun movements to do along with the sheep as they adventure through the woods. New stories will be added and changed through the years as funds are available.
Labyrinth & Trails
The Labyrinth in the woods and trails around the grounds are available for walking / meditating. Trails are no longer than one mile. We are also near trails into the Foothills State Forest. Be sure to dress properly, trails may be wet and/or have fallen brush/trees across paths in the Foothills.
* Forrest Ridge Trail (StoryWalk trail)
* Meadow Creek Trail * Twin Creek Trail
* Balsam Pond Trail * Labyrinth
Daycare groups, home-school groups, families, school groups, library groups and all ages are welcome to participate. Want a special activity experience? Let us know and we can set that up as a teacher-guided experience.
Project was created by Anne Ferguson of Montpelier, VT and developed in collaboration with the Vermont Bicycle & Pedestrian Coalition and the Kellogg Hubbard Library.
FINAL 2023 Pizza Night
September 8, Friday, 5-7pm
Limited to 50 (MUST sign up)
Join us for final 2023 seasonal Pizza night! A fun time to gather, enjoying each others company, meeting old friends and new, and having some good eats! Walk the trails or labyrinth, take a self-guided tour of the grounds, sit by the pond.
Balsam Moon provides sourdough crust (8" or 12"), tomato based sauce, cheese blend, and beverages (water, iced tea, sometimes wine / beer ).
YOU bring your favorite additional pizza toppings & beverage.
PLEASE SIGN UP - limited to 50. Include name, number in party, size of pizza, special diet needs (such as gluten free, dairy free)
We will gather regardless of weather this day. If rain is present and light we'll be outside, if heavy rain we'll be inside.
Labyrinth Walk/Meditation for International Day of Peace
September 21, Thursday, 10-11am
This is a time slow down, take time to focus on peace and connect with others around the world with a similar focus. The theme for 2023 is Actions for Peace.
From the UN website regarding this day: It is a call to action that recognizes our individual and collective responsibility to foster peace. Fostering peace contributes to the realization of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and achieving the Sustainable Development Goals will create a culture of peace for all. United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres said, “Peace is needed today more than ever. War and conflict are unleashing devastation, poverty, and hunger, and driving tens of millions of people from their homes. Climate chaos is all around. And even peaceful countries are gripped by gaping inequalities and political polarization.”
Though it may seem like walking a labyrinth and participating in a group meditation isn't much for action, it does make a difference. What we think and feel in our hearts contributes as much to the future as what actions we take. Be intentional with your time, thoughts and feelings on this day of Peace around the world. It all begins within yourself.
SEED SAVING 101
September 23, Saturday
Part I 10am-noon (instructional)
Part II 1pm-3pm (hands-on)
Instructor: Barbara Kaufman
Seed Saving is fast becoming an essential part of gardening. Not only does it save a gardener on the cost of purchasing seeds, it aids in preserving food diversity into the future making seeds accessible to more growers for years to come. This session is offered in two parts with the morning session, 10am-noon, covering the instructional portion of the workshop including the why and how. Part 2 runs 1-3pm and will be hands-on with processing seeds from produce and flowers which participants will get to take some home with them. Call 218-587-3808, or email to sign up for part or all of the workshop. Be sure to indicate the portion you are signing up for. For all day participants, plan to bring a sack lunch.
Barbara Kaufman, is a long-time grower in the Pine River area and has a real passion for also saving seeds. She is one of the coordinators for the Pine River Seed Library located in the local public library, and has learned how to save seed from Seed Savers Exchange of Iowa, known for their extensive seed collection and teaching.