Above: Winter fun at the farm includes the free annual “Reindeer Quest”, a Solstice Celebration, programming for kids, Saturday Fire Pits, the popular Maple Tap-A-Thon. (all photos are from TTOR website events pages or Chestnut Hill Farm’s Facebook posts/events)
The Trustees of Reservations announced a new CEO and President. You can read about that here. It reminded me that it’s a good time to share details on upcoming events at their property in town, Chestnut Hill Farm.
Most of the upcoming events at the farm require pre-registration and a fee. But TTOR is continuing to offer the free StoryWalk on the trails daily and their annual Reindeer Quest.
Below are event details in chronological order.* The costs cited for events below are per member/non-member. (You can find membership details here.)
(Note: If you have trouble with any of the event links below, click here to view all of the farm’s events.)
Reindeer Quest
All ages/family
Dawn-Dusk daily, December
Grab your snow boots and get everyone outside to discover our elusive herd of nine wooden reindeer, found throughout the farm trails! See how many you can find – along the way, snap some photos and share on social media with #reindeerquest and #chestnuthillfarm. Be sure to keep an eye out for Rudolph!
Free – no registration required
(Click here for more details and trail map)
StoryWalk on the Trails
All ages/family
Dawn-Dusk daily, year round (story swapped out occasionally)
Join us for our StoryWalk® on the farm! StoryWalk is an innovative and delightful way for children — and adults! — to enjoy reading and the outdoors at the same time. Conceived as a way to inspire parents, teachers, and caregivers to take young children outside for physical activity and to learn, StoryWalk helps build children’s interest in reading while encouraging healthy activity for everyone.
Laminated pages from a children’s book are attached to wooden stakes, which are installed along one of our farm’s trails. As you stroll down the trail, you’re directed to the next page in the story. What a lovely way to enjoy the farm!
Free – no registration required
(Click here for more details and trail map)
Solstice Celebration
All ages/family
Sunday, December 18, 3:00 – 5:00 pm
Join us for our annual winter solstice celebration!
When you arrive, you’ll start welcoming winter by making upcycled tin can lanterns. At dusk we’ll light the lanterns and embark on a guided walk along the trails that will include presented passages from the story, “The Shortest Day,” by Wendy Pfeffer. After our hike, we’ll gather back in the orchard to warm up by a campfire and enjoy hot drinks, cookies, and s’mores as we welcome the new season under the stars.
Cost: $12/$15 per adult, $24/$30 per child
(Click here to learn more/register)
Junior Farmers For A Day
For grades K-5
Weekdays, 9:0 – 11:00 am, December 27 – 29, and February 21-23
Hey kids! Dig into vacation at Chestnut Hill Farm and become a junior farmer for a day (or three)! You’ll help care for farm animals, learn to grow and eat farm fresh food, hike the trails, create natural crafts, and explore the farm from the eyes of its most important team member: the farmer!
Parents, your little farmers will come home with stories of adventure, a deeper understanding of where their food comes from, a sense of responsibility, and memories made with new friends (people and animals!).
Cost: $36/$45 per child per day
(Click here to learn more/register)
Fire Pit Saturdays
All ages/family
Saturdays, 12:00 – 2:00 pm or 3:00 – 5:00 pm in January & February
It’s chilly outside, so join us for cozy, warm, fun Fire Pit Saturdays at beautiful Chestnut Hill Farm!
Your ticket includes two hours at a private fire (we’ll light your fire for you), private picnic table seating, wood for burning, roasting sticks, and a kit for making six s’mores. Additional kits are available for purchase. Enjoy views of the farm, wander our StoryWalk, discover the Reindeer Quest, warm-up and reward yourself with another s’more!
Feel free to bring a picnic and your own favorite camp chair to pull up around the fire. Please note, this is a “Leave No Trace” event. Everything you bring with you must be brought home with you, including all trash.
Cost: $60/$75 per group of up to 6 people
(Click here to learn more/register)
Preschool Farm Explorer Fridays – Winter
For ages 2 years 9 months to 5 years old, Adult supervision required
Fridays, 10:00 – 11:00 am, monthly January & February (December is already in session), 4 sessions per monthly sign up – Different themes each month
Your little farm explorers will become fully immersed in what life is like at Chestnut Hill Farm. Each Friday morning will be a new learning experience. We will begin by learning about a topic such as “Animal Footprints” or “The First Month.” Then we will take a walk on the farm, relating what we’ve learned to everything we are seeing! We may go inside the greenhouse, do a science experiment, visit the animals in the barnyard, or make snow sculptures. We will then make something to take home! This could be a related art project, a bird house, or seeds that your preschooler planted.
Cost: $64/$80 per child, plus $16/$24 per younger sibling (Accompanying adults and siblings under 1.5 yr old can attend for free.)
(Click here to learn more/register)
Special Evening Hikes
All ages/family
Keep your eyes open for animal tracks and other signs of wildlife on the farm and in the woods. Guided hikes will be led by Tim Puopolo, a Trustees ranger and naturalist, and recipient of the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation’s “Outstanding Park Interpreter” award.
The hikes will be about 30 minutes long and will follow some of Chestnut Hill Farm’s most beautiful trails. The campfire will be going and there will be s’mores to enjoy.
Cost: $15/$25 per adult, $12/$20 per child ages 4+ (children under 4 years old are free)
Lunar New Year Wild Walk – Saturday, January 29, 6:30 – 8:30 pm
January ‘s full moon is the “Wolf Moon”! learn about the Lunar New Year and explore the moon schedule for 2022 and what’s in store celestially for us all in this “New Year”.
All About Owls -Saturday, February 26, 6:30 – 8:30 pm
Take this walk through owl habitat and learn about the different owls of Massachusetts, how they live, and how to find them… maybe even hear one calling out so us on these cold nights!
(To learn more/register, click links for Lunar New Year Wild Walk and All About Owls)
Maple Tap-A-Thon
All ages/family
Saturday, February 26, 10:00 – 11:30 am, 1:30 – 3:00 pm
Join us for our annual Maple Tree Tap-a-Thon! This special family event is led by a Trustees ranger who will show us how to identify maple trees on the farm and share the history of tapping as we learn about how maple sap runs. Each family group will set their own tap to get a farm’s maple flowing! You’ll go home with instructions on how to tap your own maple trees and make your own syrup.
Space is limited for this event and pre-registration is required. The Maple Tap-A-Thon sells out far in advance, so register early!
Cost: $15/$25 per adult, $12/$20 per child ages 4+ (children under 4 years old are free)
(Click here to learn more/register)
*For each of the programs:
- Except the StoryWalk and Reindeer Quest, pre-registration is required, and online registration closes one or two days prior to the event.
- For the most up-to-date information or weather cancellations for this and other programs, follow Chestnut Hill Farm’s Facebook page.
- Because it is a working farm, dogs aren’t permitted on the property.
Updated (12/9/21 9:43 am): I corrected the time (9-11 am) of the Jr. Farmer program.
Updated (12/9/21 9:54 am): I corrected the time (10-11 am) of the Preschool Fridays program.
Updated (12/9/21 10:06 am): I corrected the time (10:00 – 11:30 am, 1:30 – 3:00 pm) of the Maple Tap-A-Thon.
Updated (12/22/21 9:45 am): I added Junior Farmer Days being offered over February break.
(all photos are copied from TTOR website events pages or Chestnut Hill Farm’s Facebook posts/events)
Can I register 2 children for the maple surgaring on 2/26?
Thank you
I happened to notice yesterday that the event is full. If you want to reach out to Trustees, you need to follow links in the post – since blog comments don’t reach them.