Educational Tours

Each tour includes one hour with a Nature Interpreter as well as a free tree seedling and Tree Adventure admission for each participant. Minimum group size is 15. Groups with fewer than 15, please call for prices.

Child $10
Adult $12
Each additional hour of tour: $2 per person

Spring only.

A springtime trip to Arbor Day Farm provides an awesome view of the apple orchards in bloom. It’s also a great time to learn about apple development, integrated pest management, and the importance of pollinators. Take a peek into the world of honeybees and beekeeping, plus take a hands-on approach to discover how flowers are pollinated.

Wildlife abounds at Arbor Day Farm, but we don’t always see it. Some animals come out only at night; others are very shy around people. But they all leave clues that they are here. Learn to read the signs and discover who is hiding as you take a hike along South Table Creek Trail. Each person uses a photo scavenger hunt sheet to help with the discovery process. Great for sharpening observational skills and experiencing a wilder side of nature.

Discover Arbor Day Farm’s diverse ecosystems — a creek, prairie, and riparian forest — all within a short walking distance. Take part in interactive games that match animals to their native habitat and explore the advantages of camouflage. Build a food web chain of producers, consumers, and decomposers, then dig up some decomposers for up-close viewing. A favorite among students!

Recommended for 3rd grade and older.

Take an up-close look at trees to gain the basic skills needed for tree identification. Discover how the parts and function of a tree can become unforgettable once you act them out. Get an introduction to dendrochronology—the study of tree rings. Observe the many species that depend on trees for their survival. And share our passion for growing trees with a trip through the Lied Greenhouse.

Fall only.

September and October offer bountiful ways to experience fall at Arbor Day Farm. Head to the orchard to learn how apples grow and are harvested. Interactive learning opportunities emphasize the importance of honeybees to the growing process. Visit the Apple House where the apples are washed, sorted, and packed and see where our cider is pressed and bottled. Everyone in the group receives a free sample of cider to taste.