Prescott Farm Environmental Education Center in Laconia, NH

Thank you for joining us for the Tenth Annual Harvest Festival

Check back here for a slideshow of highlights!

Explore with Us

Public Programs – WildQuest Camps – Fledglings Preschool – School Programs

Learn More Fledglings Preschool

Explore with Us

Public Programs – WildQuest Camps – Fledglings Preschool – School Programs

See More Public Programs

WildQuest Camp Registration Now Open!

Public Programs – WildQuest Camps – Fledglings Preschool – School Programs

See More WildQuest Programs

Explore with Us

Public Programs – WildQuest Camps – Fledglings Preschool – School Programs

See School Programs

Exploring and preserving the natural world, one adventure at a time

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Community Connections Programs

Prescott Farm is dedicated to providing year-round environmental education programs for all ages and a place in the Lakes Region community that encourages curiosity, discovery, fun and connection to the natural world.

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WildQuest Day Camps

Our nature-themed WildQuest Day Camps offer children ages 4-14 the opportunity to explore, learn, and grow in nature through Quests, arts & crafts, games and activities.

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Get Involved

As a non-profit organization, Prescott Farm depends on donors, community business partners, members, volunteers and guests to help us carry out our mission to provide the New Hampshire Lakes Region with high-quality environmental education.

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Fledglings Preschool

Fledglings Nature-Based Preschool at Prescott Farm is a fully licensed program offering children ages 3 – 5 the educational foundation they need to succeed in school while awakening in each child a natural curiosity and respect for nature.

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Plan a Visit

Unplug, relax and explore our 160 acres of field, forest and gardens on our 3+ miles of nature trails and Natural Playscape, open 365 days per year from dawn until dusk.

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For Schools

Our environmental educators will work with you to give your students an unforgettable experience in the natural world, at your school or here at the Farm.

News & Upcoming Events

Our Big Backyard Series – Fall

Our Big Backyard Series [FAMILIES]
$8/person (FREE for Members) Adult must accompany child.

There is always something exciting to see on our treks around Prescott Farm! Age 7+ with an adult. Light activity.

Amazing Mushrooms – Saturday, Sept. 21; 10-11:30 am
We’ll go on a mushroom hunt and find as many interesting varieties as we can while we learn about their important role in our ecosystem.

Fly Away or Stay? – Saturday, November 2, 2019; 10:00-11:30
There’s a chill in the air and animals are busy getting ready for winter. Who sticks around, who sleeps through, and who heads south for a sunny vacation? We’ll explore all the options!

Gifts of the Night Tree – Saturday, December 14, 2019; 10:00-11:30
Share the holiday spirit with our friends in nature! We’ll read the classic story The Night Tree, make treats for our furry and feathered friends, then venture into the woods to decorate our own “Night Tree.”

To register click HERE.

Fall Polliwogs

Fal Polliwogs Program – for families with kids ages 2½ – 5
$6/person (FREE for Members!) Min. 1 adult & child per party (adult must accompany child)

Going Buggy – Wednesday, Sept. 18; 10:30 – 12
Make your own bug catcher and let’s explore the fields, gardens and woods to see what bugs we can find.

Apples, Apples, Apples! – Wednesday, Sept. 25; 10:30 – 12
We’ll read a story and do an apple craft. Next we’ll collect different types of apples, sample them and make applesauce!

Let’s Get Ready for Winter – Wednesday, Oct. 2; 10:30 – 12
Where do all the animals go for winter? Let’s find out how they fill their bellies and get cozy for the long, cold winter.

Harvest Hayride – Wednesday, Oct. 9; 10:30 – 12
All aboard for a hayride around Prescott Farm. We’ll look for signs of fall, enjoy a fall-themed story, and explore along the way.

Pumpkins – Wednesday, Oct. 16; 10:30 – 12
We’ll read a story about pumpkins, learn about different kinds pumpkins and do a pumpkin activity.

Spider Quest – Wednesday, Oct. 23; 10:30 – 12
Let’s do a treasure hunt and learn about spiders along the way. We’ll work together to finish the quest and find a treat.

To register for Polliwogs, click HERE.

10th Annual Harvest Festival & “Raise Heck” Fundraisers

Saturday, September 14, 2019

Our most popular community event of the year! The Annual Harvest Festival draws nearly 1,000 people of all ages to Prescott Farm for a day of fun and to celebrate the harvest. Horse-drawn wagon rides, field games, hay jump, crafts, food, music, a petting farm, local food vendors, and much more. Admission is FREE to the public.

For more information, to register, or to donate, visit the event page.

	September 2019
Mon	Tue	Wed	Thu	Fri	Sat	Sun
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2	3	4 Garden Days of Summer Garden Days of Summer September 4, 2019 5:00 pm - 7:00 pm See more details •	5	6	7 Garden Days of Summer Garden Days of Summer September 7, 2019 8:00 am - 10:00 am See more details Farmhouse Kitchen Series: Fermented Foods for Better Health [ADULTS] Farmhouse Kitchen Series: Fermented Foods for Better Health [ADULTS] September 7, 2019 10:00 am - 12:00 pm Prescott Farm Environmental Education Center, 928 White Oaks Rd, Laconia, NH 03246, USA Join us to learn how fermented foods can have a dramatic effect on your gut and overall health. We'll use vegetables from our own garden and make several different concoctions! S24 (Upgraded Members pay just a $10 materials fee!) REGISTER ONLINE Other upcoming programs in this series: Saturday, October 19; 1:00-3:00 - Butter & Cheese Saturday, November 23; 1:00-3:00 - Baking Bread See more details More About Mushrooms (Intermediate Level) [ADULTS] More About Mushrooms (Intermediate Level) [ADULTS] September 7, 2019 10:00 am - 12:00 pm Prescott Farm Environmental Education Center, 928 White Oaks Rd, Laconia, NH 03246, USA Dig deeper with Eric Milligan of New Hampshire Mushroom Company and get a more advanced look at the fascinating world of fungi. Breeze through the basics and spend more time in the field. **For those that have attended a Wild Mushroom Walk here or elsewhere in the past and want to know even more! Guest Instructor: Eric Milligan, NH Mushroom Company $30 (Upgraded Members pay just a $20 guest instructor fee) REGISTER ONLINE See more details Turtle Team! [SERVICE LEARNING - FAMILIES] Turtle Team! [SERVICE LEARNING - FAMILIES] September 7, 2019 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm Prescott Farm Environmental Education Center, 928 White Oaks Rd, Laconia, NH 03246, USA Come and meet Bucky, our locally-famous resident box turtle! We'll learn all about NH turtles, as well as how to take good care of Bucky. Then you'll be certified to be one of our important volunteers that comes in regularly to help care for her! FREE with commitment to volunteering after the initial training date! REGISTER ONLINE See more details Big Tree Tour [ADULTS and TEENS] Big Tree Tour [ADULTS and TEENS] September 7, 2019 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm NEW in 2019: Prescott Farm was recognized by the New Hampshire Big Tree Program for the Belknap County Champion Paper Birch, which means we are stewards of the largest recorded Paper Birch in the county! Come on a tour to see this and the other huge, old trees along our trails including another champion Big Tree. These trees are quite magnificent to behold, and can also teach us a great deal — just imagine what they have “seen” over the course of their lives! During this one hour program, you will learn a lot about trees (of course!), but also fascinating fun facts about ecology, history and how the land has changed over the years. REGISTER ONLINE $12 per person; free for Members See more details • • • • •	8
9	10 Introduction to Organic Gardening: Harvest & Seed Saving [SERVICE LEARNING - ADULTS] Introduction to Organic Gardening: Harvest & Seed Saving [SERVICE LEARNING - ADULTS] September 10, 2019 6:00 pm - 7:30 pm As the autumnal equinox approaches, the garden overflows with abundance. We all look forward to harvesting produce, but there is an harvest most people miss. We will investigate ripe produce and share ideas to enjoy our harvests, but also learn about the benefits of harvesting and saving seeds from the garden. FREE with commitment to volunteering at Prescott Farm after the initial training date! REGISTER ONLINE Coming Up... October 8; 6:00-7:30 - Putting the Garden to Bed See more details •	11 Garden Days of Summer Garden Days of Summer September 11, 2019 5:00 pm - 7:00 pm See more details •	12	13	14 10th Annual Harvest Festival 10th Annual Harvest Festival September 14, 2019 10:00 am - 3:00 pm Prescott Farm Environmental Education Center, 928 White Oaks Rd, Laconia, NH 03246, USA See more details •	15
16	17	18 Fall Polliwogs Series [FAMILIES] Fall Polliwogs Series [FAMILIES] September 18, 2019 10:30 am - 12:00 pm Prescott Farm Environmental Education Center, 928 White Oaks Rd, Laconia, NH 03246, USA A fun group for the littlest explorers amongst us! Join us and bring along your favorite grown-up to explore the forests, fields and gardens around Prescott Farm. Fall is a busy time as animals prepare for winter, and these sessions are designed to keep children busy and engaged as well. $6/person (FREE for Members) Min. 1 adult & 1 child per party (adult must accompany child) REGISTER ONLINE See more details Wood Walkers: Trail Maintenance [SERVICE LEARNING - ADULTS] Wood Walkers: Trail Maintenance [SERVICE LEARNING - ADULTS] September 18, 2019 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm Prescott Farm's trails are an inviting place for visitors and wildlife. Members of this team walk our trails to monitor and maintain any trail maintenance needs. During this training, participants will share their knowledge and gain skills in areas such as plant trimming, invasive species removal, and basic naturalist skills. FREE with commitment to volunteering at Prescott Farm after the initial training date! REGISTER ONLINE Additional Trainings Offered: Check back in 2020! See more details • •	19	20 Soapmaking 101 [ADULTS] Soapmaking 101 [ADULTS] September 20, 2019 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm Prescott Farm Environmental Education Center, 928 White Oaks Rd, Laconia, NH 03246, USA Join us to learn how to safely make your very own soap! We'll learn the basics of soapmaking and each participant will take home about 10 bars of seasonally scented soap to enjoy. $45 (Members pay just a $20 materials fee!) REGISTER ONLINE Additional soapmaking classes will be held on: Saturday, October 12; 1:00-3:00 Saturday, November 9; 10:00-12:00 Friday, December 6; 6:00-8:00pm See more details •	21 Garden Days of Summer Garden Days of Summer September 21, 2019 8:00 am - 10:00 am See more details Our Big Backyard Series: Amazing Mushrooms! [FAMILIES] Our Big Backyard Series: Amazing Mushrooms! [FAMILIES] September 21, 2019 10:00 am - 11:30 am Prescott Farm Environmental Education Center, 928 White Oaks Rd, Laconia, NH 03246, USA Mushrooms are super cool! We'll go on a mushroom hunt and find as many interesting varieties as we can as we learn about their important role in our ecosystem. $8/person ($6 Members; FREE for Upgraded Members!) Min. 2 participants per party (adult must accompany child) For families with children minimum age 7 REGISTER ONLINE Coming up in the Our Big Backyard Series... October 19; 10:00- 11:30 - Creepy Crawly Myth Busters! November 2; 10:00- 11:30 - Fly Away or Stay? December 14; 10:00- 11:30 - Gifts of the Night Tree See more details Beginner Bushcraft Overnight [ADULTS] Beginner Bushcraft Overnight [ADULTS] September 21, 2019 1:00 pm - September 22, 2019 10:00 am Prescott Farm Environmental Education Center, 928 White Oaks Rd, Laconia, NH 03246, USA Love watching Survivor, Alone and Man vs. Wild? Challenge yourself to learn valuable skills that could help you in a survival situation. Under the experienced guidance of our camp director, you'll construct a shelter, build a fire and cook over it, tie knots, gather water and other useful skills! $150 (Upgraded Members pay just a $50 materials fee!) PREREGISTRATION REQUIRED Deadline: Friday, September 20, 5:00PM REGISTER ONLINE See more details • • •	22 Beginner Bushcraft Overnight [ADULTS] Beginner Bushcraft Overnight [ADULTS] September 21, 2019 1:00 pm - September 22, 2019 10:00 am Prescott Farm Environmental Education Center, 928 White Oaks Rd, Laconia, NH 03246, USA Love watching Survivor, Alone and Man vs. Wild? Challenge yourself to learn valuable skills that could help you in a survival situation. Under the experienced guidance of our camp director, you'll construct a shelter, build a fire and cook over it, tie knots, gather water and other useful skills! $150 (Upgraded Members pay just a $50 materials fee!) PREREGISTRATION REQUIRED Deadline: Friday, September 20, 5:00PM REGISTER ONLINE See more details •
23	24	25 Fall Polliwogs Series [FAMILIES] Fall Polliwogs Series [FAMILIES] September 25, 2019 10:30 am - 12:00 pm Prescott Farm Environmental Education Center, 928 White Oaks Rd, Laconia, NH 03246, USA A fun group for the littlest explorers amongst us! Join us and bring along your favorite grown-up to explore the forests, fields and gardens around Prescott Farm. Fall is a busy time as animals prepare for winter, and these sessions are designed to keep children busy and engaged as well. $6/person (FREE for Members) Min. 1 adult & 1 child per party (adult must accompany child) REGISTER ONLINE See more details Garden Days of Summer Garden Days of Summer September 25, 2019 5:00 pm - 7:00 pm See more details • •	26	27	28 Keeping Chickens [SERVICE LEARNING - FAMILIES] Keeping Chickens [SERVICE LEARNING - FAMILIES] September 28, 2019 10:00 am - 12:00 pm Prescott Farm Environmental Education Center, 928 White Oaks Rd, Laconia, NH 03246, USA Using our small flock as a model we’ll learn about housing, food and water requirements, egg collection and more – you’ll be ready to start your own flock as well as become an important volunteer to help take care of ours! FREE with commitment to volunteering after the initial training date! REGISTER ONLINE See more details Making Herbal Preparations [ADULTS] Making Herbal Preparations [ADULTS] September 28, 2019 10:00 am - 12:30 pm Prescott Farm Environmental Education Center, 928 White Oaks Rd, Laconia, NH 03246, USA Have you been using herbs but would like to take your studies to the next level by making some wonderful medicine for your self and family? In this class Melissa will teach you the fine technical art of making herb preparations like oils, salves, extracts, and more. Each student will go home with samples, recipes & inspiration to continue their healing journey in the herbal world! Guest Instructor: Melissa Morrison $45 (Upgraded Members pay just a $27 guest instructor fee!) REGISTER ONLINE Other upcoming programs in this series: Herbs and Healing Foods to Create a Strong Immune System - Saturday, October 26, 2019; 10:00-12:00 Heartfelt & Homemade Herbal Holiday Gifts - Saturday, November 16, 2019; 10:00-12:00 See more details Forage for Fall Flair [FAMILIES] Forage for Fall Flair [FAMILIES] September 28, 2019 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm Let the colors of fall inspire your family to create nature-based decorations for your home. We will go for a walk around Prescott Farm to search for materials. Follow designs from our educators to then craft your discoveries into seasonal ornaments. Register Online $8/person (Minimum 1 adult & 1 child); FREE for Members See more details The Wild Foods of Fall [ADULTS] The Wild Foods of Fall [ADULTS] September 28, 2019 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm Prescott Farm Environmental Education Center, 928 White Oaks Rd, Laconia, NH 03246, USA “What is a weed? A plant whose virtues have not yet been discovered!” –Emerson. Join us to explore the pond, woods, and fields of Prescott Farm and meet some wild “weeds,” which are also extremely nutritious and delicious foods. Basic plant identification, ethical harvesting and safety will also be addressed. $15 (FREE for Upgraded Members!) REGISTER ONLINE See more details • • • •	29
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What they say about us

The traditional farm skills and wildlife habitat lessons taught and demonstrated in a natural environment by the staff nurtures and stimulates involvement by the children beyond anything they might experience elsewhere. It’s just rewarding to be involved, though even in such a small way, when you can see the results first hand.

The past few years as volunteers at Prescott Farm, Janice and I have been enriched with the opportunity to introduce youngsters to a dairy goat while experiencing the wonder and curiosity of the children as many meet face to face with their first farm animal.

We’ve enjoyed helping during both Harvest and Winter public events almost as much as reveling in the excitement as our grandchildren share what they’ve learned and enjoyed most at the end of each day at ‘camp’ during the drive home.