It starts with a seed. This is the opening sentence of Laura Knowles’ poetic children’s book, It Starts with a Seed, about how one seed creates much of the space we inhabit. With illustrations by Jennie Webber, this award-winning book on display in our Library, takes us on a transformational journey, from a seed to a sapling to a mature tree that nourishes the planet with oxygen, cleans the air, and provides homes for our wildlife and food for some of our pollinators.
During our annual Earth Day Celebration on April 26, we’ll explore the natural world and these essential connections across Grace Farms’ nearly 80 acres of 10 biodiverse habitats of meadows, woodlands, and wetlands. Through the diverse lenses of art, birdwatching, architecture, and more, you’ll discover nature’s interdependencies, and perhaps, reflect on our own.
Knowles and Webber leave us with hope that from one seed comes many. A mature tree then sheds seeds to start the cycle of life again. Grace Farms, known for its reflective and hopeful space, has started many initiatives from a seed of an idea, yielding outcomes to benefit generations to come.
Below are highlights of our Earth Day Celebration, as was well as nature-based programs from May to September. In our Library, there are curated book selections based on our work in nature, arts, justice, community and faith, as well as our Design for Freedom global movement to remove forced and child labor from the building materials supply chain.
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Earth Day Celebration
Saturday, April 26, 10:00 am – 5:00 pm
Join us for our annual Earth Day Celebration, a day packed with nature-inspired learning and fun for all ages!
Connect to the natural world by exploring the native landscapes surrounding the double LEED Gold Certified River building, and attend pop-up talks, demonstrations, and experiences led by our knowledgeable educators throughout the day. Grace Farms is a Certified Wildlife Habitat Garden (National Wildlife Federation), a Certified Monarch Waystation (Monarch Watch), and a New Canaan Pollinator Pathway Community Parter.
The day’s schedule of programs is inspired by art, architecture, and nature:
10 am – 4 pm Open Arts Studio | Find the Lines
Black Locust Grove
Weave colorful yarn through trees to create a collaborative project with fellow visitors.
10 am – 12 pm Birdwatching with Frank Gallo
Court Mezzanine
Search for the wonderful bird species that call Grace Farms home.
11 am – 1 pm How to Build Bird Boxes with Kimberly Kelly and Michael Poulin
East Barn
Attend demonstrations on how to encourage birds to nest with man-made boxes.
12 – 1 pm and 3 – 4 pm Animal Embassy
West Barn Hall
Meet friendly animal ambassadors while celebrating the importance of all living things.
1 – 2 pm and 4 – 5 pm Animal Architecture
Library
Play with architectural materials that provide animals, insects, and birds building materials for their homes.
2 – 5 pm Coneflower Take-Away
East Barn
Visit an Educator to pick up a take-home plant.
3 – 5 pm Tea Mocktails
Pavilion
Sip a nature-inspired tea beverage with Tea Expert and Educator Frank Kwei.
Available All Day:
Nature Resources in the Library
Walking Trails
Art Exhibitions
Family-Friendly Court Games
Birdwatch Bingo
Letter Sticks
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May
Saturdays, May 3, May 10, May 17, May 24, 11:00 am – 12:00 pm
Walk through scenic nature trails in search of migratory birds returning north after the winter. This walk, for birdwatchers of all experience levels, is guided by Brian O’Toole, the Visitor Service Manager for the Stamford Museum and Nature Center.
Brian O’Toole serves on the Board of Directors for the Connecticut Ornithological Association. Previously, he served as a board member for the Greenwich Audubon Society, was the compiler for the Greenwich-Stamford Christmas Bird Count as well as the paid hawk counter for the Quaker Ridge Hawkwatch for many years. He worked as a naturalist, camp counselor and store manager at the Greenwich Audubon Center and was a Visitor Services Manager at Connecticut’s Beardsley Zoo. Currently he is the Visitor Services Manager at the Stamford Museum & Nature Center in Stamford, CT.
Learning with Nature | Design an Ecological Landscape
Saturday, May 10, 11:00 am – 12:00 pm
Ecological landscaping is a crucial tool in combating climate change, creating healthy built environments, and improving our quality of life.
Learn the basics of ecological landscape design and how you can apply these principles to your community or home landscape. We will explore how to work with your landscape, increase biodiversity all the while creating a more resilient low maintenance landscape. A short classroom portion will be followed by a walk of the ecological landscape of Grace Farms.
Learning with Nature
An evolution of our gardening workshops, this series invites all generations to see nature at work with Kimberly Kelly, Director of Horticulture. Through guided walks, Garden visits, and indoor instruction, connect with the purpose of the ecosystems we inhabit, the vibrant life that’s a part of it, and our role in maintaining and adding to it. This summer, Kimberly brings us meaningful ways to connect with the natural world by teaching participants to plant gardens, manage beehives, notice the life of butterflies and dragonflies, and increase biodiversity in the landscape.
Saturday, May 31, 2:00 pm – 4:00 pm
Join Grace Farms Assistant Director of Education and Artist Mary Janacek for a creative workshop where you’ll learn how to craft your own nature journal. Spend an afternoon making a unique hand-bound nature journal to record inspiration from the River building and surrounding 80 acres of meadows, woodlands, and other thriving habitats. This workshop will utilize basic bookbinding tools and techniques to create one-of-a-kind journals. Then, follow a guided tour of the landscape to pause to collect observations in your customized book.
Adults of all levels are welcome. Materials will be provided, but participants are encouraged to bring anything, such as papers or mark-making materials, they would like to incorporate into their project.
The Art in Nature workshop series is led by visiting artists and Grace Farms staff, inspired by the Grace Farms landscape and the Foundation’s five initiatives, with instruction, hands-on opportunities to practice new skills, and a takeaway made by each participant.
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June
June – September, 10:00 am – 5:00 pm (series)
Navigate the extraordinary metamorphosis of butterflies through an interactive maze and traveling exhibit in Grace Farms’ indoor Court, created by The Natural History Museum in London in collaboration with Minotaur Mazes. Adventure through the leaves, learn how to move like caterpillar, discover an ant that reaps the reward of an unusual friendship, then transform into a butterfly and take flight!
Art in Nature | Botanical Illustrations
Saturday, June 28, 2:00 pm – 4:00 pm
Join Grace Farms Educator Grayson Kennedy for a brief tutorial on botanical illustrations and learn about how this art form has historically been used to document and educate about the stunning natural world. Walk through the landscape to seek inspiration for the subject of your final drawing, then find the perfect vantage point where you can draw freely.
The Art in Nature workshop series is led by visiting artists and Grace Farms staff, inspired by the Grace Farms landscape and the Foundation’s five initiatives, with instruction, hands-on opportunities to practice new skills, and a takeaway made by each participant.
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July
Learning with Nature | Start a Beehive
Saturday, June 14, 11:00 am – 12:00 pm
Don’t miss this summer experience!
Grace Farms is a celebrated Monarch Waystation, a place that provides monarch butterflies the resources they need to survive and reproduce. Enjoy additional programming all summer that will enhance your connection to butterflies and other winged wonders, including summer picnics, Caterpillar Compass, Magnifying Small Wonders, Open Arts Studio, Walk with Dragonflies, and Look at Butterfly Life.
Learning with Nature | Make an Herb Garden
Saturday, July 12, 11:00 am – 12:00 pm
Come to the Garden at Grace Farms for a hands-on class that connects families with nature. Learn basic gardening skills and imagine starting your own container or backyard herb garden. This class will naturally spark interest and embolden beginner gardeners to grow, cut and cook with their own homegrown herbs!
Each participant will take home an herb to start a garden.
Learning with Nature
An evolution of our gardening workshops, this series invites all generations to see nature at work with Kimberly Kelly, Director of Horticulture. Through guided walks, Garden visits, and indoor instruction, connect with the purpose of the ecosystems we inhabit, the vibrant life that’s a part of it, and our role in maintaining and adding to it. This summer, Kimberly brings us meaningful ways to connect with the natural world by teaching participants to plant gardens, manage beehives, notice the life of butterflies and dragonflies, and increase biodiversity in the landscape.
Learning with Nature | Walk with Dragonflies
Saturday, July 26, 11:00 am – 12:00 pm
Dragonflies have been around for over 300 million years and are still considered nature’s masters of the sky. Able to fly over 30 miles per hour, dragonflies are one of the fastest flying insects in the world. Follow Grace Farms Horticulture Director Kimberly Kelly on a guided summer walk to experience the awe and wonder of the natural world, dragonflies and all.
Learning with Nature
An evolution of our gardening workshops, this series invites all ages to see nature at work with Kimberly Kelly, Director of Horticulture. Through guided walks, Garden visits, and indoor instruction, connect with the purpose of the ecosystems we inhabit, the vibrant life that’s a part of it, and our role in maintaining and adding to it.
Art in Nature | Pigment Pastels
Saturday, July 26, 2:00 pm – 4:00 pm
Join artist, educator, and designer Natalie Stopka for a hands-on workshop where you’ll create your own pastels using brick, slate, and gypsum. Participants will mix their own pigments and craft unique pastels to take home.
In 2023, Stopka visited Grace Farms to host a textile workshop focused on extending the life of textiles with patches and repair techniques.
The Art in Nature workshop series is led by visiting artists and Grace Farms staff, inspired by the Grace Farms landscape and the Foundation’s five initiatives, with instruction, hands-on opportunities to practice new skills, and a takeaway made by each participant.
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August
Learning with Nature | Extend the Harvest
Saturday, August 9, 11:00 am – 12:00 pm
Join us in the Garden to learn which crops to sow for fall harvest, as well as methods of extending the growing season with winter hoops, row covers, and fall plantings. Stroll through the vegetable beds to discover ways to overwinter plants and learn about the variety of cover crops that can aid in preparing the garden for next year.
Learning with Nature
See nature at work with Kimberly Kelly, Director of Horticulture. Through guided walks, Garden visits, and indoor instruction, connect with the purpose of the ecosystems we inhabit, the vibrant life that’s a part of it, and our role in maintaining and adding to it. This summer, Kimberly Kelly brings us meaningful ways to connect with the natural world by teaching participants to plant gardens, manage beehives, notice the life of butterflies and dragonflies, and increase biodiversity in the landscape.
Learning with Nature | Look at Butterfly Life
Saturday, August 23, 11:00 am – 12:00 pm
Butterflies have captured the human imagination with their vibrant colors and daytime activity, symbolizing transformation and beauty. The magnificent patterns found on butterfly wings make these insects a wonder to behold. In this indoor-and-outdoor workshop for all ages, we will learn about how butterflies indicate a healthy ecosystem, look at host plants for caterpillars, and enjoy summer moments watching butterflies in the landscape.
Learning with Nature
An evolution of our gardening workshops, this series invites all ages to see nature at work with Kimberly Kelly, Director of Horticulture. Through guided walks, Garden visits, and indoor instruction, connect with the purpose of the ecosystems we inhabit, the vibrant life that’s a part of it, and our role in maintaining and adding to it. This summer, Kimberly brings us meaningful ways to connect with the natural world by teaching participants to plant gardens, manage beehives, notice the life of butterflies and dragonflies, and increase biodiversity in the landscape.
Saturday, August 23, 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm
This facilitated family-friendly program will explore the hidden, and surprisingly beautiful, life of insects and nature. Using magnifying tools, equipment, and high resolution micrography, nature enthusiasts of all ages will encounter caterpillars, butterflies, and other amazing insects and natural specimens. Participants will explore the world we cannot see on our own where the ordinary becomes the extraordinary and experience the awe of nature’s small wonders.
Recommended for ages 8 and up.
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About Grace Farms Foundation
The River building at Grace Farms is embedded in nature. Nearly 80 acres of natural and diverse landscapes surround the award-winning River. (photo by Sahar Coston-Hardy)
We bring together people across sectors to explore nature, arts, justice, community, and faith at the SANAA-designed River building and Barns, on 80 acres of publicly accessible natural landscape.
Our humanitarian work to end modern slavery and foster more grace and peace in our local and global community includes leading the Design for Freedom movement to eliminate forced labor in the building materials supply chain.
This collaborative approach to comprehensively address humanitarian issues and generate new outcomes is reflected across all of our initiatives and the place of Grace Farms.
Membership
Grace Farms members can visit without advance registration and enjoy a 20% discount on paid programs, retail, and dining, invitations to members-only gatherings, complimentary events, and a welcome gift from Grace Farms Tea & Coffee.
Becoming a member helps us advance our mission to pursue a more peaceful world and supports the preservation of the River building and its surrounding 80 acres.
For more information, visit gracefarms.org/membership.
Visit our calendar of events to learn more about upcoming programs.
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