Family Prairie Experience May 2023
Botanical Belonging will host the first Prairie Family Experience on Memorial Day, May 29th, from 9:00am to 11:00am.
With goal of inspiring children to identify with the amazing prairie ecosystem, families will take part in a guided prairie tour on mowed paths through the ten-acre prairie remnant at Happy Apples Farm, home of Botanical Belonging. Children and their parents can experience the native plants and the amazing life that are found in a prairie like no other place. Bees, butterflies, and many other insects are part of a much larger ecosystem, the amazing life that shares a reciprocity with the plants that are found here. But most importantly, we hope to instill in your kids the role humans have played and must play, in maintaining and protecting prairies.
Then our tour will move to our native gardens to see many of the same plants used in a native garden setting, providing the same ecological benefits. We hope that our young visitors will understand the fun and importance of growing native plant gardens in their own yards.
This event is free but registration is required for this event and space is limited. Sign Up Now!
Parents As Leaders June 6, 2023
Botanical Belonging will host the first of four interactive sessions for parents who want to help their children plan, prepare, and plant their own native gardens. These classes are a follow-up to our Family Prairie Experience events and will he held 9:00 am to 11:00 am. Parents will be armed with the tools needed to help their children grow a successful native plant garden and experience all the wonders that these gardens will bring into their lives. Topics that will be covered over the course of these four classes include how to plan and maintain a native plant garden, how to distinguish between common weeds and native plant seedlings, when to cut back, seed collection and seed propagation, all with children in mind. These classes are free, but space is limited.
Botanical Belonging Hands-On Learning Days
Sign-ups now open for June 6 to July 6!
Sign-ups now open
June 6 to July 6!
The Happy Apple Farm’s Prairie has come to life with blooms and insects! And so have the native plant gardens of Botanical Belonging. Come learn how to maintain these gardens as the summer progresses, all the while observing the life that they support in the gardens. You will learn about the early summer bloomers and how and when to deadhead or clip. You will also learn if, when and how to water a native plant garden as the heat of summer takes hold.
Due to the heat of summer, we will be starting an hour earlier in the morning and an hour later in the afternoon.
About the program
We’re here to share our love and knowledge of local native plants with our community. By spending time raising plants and caring for them in gardens, we all learn to recognize both the native and non-native plants in our environment.
Learn with us
We want you — and anyone in our community — to come learn with us at the Farm. Whether you’ve got a few hours to spare on a random Saturday or a few months to devote to a season of intensive learning, our native plant program is for you. At Botanical Belonging, you’ll gain hands-on experience from starting seeds, to transplanting seedings, to managing weeds, and more.
When you arrive
Please wear sturdy shoes and bring a water bottle — you’re going to be put to work! We also recommend long pants, sunscreen, a sun hat, snacks, rain gear, and any other provisions you’d want for a long day outdoors.
The day’s specific activities will depend on the day and season. You might take a tour through our demonstration gardens to learn about common weeds and invasive species, then test your ID and eradication skills by pulling them out. You might take a spin through the hoop house to learn about seedling care and maintenance, then put your new skills to use by thinning a newly-sprouted tray.
If you’re interested in learning something specific, just let us know. Every day is different at the Farm, and there’s always something new to be learned from our native plant experts!
What it costs
The Botanical Belonging hands-on learning program is totally free. We hope to keep it this way! Botanical Belonging is funded by our native plant sales as well as generous donations from plant fans like you.
What you get
In addition to your new sense of Botanical Belonging, any time you participate in our hands-on learning program we’ll often send you home with a plant as a thank you for your labor!
Ready to sign up?
We can’t wait to meet you. Sign up today
Botanical Belonging 