Craft Your Own Valentine
2025-02-11 19:00 - 20:00 (America/Chicago) | Dodge Nature Center – Shepard Farm, 8946 70th street S., Cottage Grove, MN, 55016
Learn the history of Valentine’s Day as you craft a handmade valentine for your loved one!
Make your own paper from scratch that will become your decorated card. You’ll incorporate native pollinator plant seeds into the paper – when Valentine’s Day is over, plant your card and watch your love grow and bloom into summer.
Adults 16+ | $10 per person
Purchase your tickets here.

Taste and Learn: Charcuterie
2025-01-25 13:00 - 14:30
Impress your friends and loved ones with an elegant charcuterie board in this Taste and Learn program!
Learn about the history of charcuterie, which types of foods are commonly used, how to create a charcuterie board to match a specific theme, and the art of arranging foods in creative, eye-catching displays. You’ll not only get to sample a variety of bites, but also learn how to use foods to form flowers and other decorative features. Learning was never so delicious!
Each participant will take home their own version of a small charcuterie board.

Shepard Farm Tour
2025-01-14 12:00 - 13:00
Explore our historic Shepard Farm property with a guided tour of the farm! Meet residents of the farm and learn about the heritage breeds raised here at Dodge.

Sensory-Friendly Saturday: Snow Much Fun
2024-12-21 10:00 - 11:00
Join a naturalist at Shepard Farm for a hike and activities geared towards nature lovers who need a more sensory-friendly environment. With a smaller group and activities designed to be quieter and calmer, you’ll explore winter and take a hike through the serene trails of our Shepard Farm property.
This is an adult–child program open to participants of all ages, but activities will be primarily geared towards kids. Children must be accompanied by an adult.

Turkey Time at Shepard Farm
2024-11-29 10:00 - 11:00
Gobble, gobble—it’s turkey time! Join a naturalist to meet our heritage breed turkeys up close and make your own turkey call. Don’t worry, the only run there will be is the one where the turkeys live!

Sensory-Friendly Saturday: Sand and Seeds
2024-11-23 10:00 - 11:00
Join a naturalist for a hike and activities geared towards nature lovers who need a more sensory-friendly environment. With a smaller group and activities designed to be quieter and calmer, you’ll dig in our sensory bins filled with sand, seeds, and maybe even some fossils! Then you’ll hike through our Shepard Farm property to look for sand and seeds outside.
This is an adult–child program open to participants of all ages, but activities will be primarily geared towards kids. Children must be accompanied by an adult. All people attending, including adults, must register and pay.

Brewing Basics at Shepard Farm
2024-11-16 12:00 - 16:00
Learn the basics of brewing beer with this 4-hour hands-on program!
Start with a beer sampling to learn about key ingredients and taste different brews. Then, experience the process of crafting beer as we make a batch of ale. Learn a few recipes (with a nature twist) that showcase how you can customize your own beer. At the end of class, take home beer you’ve bottled yourself!
Must be ages 21 and older to participate.

Taste and Learn: Flatbreads
2024-11-09 13:00 - 15:00
Join Dodge naturalists in the teaching kitchen at Shepard Farm for another Taste and Learn program!
From tortillas to naan, lefse to focaccia, flatbreads are found around the world. Learn about the grains used in flatbreads and make your own to take home.

Beeswax Candlemaking Date Night
2024-11-07 17:00 - 19:00
Join a Dodge Naturalist at Shepard Farm who will guide you in making your own beeswax candles! Using materials like beeswax, dyes, molds, herbs, and flowers, make two candles to take home. Come learn about the tools, materials, practice, and history of this mysterious art form.
Please note: the $40 class cost is for two people. The registration form will ask for your guest name.

Fall Fruits and Winter Wreaths
2024-11-04 18:00 - 20:00
Join us in saying farewell to fall and welcoming winter! Enjoy the final fruits of fall and craft wreaths to display for the upcoming winter months.
Guided by a naturalist, hike the trails at Shepard Farm to gather materials for wreaths while learning about evergreen trees. Cozy up inside the Education Center to construct wreaths while tasting treats made with foraged fall fruits found right at Dodge.

Halloween Extravaganza
2024-10-26 12:00 - 16:00
Let’s celebrate Halloween at Dodge Nature Center’s Shepard Farm property in Cottage Grove!
Trick-or-treat through the woods, ride on the hay wagon to look for ghosts and goblins, and meet slithery creatures. Try your luck at field games to win extra treats, then settle in for some silly science skits that will educate and entertain. Food will be available for purchase while you are enjoying the fall fun.
TICKETS
Online: $8 per person before 12 p.m. on October 25.
Day-of at the gate: $10 per person.
Children ages 2 and under are free!

Sensory-Friendly Saturday: Ssscales
2024-10-19 10:00 - 11:00
Join a naturalist for a hike and activities geared towards nature lovers who need a more sensory-friendly environment. With a smaller group and activities designed to be quieter and calmer, you’ll learn all about scaly creatures. Meet some of our animal ambassadors and hike to search for scales in the wild!
This is an adult–child program open to participants of all ages, but activities will be primarily geared towards kids. Children must be accompanied by an adult. All people attending, including adults, must register and pay.

Fall Break Camps at Shepard Farm
2024-10-18 08:15 - 15:00, 2024-10-17 08:15 - 15:00
Fall Break Camps are full of energy and seasonal color. Send the kids on over to the nature center during MEA Break!
Registration is open! Visit Dodge Nature Center’s website for more information.

Full Moon Night Hike
2024-10-16 18:30 - 20:00
The full moon is out and so are we! Join a naturalist at Shepard Farm to take a guided night hike. Wander through the woods to listen for owls and bats, try out UV flashlights, and get more comfortable being outdoors after dark. Flashlights will be provided.

Locally Grown Theatre presents: Frankenstein / Monster
2024-10-13 17:30 - 19:30, 2024-10-12 17:30 - 19:30, 2024-10-11 17:30 - 19:30
Locally Grown Theatre presents: Frankenstein / Monster by Andrea Laine Hunter, adapted from the novel by Mary Shelly.
ABOUT THE SHOW
When Victor Frankenstein’s fiancée, Elizabeth, reveals she had a near-death experience, the ambitious young scientist feels his glory calling to him. Through unbearable grief, he will seize the impossible: Victor Frankenstein will conquer death itself! Begged by Elizabeth, warned by dreams, Victor cannot stop his ambition—his ill-fated reach for glory—from taking him by the throat.
Seeking love and acceptance from his creator, alone in all the world, Frankenstein’s nameless Monster shines a light on Victor’s inability to see with his heart rather than his eyes. Victor’s success—his glory—becomes his worst nightmare, forcing him to choose again and again—between lies and the truth, between love and loss. Even as his world crumbles, Victor will not take responsibility for his actions, begging the question: Which is the monster?
Content warning: Death and violence are both present in this show. We recommend this show for ages 10+.
Free to attend! Tips and donations are appreciated after the show. Bring a blanket and a chair and enjoy this spooky good time.
Watch Locally Grown Theatre’s social media for rain plans.
LOCATION DETAILS
Access to Shepard Farm is via a one-way road: enter from 70th Street S. and exit on Jamaica Avenue. Parking is available in the paved lot. Indoor, accessible restrooms will be available. You’re welcome to bring food and drink, but please bring out what you bring in—Dodge Nature Center is a zero-waste facility.

Taste and Learn: Soup’s On!
2024-10-12 13:00 - 15:00
Join Dodge naturalists in the teaching kitchen at Shepard Farm for another Taste and Learn program!
The crispness of autumn air is an invitation to enjoy soups made with the bounty of the season’s harvest. You’ll learn about different root vegetables and how to use them to create hearty, delicious soups.

Apple Pie Date Night
2024-10-03 18:00 - 21:00
Join us for a perfect fall date night with your cutie-pie!
Guided by a naturalist, stroll through the orchard to learn about apples and pick pie-ready fruit. Step into the teaching kitchen to make homemade filling & dough and assemble your personal apple pie. While the pies bake, sample farm-fresh apple cider. Wrap up your romantic evening with a warm apple to enjoy at home.
Please note: the $60 class cost is for two people. The registration form will ask for your guest name.

Shepard Farm Open House
2024-09-30 10:00 - 12:00
School’s out! Come to Shepard Farm for a free open house. Join Dodge naturalists for a tour of our recently remodeled Education Center, visit resident farm animals and the buzzing apiary, and hike through the 100-year-old woods. You’ll get a glimpse of how students engage in environmental and agricultural education at Shepard Farm.

Apple Pie Baking
2024-09-28 09:30 - 12:00
Join us for a hands-on, farm-to-table cooking experience! Roll up your sleeves and craft your very own apple pie from orchard to oven.
Visit our apple trees to learn how apples grow and pick pie-ready fruit. Step into the teaching kitchen to make homemade pie filling and dough, roll out and shape the crust, and bake one pie together to take home.
This is an adult–child program open to participants of all ages. Children must be accompanied by an adult.

Sensory-Friendly Saturday: Feathers and Fur
2024-09-21 10:00 - 11:00
Join a naturalist for a hike and activities geared towards nature lovers who need a more sensory-friendly environment. With a smaller group and activities designed to be quieter and calmer, you’ll meet a hen and explore mammal artifacts. Then you’ll hike through our Shepard Farm property.
This is an adult–child program open to participants of all ages, but activities will be primarily geared towards kids. Children must be accompanied by an adult. All people attending, including adults, must register and pay.

Morning at Shepard Farm
2024-08-21 10:00 - 11:00
Join a Dodge naturalist for Morning at Shepard Farm in Cottage Grove! Meet farm animals as you explore the historic barn, poultry pens, bee apiary, and wide pastures.

Universe in the Park
2024-08-16 20:45 - 22:00
Starry summer skies await you and your family! Join staff from the Minnesota Institute for Astrophysics at the University of Minnesota outdoors at Dodge for a closer look at outer space.
Your evening starts with a short outdoor presentation and slideshow to introduce you to the solar system and the tools astronomers use to study it. Then, as weather permits, you can view the sky through 8-inch reflecting telescopes until 10 or 11 p.m.
What do you wonder about the universe? Be sure to bring your questions! Staff are ready with answers about everything from amateur astronomy to the latest discoveries of space scientists.
Wear comfortable clothing and bug repellant as the temperature dips and mosquitoes emerge after dark.
Universe in the Park is a free summer outreach program hosted by the Minnesota Institute for Astrophysics and area state and local parks—and Dodge Nature Center!

Locally Grown Theatre Presents: The Adventures of Tom Sawyer
2024-07-12 19:00 - 21:00
Whether it’s fishing with Huckleberry Finn, convincing his friends to whitewash Aunt Polly’s fence, or falling in love with Becky Thatcher, nobody loves life more than the irascible Tom Sawyer. Until one night when Tom and his best friend Huckleberry Finn stumble upon a deadly secret. As Tom and Huck embark on the greatest adventure of their life, they learn that man’s greatest treasure isn’t gold, but the gift of friendship.
A note about content: Locally Grown Theatre is committed to promoting compassionate inclusivity. In our adaptation of Tom Sawyer, we have intentionally eliminated racial slurs and stereotypes, recognizing the importance of viewing classic stories through a modern, respectful lens.
Free to attend! Tips and donations are appreciated after the show.
Can’t make it to Shepard Farm? Catch the show at another location:

July 13: Lighthouse Baptist Church
July 14: Highland Park
July 19: City Hall Amphitheater
July 20: The Grove Church
July 21: Highland Park

Watch Locally Grown Theatre’s social media for rain plans.
Want to learn more? Visit: Locally Grown Theatre Presents: The Adventures of Tom Sawyer Dodge Nature Center

Evening at Shepard Farm
2024-06-25 18:00 - 19:00
Join a Dodge naturalist for an evening stroll through our Shepard Farm Property in Cottage Grove! Meet farm animals as you explore the historic barn, poultry pens, bee apiary, and wide pastures.
Preregistration is required. Registration typically closes the day before the program at 12 p.m. Program fees are final and transfers are not permitted.

Discover the Night Science Festival
2024-06-07 22:00 - 2024-06-08 00:00
Explore the sights and sounds of the nature center at night during the Discover the Night Science Festival! After the sun sets, join naturalists at our Shepard Farm Property in Cottage Grove for a festival of science.
Activities for all ages include:

Bat Monitoring and Detection
Moth Discovery
Night Creature Touch, See, and Listen Table
Biofluorescence UV Walk
Stargazing

Bring your flashlight and sense of adventure—get ready to discover the night!
Online tickets go on sale Wednesday, May 8! Day-of sales at the gate are cash only. Open to all ages.

Chickens in the Backyard
2024-04-25 18:00 - 19:30
Are you thinking about raising chickens in the backyard? Wondering if they’re the right animal for you? Whether you want eggs, a new hobby, or simply a pet, this class will teach you how to successfully raise chickens in your yard. We’ll cover poultry biology, nutrition, housing, and much more.
Preregistration is required. Registration closes the day before the program at 12 p.m. Program fees are nonrefundable, and transfers are not permitted.

Morning at Shepard Farm
2024-04-08 10:00 - 11:00
The April 8 event is SOLD OUT.
Join a Dodge naturalist for a farm tour of Shepard Farm in Cottage Grove! Meet farm animals as you explore the historic barn, poultry pens, bee apiary, and wide pastures.

Taste and Learn: Herb Time
2024-04-06 13:00 - 15:00
Parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme—for centuries, plants like these have flavored and enhanced foods around the world. Step into the new teaching kitchen inside the Education Center at Shepard Farm to take your cooking up a level! Sample foods made with a variety of herbs, differentiate herbs from spices, discover the health benefits of herbs in your cooking and baking, and learn how to grow and preserve your own herbs at home.
Please note: ingredients like wheat flour, eggs, nuts, and milk may be used in this program.
Preregistration is required. Registration typically closes the day before the program at 12 p.m. Program fees are final and transfers are not permitted.

Bluebirding 101: Trail Monitoring at Shepard Farm
2024-04-06 09:30 - 11:00
Calling all birders! Help monitor and maintain our newest bluebird trail at Shepard Farm in Cottage Grove! From April to August, bluebirds will be nesting in these boxes—we need volunteers to monitor their nesting progress on a weekly basis. You’ll learn all about bluebirds, how to check the boxes, how to record your findings, and how to keep bluebirds safe during their nesting period.

Preregistration is required. Registration typically closes the day before the program at 12 p.m.

Making Maple Sugar
2024-03-20 18:00 - 19:30
Get hands on and make your own batch of natural sweetener from Dodge’s woods! Step into the new teaching kitchen inside the Education Center at Shepard Farm to learn the tricks to turning maple syrup into maple sugar.
Preregistration is required. Registration typically closes the day before the program at 12 p.m.

Full Moon Hike
2024-02-23 18:00 - 20:30
Experience the wonders of the natural world at night during the Full Moon Hike! With Dodge naturalists as your guide, hike snow-covered trails at Shepard Farm, learn about wintertime in Minnesota, and discover the wonders of the night sky.
Preregistration is required. Registration typically closes the day before the program at 12 p.m.

Taste and Learn: Chocolate Indulgence
2024-02-10 13:00 - 15:00
Rich and creamy or bittersweet and dark, chocolate is a pleasure to indulge on its own or in decadent desserts. Join Dodge naturalists at the new Education Center at Shepard Farm to learn about the cacao plant and how it becomes so many different types of chocolate and its sweet association with Valentine’s Day. You’ll sample several chocolates and do some baking as you create chocolate treats to take home. Learning was never so delicious!
Please note: ingredients like wheat flour, eggs, nuts, and milk may be used.
Preregistration is required. Registration typically closes the day before the program at 12 p.m. Program fees are final and transfers are not permitted.

Outdoor Adventures
2024-01-29 08:15 - 15:00
Join Dodge naturalists for a day of science in the snow! Hike the woods of Shepard Farm to discover the secret lives of Minnesota’s wintering animals. Make your own tracks with our kicksleds and snowshoes. See if you have what it takes to survive winter conditions by practicing your fire building and campfire cooking skills. Screens off, snow clothes on!
Scholarships are available for those who qualify—apply today!

Taste and Learn: Holiday Cookies
2023-12-16 13:00 - 16:00
A popular tradition during the holidays is to bake and share cookies special to this seasonal time. Join Dodge naturalists at the new Education Center at Shepard Farm to learn about the origins and traditions associated with holiday cookies. Learn about the plants that become the various spices and extracts used to flavor these seasonal favorites. Sample various kinds of cookies, including America’s first Christmas cookie, and decorate your own cookies to take home. Learning was never so delicious!
Please note: cookies will contain ingredients like wheat flour, eggs, nuts, and milk.
Preregistration is required. Registration typically closes the day before the program at 12 p.m. Program fees are final and transfers are not permitted.

Halloween Extravaganza
2023-10-28 12:00 - 16:00
Let’s celebrate Halloween at Dodge Nature Center’s Shepard Farm in Cottage Grove! Trick-or-treat through the woods, ride on the hay wagon to look for ghosts and goblins, and meet slithery creatures. Try your luck at field games to win extra treats, then settle in for some silly science skits that will educate and entertain. Food will be available for purchase while you are enjoying the fall fun.
Preregister online: $8 per person before 12 p.m. on October 27. Children ages 2 and under are free.
Tickets at the gate: $10 per person. Children ages 2 and under are free.

Purchase tickets starting September 1.

Night for Nature
2023-09-21 18:00 - 21:30
You’re invited to Night for Nature, the annual benefit for Dodge Nature Center and Preschool!
Help finish the Nourishing Everyone’s Need for Nature Campaign and celebrate the opening of the new Education Center at Shepard Farm.
Enjoy an engaging program, live auction, hosted hors d’oeuvres, signature cocktail, and wine and beer.
Adults, only please. Wear your best farm chic attire!
$150 / Guest • $250 / Advocate* • $1,800 / Herd of Six Guests*
*Includes reserved seating and unique farm gift
Purchase your tickets here.

Our Wild Neighbors: Amazing Monarchs
2023-08-18 18:30 - 19:15
Bring your family to Shepard Farm and spend an hour with “Our Wild Neighbors.” This month, let’s meet monarchs! Of all the butterflies in the world, Minnesota has chosen the monarch as its state butterfly. Learn about the fascinating life of monarchs and how citizen scientists are helping to uncover more about this extraordinary insect.
Once a month this spring and summer, join a Dodge naturalist 6:30–7:15 p.m. for an engaging program about one of the amazing animals that lives near you. Bring your picnic blanket or lawn chair and meet by the pavilion at Dodge’s Shepard Farm property.
Preregistration is required. Registration typically closes the day before the program at 12 p.m. Program fees are nonrefundable and transfers are not permitted.

Halloween Extravaganza
2022-10-29 12:00 - 16:00
Let’s celebrate Halloween at Dodge Nature Center’s Shepard Farm in Cottage Grove! Trick-or-treat through the woods and ride on the hay wagon to look for ghosts and goblins. You can meet slithery creatures, dance to the music, and warm up by the bonfire. Try your luck at field games to win extra treats, then settle in for some silly science skits that will educate and entertain. Food available for purchase while you are enjoying the fall fun.
Preregister online: $8 per person before 12 p.m. on October 28. Children ages 2 and under are free.
Tickets at the gate: $10 per person. Children ages 2 and under are free.

Guided Trail Hike
2022-09-08 16:30 - 17:15
Want to get to know Shepard Farm, Dodge Nature Center’s newest property in Cottage Grove? Join trained Dodge volunteers for a guided trail hike through the big woods. On this 45-minute hike, you’ll be introduced to the wildlife, environment and historic character of Shepard Farm.
This hike is free and open to the public! No experience necessary—people of all ages and activity levels welcome. Preregistration is encouraged to secure your space. Walk-ins are also welcome if space is available. Participants under the age of 16 must be accompanied by an adult. Please wear comfortable footwear and come dressed for the weather. Meet your guide at the pavilion to the west of the parking lot.

Our Wild Neighbors: Rascally Raccoons
2022-07-15 18:30 - 19:30
Bring your family to Shepard Farm and spend an hour with “Our Wild Neighbors.” This month let’s meet some masked raiders: Raccoons! They can climb downspouts and fences with ease. They swarm out of the sewer, sneak down alleys, and unlatch the most-securely fastened containers. Learn about these nimble, clever, and sometimes nuisance visitors to our yards.
Once a month this summer, join a Dodge naturalist 6:30 – 7:30 p.m. for an engaging hourlong program about one of the amazing animals that lives near you. Bring your picnic blanket or lawn chair and meet by the pavilion at Dodge’s Shepard Farm property.

All Ages Activity.

Shepard Farm Opening
2022-03-31 10:00 - 15:00
Shepard Farm will open to the public on April 2, 2022, providing access to a mile-long trail, and nature programs for children, adults and families. The trail will be open sunrise to sunset, 365 days a year. The trailhead is marked by a white kiosk to the west of the parking lot.
The first day of open trails on April 2 will offer guided hikes on the hour, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.—they’re free for the whole family!
