Gardening

Gardening 101: The Basics for Success

Come plant the seed that will become pick your own bouquets this Summer

Most new gardeners learn by trial and error which can be costly, frustrating, and discouraging. However, when equipped with basic information about soil, water, and plants, you can successfully bring your visions to reality. Knowing about pests and their treatment, how to design your garden, and how to factor natural elements like wind, shade, sun into this design will enhance your accomplishment and benefit the environment.

When: 
Saturdays, February 26th - March 19, 2022 11am-12:30pm

Grow Spring! Expo

The fourth annual Grow Spring! Expo, a celebration of local agriculture, horticulture, and environmental preservation, returns to Topsfield

The fourth annual Grow Spring! Expo, a celebration of local agriculture, horticulture, and environmental preservation, returns to Topsfield on March 18, 10 AM - 3 PM.  Held at the Emerson Center, the Gould Barn, and The Commons, this year’s event is sponsored by the Topsfield Garden Club, the Topsfield Historical Society, The Commons, The Congregational Church of Topsfield and the Essex Agricultural Society.

When: 
March 18, 2017 10am-3pm

Spring Equinox Family Fun at the Crane Estate

Come enjoy a day of family fun celebrating the Spring Equinox at the Crane Estate in Ipswich Massachsuetts

The spring equinox is the day when the day and night are the same length – a perfect time to celebrate all things spring. We’ll start off learning about spring and seed growth, then plan our own seeds in decorated flower pots to bring some spring home with us. Then we’ll get outside together to explore the Castle Hill gardens and look for signs of spring before wrapping up with a snack. 

When: 
Saturday, March 16, 2019 10am-Noon

Sounds of the Night Hike

Come brave the dark of the night in the Dunes of the Crane Wildlife Refuge at the Crane Estate in Ipswich Massachusetts

Brave the dark of the night in the Dunes of the Crane Wildlife Refuge! We start with an introduction to night sounds, so you are prepared to identify the sounds you will hear, then we hike silently through the darkness, letting our ears make up for our lack of sight. What will you hear? Frogs? Owls? Foxes? Who knows! Debrief and relax with a drink around the campfire to wrap up the evening’s adventure.

When: 
Sunday, May 26, 2019 6:30-9:30pm

Trails and Sails: Historic Grounds Tour

Come to the House of Seven Gables for a Trails & Sails event that focuses on the

House of Seven Gables hosts a Trails & Sails tour that focuses on the gardens and grounds! Join us for our newly developed historic grounds tour – one of a series of specialized tours currently in the works at The House of the Seven Gables. Take a stroll through the lesser-known history of our gardens and grounds. Learn about the original layout of the site through archival images and maps, then delve into Nathaniel Hawthorne’s novel through his depictions of the fictional Pyncheon gardens.

When: 
Saturday, September 22, 2021 2-4pm

Monarch Migration Celebration

Kids will learn about monarch butterflies at the Stevens-Coolidge Estate in North Andover!

You spent the summer watching them flit about your gardens, now it’s time to wish them well on their trip down to Mexico – it’s the Monarch Migration Celebration at Stevens-Coolidge Place! This celebration will kick off with a children’s pollinator parade around the property (costumes encouraged!) bringing all visitors to an afternoon of demos, crafts & stories, seed bomb making and gardening tips to bring these orange friends to your yard in the spring.
Butterfly release at 2:30pm

When: 
Saturday, October 5, 2019 10am-3pm

Groundwork Farmer's Market at the Academy

Groundwork Lawrence hosts farmers markets three days a week in the greater Lawrence Area

Groundwork Lawrence hosts three farmer's markets per week because fruits and vegetables grown locally are best for you, your health, and your family's health, because it supports local businesses, keeps money in our community, and is the best for the environment. Come and support your local farmers, to get fresh products, and connect with your neighbors.

When: 
Saturdays | Lawrence Catholic Academy | 10am-3pm through October 26, 2019
Wednesdays |Campagnone Common | 10am-3pm through October 23, 2019
Fridays | Nevins Memorial Library | 10am-3pm through October 25, 2019

Groundwork Farmer's Market at the Library

Groundwork Lawrence hosts farmers markets three days a week in the greater Lawrence Area

Groundwork Lawrence hosts three farmer's markets per week because fruits and vegetables grown locally are best for you, your health, and your family's health, because it supports local businesses, keeps money in our community, and is the best for the environment. Come and support your local farmers, to get fresh products, and connect with your neighbors.

When: 
Fridays | Nevins Memorial Library | 10am-3pm through October 25, 2019
Wednesdays |Campagnone Common | 10am-3pm through October 23, 2019
Saturdays | Lawrence Catholic Academy | 10am-3pm through October 26, 2019

Groundwork Farmer's Market on the Common

Groundwork Lawrence hosts farmers markets three days a week in the greater Lawrence Area

Groundwork Lawrence hosts three farmer's markets per week because fruits and vegetables grown locally are best for you, your health, and your family's health, because it supports local businesses, keeps money in our community, and is the best for the environment. Come and support your local farmers, to get fresh products, and connect with your neighbors.

When: 
Wednesdays |Campagnone Common | 10am-3pm through October 23, 2019
Fridays | Nevins Memorial Library | 10am-3pm through October 25, 2019
Saturdays | Lawrence Catholic Academy | 10am-3pm through October 26, 2019
Location: 

Composting for Kids at Stevens-Coolidge Estate

Kids will learn about composting at the Trustees of Reservations' Stevens-Coolidge Estate in North Andover

Spend your early release day building and playing at The Stevens-Coolidge Place. This drop-off program will introduce garden lifecycles, get your hands dirty building a composter to take home and finish outside with games in the gardens.

When: 
Wednesday, May 22, 2019 2-4PM

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Brookwood School Summer Program for kids Pre-K through 9 in Manchester Massachusetts

Saugus Iron Works Park Grounds & Estuary Walk

Take a hike along the Saugus River Estuary ande explore the Saugus Iron Works Park grounds in Massachusetts
Learn about the natural world in Saugus while ecploring the park ground ast the Saugus Iron Works National Historic Site in Massachusetts.
7:00 am to 7:00 pm

Maudslay in Bloom Self-Guided Walk

 Maudslay in Bloom self guided walk at Maudslay State Park in Newburyport Massachusetts.
Maudslay State Park in Newburyport, Massachusetts, offers a delightful self-guided walk that is perfect for families with children. The park's 480-acre expanse, once the Moseley Estate, is rich with historical charm and natural beauty. Families can embark on a self-guided tour through lush...
7:00 am to 7:00 pm

Babson Farm Quarry Self-guided Walking Tour at Halibut Point

Kids will enjoy this tour of the Halibut Point State Park and Quarry with a focus on its stone-cutting history!
Take a self guided tour at one of Massachusetts most beautiful locations!
7:00 am to 6:00 pm

Gloucester Gratis Days at Hammond Castle

Bring your kids to the Hammond Castle Museum in Gloucester Massachusetts during April Vacation
In keeping with John Hays Hammond, Jr's original vision for his seaside castle-home to serve as a museum offering the Gloucester community access to ancient works of architectural art, Hammond Castle Museum will offer Gloucester residents free, self-guided tours each Tuesday throughout the regular...
10:00 am to 4:00 pm

Swan Boat Rides in Boston Public Garden

Swan Boat Boston North Shore Parent, North Shore Parents Summer Activities Guide
The Public Garden may be one of the most ideal picnicking locations in Boston. Well-groomed and overflowing with tulips, cherry-trees, with willows cascading over the duck pond, the Boston Public Garden is a great place to relax during Boston's most beautiful season.
10:00 am to 4:00 pm

Music Together - Tuesday in Marblehead

Marblehead, Beverly Farms, Hamilton, Salem, Peabody Music Together
Music Together® is a research-based music & movement program for infants, toddlers, preschoolers, and the grown-ups who love them. Music Together® of Salem classes make it easy for parents/primary caregivers to play a crucial role in activating their child's music development. Classes are 45...
10:00 am to 10:45 am

Barnyard Story Hour at Appleton Farms

Kids can meet the barnyard animals and hear a story at Appleton Farms in Ipswich Massachusetts.
Barnyard stories really come alive when you get to see the main characters in real life! Bring the kids down to Appleton Farms for our farm-fresh version of story time. Explore the farmstead, visit our learning garden, see our cows and rabbits, and find a spot to play under a shady tree in our...
10:30 am to 11:30 am

Guided Tour | When Granite Was King!

Find out the story behind the history of granite quarrying at Halibut Point State Park in Rockport, Massachusetts!
Halibut Point State Park is also a granite quarry with a history that goes back billions of years! Over one hundred years ago, the Rockport Granite Company quarried granite stone here.
11:00 am to 12:30 pm

Full Moon Hike at Ward Reservation

Join the Trustees on a journey up Holt Hill under the light of the full moon at Ward Reservation in Andover!
Join the Trustees for an evening journey up Holt Hill under the light of the full moon. Together, we will trek up the trail as night falls, and gather at the top beneath the moon & stars. Enjoy the sights, sounds, smells, and unique tastes of evening in the magic of Ward Reservation. We will...
7:30 pm to 9:30 pm

CraneExplorer: Family Full Moon Hike in the Dunes

Walk through the Crane Wildlife Refuge in Ipswich Massachusetts with the Trustees under the full moon.
There is almost nothing more peaceful than a evening walk at the Crane Estate, and we would like to invite your family to join us for a unique hiking experience. With the full moon rising over the Atlantic, we’ll start with a sunset stroll along Crane Beach admiring this spectacle before heading...
7:30 pm to 9:30 pm

Saturday, June 14

Saugus Iron Works Park Grounds & Estuary Walk

Take a hike along the Saugus River Estuary ande explore the Saugus Iron Works Park grounds in Massachusetts
Learn about the natural world in Saugus while ecploring the park ground ast the Saugus Iron Works National Historic Site in Massachusetts.
7:00 am to 7:00 pm

Maudslay in Bloom Self-Guided Walk

 Maudslay in Bloom self guided walk at Maudslay State Park in Newburyport Massachusetts.
Maudslay State Park in Newburyport, Massachusetts, offers a delightful self-guided walk that is perfect for families with children. The park's 480-acre expanse, once the Moseley Estate, is rich with historical charm and natural beauty. Families can embark on a self-guided tour through lush...
7:00 am to 7:00 pm

Babson Farm Quarry Self-guided Walking Tour at Halibut Point

Kids will enjoy this tour of the Halibut Point State Park and Quarry with a focus on its stone-cutting history!
Take a self guided tour at one of Massachusetts most beautiful locations!
7:00 am to 6:00 pm

Marblehead Farmers' Market

Find fresh local produce and other foods at the Marblehead Farmer's Market!
The Marblehead Farmer's Market boasts 15+ local farms, and booths with an educational spin nutrition, vendors and farms selling homemade prepared goods and craft vendors that are switched up in a rotation basis week to week. Additionally there are entertainers and exhibits by environmentally...
9:00 am to 12:00 pm

Rockport Farmers' Market

The Rockport Farmers' Market runs every Saturday at Rockport Music in Downtown Rockport!
The Rockport Farmers Market offers a variety of locally-grown produce, hand-crafted products, baked goods, and live music. It provides a community space to support local farmers and artisans.
9:00 am to 1:00 pm

Crane Outdoors: Kayak Adventure on the Castle Neck River

Take a guided kayak paddle adventure on the Castle Neck River with the Trustees of Reservations!
One of the best was to enjoy the natural beauty of the Massachusetts North Shore is kayaking the placid waters of the Great Marsh—the largest continuous stretch of salt marsh in New England, extending from Cape Ann to New Hampshire. The Castle Neck peninsula on the Crane Estate is a vast barrier...
9:00 am to 5:00 pm

CraneOutdoors: Kayak Historic Fox Creek

Kayak the twists and turns of Fox Creek in Ipswich with the Trustees of Reservations
The Great Marsh—the largest contiguous salt marsh in New England—is not only brimming with fascinating natural history, it is also home to a rich cultural history. Nowhere is this more evident than in the meandering waters of Fox Creek. Connecting the tidal estuaries of the Essex River basin and...
9:00 am to 12:30 pm

Music Together - Saturday

Marblehead, Beverly Farms, Hamilton, Salem, Peabody Music Together
Music Together® is a research-based music & movement program for infants, toddlers, preschoolers, and the grown-ups who love them. Music Together® classes make it easy for parents/primary caregivers to play a crucial role in activating their child's music development. Classes are 45 minutes...
9:15 am to 11:15 am

Swan Boat Rides in Boston Public Garden

Swan Boat Boston North Shore Parent, North Shore Parents Summer Activities Guide
The Public Garden may be one of the most ideal picnicking locations in Boston. Well-groomed and overflowing with tulips, cherry-trees, with willows cascading over the duck pond, the Boston Public Garden is a great place to relax during Boston's most beautiful season.
10:00 am to 4:00 pm

Topsfield Strawberry Festival 2025

NorthShore Kids' and Parents' Events Calendar for Boston's North Shore families
The soil in the garden has barely been turned and already the first sign of Summer has appeared. Strawberries! With Strawberries comes the Topsfield Historical Society's 56th Strawberry Festival and Craft Fair in early June which offers a spectacle of strawberry fun for each and every one. The...
10:00 am to 4:00 pm
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