Summer Calendar Listings for The Nature Museum: Mushroom Workshops, Fairy Festival, Camps, and More

10 AM Saturday, June 2, 2018
Family Nature Program: Where the Water Falls, Flows, and Slows - Diving Into Watersheds
The Nature Museum, 186 Townshend Road Grafton, VT, 05146

Everything on Earth needs water to survive. Come learn about what a watershed is, the ways water moves and interacts with the land, and why our role in our watershed is so important! Learn about the local region's watersheds and be ready to go on a river exploration as we hike to the banks of the South Branch of the Saxtons River! Nets and containers to catch aquatic critters will be provided, just bring your rain boots and a smile! All ages welcome- this is a great program for parents and children to experience together. Admission by donation. For more information, visit www.nature-museum.org, or call 802-843-2111.

10 AM Friday, June 8, 2018
Preschool Nature Program: The Journey of a Water Droplet
The Nature Museum, 186 Townshend Road, Grafton, VT, 05146

When rain, snow, and ice fall from the sky, where does the water go? Bring your imagination to take a journey as a water droplet! Enjoy a story reading and create your own watershed model to see for yourself how a watershed works! Plus, don't forget to bring your rain boots and be ready to get wet as we go on a stream exploration! Drops-ins are welcome! Preregistration is encouraged but is not required. Ages: 3 to 5 years old + caregiver. Cost: $5 per child if registered in advance; Drop In: $8 per child. Caregivers always free. For more information, visit www.nature-museum.org, or call 802-843-2111.

7 PM Friday, June 8, 2018
Slow Birding with the Bird Diva
NewsBank Conference Center, 352 Main St, Chester

Learn the new birding method: slow birding! Bird Diva Bridget Butler will share how to read bird body language, how to listen beyond just birdsong, and how to discover our own sit-spot to watch birds. Light refreshments from the Grafton Village Bakery will be served. Pre-registration $7, $10 at the door. Additional field session on the morning of Saturday, June 9 is currently full, but accepting registrations on a waiting list. For more information, visit www.nature-museum.org, or call 802-843-2111.

10 AM to 4 PM, Sunday, June 10, 2018
Pop-up Plant Sale to Benefit The Nature Museum
Hall Ranch Rd, Grafton, VT, 05146

The Nature Museum's successful plant sale fundraiser returns! Stop by, stroll through beautiful gardens, and choose your plants! Day lilies, shasta daisies, and more will be for sale. All proceeds benefit nature programming. For more information, visit www.nature-museum.org, or call 802-843-2111.

7:30 PM, Thursday, June 14, 2018
Our Nighttime Jewels: Discover Vermont's Moths with JoAnne Russo Grafton Trails and Outdoor Center, 783 Townshend Rd, Grafton

Did you know some moths have ears on their abdomens? Vermont Entomological Society member JoAnne Russo presents "Moths: Our Nighttime Jewels," an informative talk accompanied by rich macro photographs. Afterwards, we'll journey outside and look for caterpillars and moths. Bring your headlamps, flashlights and camera! Pre-registration $7, $10 at the door. For more information, visit www.nature-museum.org, or call 802-843-2111.

7 PM, Wednesday, July 11, 2018
Journey to the Bottom of the Earth: An Antarctic Travelogue with The Nature Museum
Grafton Inn, Homestead Room, 92 Main St, Grafton, VT 05146

This travelogue sold out in May, so we're bringing it back by popular demand! Join your neighbors for an Antarctic adventure! Will and Laurie Danforth, board members of The Nature Museum, will share their recent month-long expedition to Antarctica and Southern Ocean region. Immerse yourself in the overwhelming beauty, power, and staggering abundance of wildlife at the bottom of the Earth. Doors open at 6:30, and refreshments from the Grafton Village Bakery will be served. $7 suggested donation in advance, $10 at the door. Tickets at www.nature-museum.org or call 802-843-2111.

Brave Bears Weeklong Summer Camp
Session 1: July 9 to July 13
Session 2: July 23 to 27
Daily from 9:30 AM to 3 PM
The Nature Museum, 186 Townshend Road Grafton, VT, 05146

Calling all adventure seekers! Let's explore Grafton! What will be found around the next bend? Hiking, stream trekking, tree climbing, shelter building, summer rambling, and excellent excursions await our campers! Unplug from electronics and reconnect with nature! Our Brave Bear camps include educational, hands-on experiences that bring children outside to exercise their minds and bodies. We build confidence and independence by teaching nature wilderness skills in a safe and fun group environment. Wonder is our goal! Youth will cultivate a deeper relationship with the natural world with The Nature Museum. Ages: 6 to 9 years old. Cost: $200; 10% sibling discount for second child. For more information, visit www.nature-museum.org, or call 802-843-2111.

Saturday, August 25, 2018
Morning Session: 9:30 AM to 12 PM
Afternoon Session: 1 PM to 3:30 PM
Wild World of Mushrooms
The Nature Museum, 186 Townshend Road, Grafton, VT, 05146

Join The Nature Museum on a wild edible mushrooming adventure called "The Wild World of Mushrooms" on Saturday, August 25th. Your mycological tour guide, Ari Rockland-Miller, will give a colorful presentation introducing the region's most distinctive and delicious species, followed by a guided foray in the rich woods nearby. Ari makes mushroom hunting accessible, safe, and wildly entertaining. Join us to identify species fruiting in our region in late-summer and to learn strategy and technique for the ethical and sustainable harvesting of wild mushrooms.

Spaces are limited on these walks and participants are strongly encouraged to purchase their tickets early. Ages 15+. Cost: $30; must be reserved in advance. For more information, visit www.nature-museum.org, or call 802-843-2111.

10 AM - 4 PM Saturday, September 29 and Sunday, September 30, 2018
10th Annual Fairy House Festival
The Nature Museum, 186 Townshend Rd, Grafton, VT 05146

Where else do knotholes become front doors, sea shells transform into bathtubs, and twigs get woven into ladders? Join us for the 10th annual Fairy House Festival with The Nature Museum!Young and old are welcome to come connect directly with the environment. Express your creativity while finding the inherent magic of nature and spending time within it! Follow a nature path sprinkled with charming fairy houses, where the acorn cap dinnerware and shelf fungi table remind you to walk spritely on the earth. Returning to The Nature Museum, you'll build your own fairy dwellings in the gardens. Hands-on crafts, face painting, hula-hooping, costumes, local food vendors, music, and bubbles round out this interactive and magical experience for all. Light refreshments will be available for purchase; we also encourage picnicking. Tickets are available online and at the fairy gate ($12 adults, $10 seniors, $5 for children 3-18). For more information, visit www.nature-museum.org, or call 802-843-2111.