The Topsfield Fair is a perennial favorite for us. We love fruits and vegetables, and are always on the lookout for the winning 'biggest pumpkin'. Another favorite is checking out the pigs and other farm animals, as well as the interesting variety of guinea pigs and rabbits.
The Topsfield Fair is a perennial favorite for us. We're not the biggest fans of the midway, although it is always worth a walkthrough and a ride or two. We love fruits and vegetables, and are always on the lookout for the winning 'biggest pumpkin'. Another favorite is checking out the pigs and other farm animals, as well as the interesting variety of guinea pigs and rabbits.
Visit live animals in the riverside yard at Joppa Flats! You’ll rotate through our tented stations at your own pace, and may choose to spend your time handling tide pool creatures such as sea urchins and sea stars, meeting moon snails and hermit crabs from the sandy beach, and/or learning about minnows and horseshoe crabs from the salt marsh. Try your hand at birding with binoculars and a field scope with the help of our naturalists to guide you!
Join the Trustees at Farmhouse Wood-Fired every Friday through Sunday, throughout the summer and fall. Bring your lawn chairs and picnic blankets for a perfect wood-fired dining experience surrounded by the idyllic beauty of Appleton Farms. The menu will change weekly, featuring local and seasonal ingredients, including produce from our own farm. Pizza varieties will include cheese, meat and seasonal veggie, with other options available such as artisan pastries, seasonal salads and lighter fare.
Ready to try your hand at being a farmhand? Join us for our unique Family Farm Chores program held on Saturdays and Sundays! Get on your muck boots: your whole family will get to be farmers together! After learning all about our dairy herd, you can help care for baby chicks, feed our bunnies, visit our calves and cows, and perform other hands-on chores!
Come to Sawyer Free Library's presentation of 'Snakes of New England and the World'. Rick Roth and the Cape Ann Vernal Pond Team bring the always exciting and popular program Snakes of the World to our outdoor amphitheater! Join Rick and his team as they introduce many snakes, large and small, and some local! You will have the opportunity to hold and handle the snakes if you choose, or just admire them as we learn about these amazing creatures!
Deb Kaneb and Gus are back and looking forward to reading with you! A Certified Reading Partner helps to build reading confidence by providing a safe, nonjudgmental space to practice, plus it's so much fun. Sign up early! Please call 978-526-7711 for your 15 minute appointment or register online.
It is summer! Join us in the riverside yard at Joppa Flats to learn about wildlife in the salt marsh, pond, rocky shore, and backyard habitats! You'll identify wild creatures, design small habitats, participate in small group challenges, and more. Sign up for one or all and see nature through the lens of a naturalist!
Want to learn more about our local birds and how to identify them? Joppa Flats education interns will take you on an easy walk and introduce you to a variety of birds, from egrets and herons in the salt marsh, to ducks and shorebirds along the river, to songbirds and hummingbirds at our feeders. We'll provide binoculars and field guides along with tips on how to use them. Get started on the hottest new hobby around - birding!
Come play with Angora rabbits Violet and Vanilla, Nubian goats Merlin, Maeve, Morgan, and Mordred, and our friendly flock of heritage chickens! Befriend the Barnyard is a hands-on barnyard experience that lets you and your family approach our barnyard buddies under the guidance of a professional farm-based educator. Join us for a new activity every half hour.
