Wright-Locke Farm’s youth programs offer children a unique, hands-on experience learning about farming and the natural world on our historic working farm. For each child, we aim to inspire curiosity about the natural world, foster a sense of comfort in the outdoors, and develop a sense of respect for living things. All of our programs include lessons and activities related to agriculture and the environment using our fields, pastures, barns, woods, and farm animals as a living classroom. Specific subjects include Wright-Locke farm animals (goats, chickens, honey bees), farm operations, outdoor exploration, and plant growth.
We have instituted tiered pricing for all of our youth programs. Please choose the price that works best for your family—regardless of which tier you select, everyone enjoys the same program! If you are able, please select Tier A or Tier B while registering to make tiered pricing possible.
Interested in a group visit or enrichment program? Please email us at FarmEd@WLFarm.org!
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Please use this link to log in or create an account in our system.
Last year we transitioned to a new system!
If you had an account in our previous registration system:
- Select “Forgot your login information?” and check “I need to reset my password.” Choose your preferred way of resetting your password (text or email). On the next screen, your username is the email that is associated with our previous registration system. If you have issues resetting your password, please email FarmEd@WLFarm.org
If you did not have an account in our previous system:
- Select “New User.” Complete the subsequent forms to create your account.
Once you have logged in and created an account you will be able to browse our available sessions!
If you encounter any issues, please contact our Youth Programs Manager with any questions.
Payment & Refund Policy:
- Online payments can be made via the following credit cards: Visa, MasterCard, Discover
- Payment for a youth program, made by credit card, check, or cash, must be submitted at least 30 days in advance of the program’s start date. Failure to comply may result in the loss of your child’s spot in the program for which payment is owed.
- Tuition refunds are guaranteed up to 30 days prior to the start date of a program minus a $15 administrative fee. Cancellations within the 30 days prior to the program are nonrefundable if the child’s spot cannot be filled. (If the spot can be filled, a 50% refund minus the $10 administrative fee will be given.)
- There will be no tuition refunds for cancellations made after a program has begun.
- No full or partial tuition refund or credit will be given for a child’s failure to attend any part of a program for which they are registered.
- We will make every effort to adapt programs to the weather or reschedule if possible. In the event that we must cancel a program due to weather and we are unable to reschedule, the program tuition is nonrefundable.
Updated January 17, 2024.
Photo & Video Policy:
- The Conservancy may take photos and digital video footage of activities throughout the educational program season for record keeping and publicity purposes. Participant names are never used in connection with these photos or videos.
Liability Statement (Permission for the Conservancy to handle emergencies):
- I realize injuries can occur from participation in Farm programs. I hereby waive, release, absolve, indemnify, and agree to hold harmless the Wright-Locke Farm Conservancy, Inc., their Board of Directors, instructors, or assignees, and the Town of Winchester from any claim arising out of injury to my child or myself. Should my child be taken to the hospital for emergency purposes, I hereby grant permission to the attending physician and staff to administer anesthesia, medical, X-ray, and surgical procedures as may be deemed necessary or advisable. I understand that every attempt will be made to contact me in an emergency.
As part of Wright-Locke Farm’s goal to become a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive organization, we have instituted tiered pricing across all of our youth education programming. This allows families to choose the price that works best for them, reducing the cost-barrier to our programs. The tiers are calculated as follows:
- Tier A: 50% above the standard cost
- Tier B: 15% above the standard cost
- Tier C: The standard cost (what we normally charge for each participant)
- Tier D: 25% below the standard cost
- Tier E: 50% below the standard cost
Please select the price that is best for your family. If you are able, please consider selecting Tier A or Tier B prices. Families that register at these prices help support other children’s participation in our programs.
In addition to our tiered prices, limited financial assistance is available for all farm education programs. To request additional assistance, please email FarmEd@WLFarm.org.
Summer 2024
Register HERE
We are a half day program so please only sign up for one session in a given week.
We ask that folks only sign up for two weeks per summer to allow everyone to enjoy the farm. Thank you for your understanding!
Come spend your summer with us! We will learn about the lush environment around us, explore adjacent Whipple Hill, care for our goats and chickens, and of course we will play some games and make friends along the way! These half day week long programs aim to facilitate a connection with the outdoors and where our food comes from, develop a love of learning, and foster curiosity. Tiered pricing available ($150-$405).
This program is for children 4 years and older.
Morning Sessions: 9am-12pm
June 17-21*
June 24-28
July 1-3*
July 8-12
July 15-19
August 5-9
August 19-23
Afternoon Sessions: 1pm-4pm
June 17-21*
July 22-26
July 29 – August 2
August 12-16
*Short week due to holiday*
Come spend your summer with us! We will learn about the lush environment around us, explore adjacent Whipple Hill, care for our goats and chickens, and of course we will play some games and make friends along the way! These half day week long programs aim to facilitate a connection with the outdoors and where our food comes from, develop a love of learning, and foster curiosity. Tiered pricing available ($150-$405).
Morning Sessions: 9am-12pm
June 24-28
July 1-3*
July 8-12: Kitchen Hybrid
July 15-19
July 22-26
July 29 – August 2
August 12-16
August 19-23
Afternoon Sessions: 1pm-4pm
July 8-12
July 15-19
July 22-26
July 29 – August 2: Kitchen Hybrid
*Short week due to holiday*
Come spend your summer with us! We will learn about the lush environment around us, explore adjacent Whipple Hill, care for our goats and chickens, and of course we will play some games and make friends along the way! These half day week long programs aim to facilitate a connection with the outdoors and where our food comes from, develop a love of learning, and foster curiosity. Tiered pricing available ($150-$405).
Morning Sessions: 9am-12pm
July 22-26
July 29 – August 2: Kitchen Hybrid
Afternoon Sessions: 1pm-4pm
June 24-28
July 1-3*
July 8-12: Kitchen Hybrid
August 5-9
August 19-23
*Short week due to July 4th*
We are back with our Kitchen Hybrid Program! Join us for six weeks of after school fun! During this one week half day program we will split our time between the farm and the kitchen. We will spend half of our days by preparing delicious food with Chef Kelcy and then set out to explore Whipple Hill, do our chicken and goat chores, and deepen our connection to the natural environment around us. ($150-$405).
Please only sign your child up for one of these sessions!
We will be handling eggs, gluten, and dairy.
1st-3rd Grade
Morning Session: 9am-12pm
July 8-12
Afternoon Session: 1pm-4pm
July 29 – August 2
4-6th Grade
Morning Session: 9am-12pm
July 29 – August 2
Afternoon Session: 1pm-4pm
July 8-12
Employment Opportunities
We are about to begin our summer hiring process! If you are interested in working at the farm this summer as a seasonal farm educator please send a resume and cover letter to our Youth Programs Manager Emily at eallen@wlfarm.org
Frequently Asked Questions
You will sign your child up for the grade they will be in the Fall of 2024!
Please note our PreK/K program is for children 4 years and older.
No! Generally we will always spend time visiting our goats and chickens, hiking and playing games. We are so lucky that New England has so much variety to offer us as an outdoor program! In the spring we can explore our ponds and flower fields searching for critters waking up from the winter. In the fall we take advantage of the short days and go on ‘night’ hikes listening for owls, learning about the night sky and nocturnal animals. There’s no shortage of topics to cover and we change up our curriculum every session.
We ask that all snacks are nut free as nut allergies have become more common! Thanks for helping to keep all our participants safe.
During the fall and spring we ask that you only sign up for one day a week but you are welcome to join for both sessions!
During the summer you are able to sign up for a maximum of 2 weeks.
Reach out to us! You can email farmed@wlfarm.org or call our Youth Programs Manager at 781-369-9099.
Community Programming
Please note that some of the collaborative programs have varied registration guidelines and pricing.
If a program’s registration is managed by Wright-Locke Farm, please make sure that you have created an account in our system and that all information is accurate before our registration date. Please use this link to log in and update your information.
Come and enjoy a meander through the farm, around the farm pond and into the woods with the children’s book Does a Bear Poo in the Woods?, written by Johnny Leighton and illustrated by Mike Byrne.
This short walk starts at the goat gate by the Squash House — look for the chickens in their mobile coop inside the goat paddock and the goats, who have moved up the hill! The walk continues down the hill and around the pond — be sure to see if you can listen for and spot the families of geese, ducks, turtles, and frogs! Maybe you’ll be able to spot an owl or a hawk too! The walk returns you to the farm, via the fast forest site, sponsored and managed by Win Fast Forest.
Pack a snack and bring a water bottle — with all of the spring rains, it might make sense to leave the stroller behind and wear waterproof shoes, as the walk does bring you through some flood areas. This walk is very doable with little legs — and of course your leashed dog is welcome to join this free family-friendly walk.
Special thanks to the partnership with Winchester Public Library and Winchester Cooperative Bank.
The Storywalk runs through the summer.
Homeschoolers at the Farm
We’re revamping our Homeschool programs so please check back often! If you’re a homeschool family, we’re glad to hear from you. We’ll be creating a survey this summer so please reach out so we can share it with you!
Of course, feel free to email us about any homeschool inquiries/suggestions: farmed@wlfarm.org
Dates:
We’ll have more dates starting in the Fall! Check back often!
Time: 9:00am – 10:00am
Join Lauren Winterer with your family to learn about the Chickens at Wright-Locke Farm!
You’ll be invited into the chicken coop to complete the chicken chores with one of our Educators. The chicken chores include feeding and watering the chickens, collecting the eggs, checking on their bedding, and giving them all a lot of attention.
Please be sure to wear clothes that are comfortable and you don’t mind getting soiled.
Price per family:
$20 Buys a bag of Chicken Scratch
$18 Buys a bag of Chicken Feed
$15 Buys a bag of Bedding
We ask that children 3+ participate as some of our animals can be overwhelming to our youngest human friends. (Tag-along children welcome.)
Dates: We’ll have more dates starting in the Fall! Check back often!
Time:
1:00pm – 2:00pm
Take the goats for a walk at Wright-Locke Farm and into Whipple Hill!
Goats walks will take place in the fields and trails behind the farm on 82 Ridge Street. Participants will gather in front of the goat pen to learn about the goat’s diet, behavior, jobs on the farm, and their overall health. The group, led by an educator or a farmer, will then head out on the walk with our 5 goats. Just like the goats, the group will stay together as a herd as the goats graze on what is left for greenery this time of year. If the goats are lucky, they might find a few acorns that the squirrels missed.
Participants should be ready to hike over steep and off-camber terrain. The group will help by guiding the goats on the walk for about 30-45 minutes before leading them back to their pen. Participants are encouraged to pet the goats and take pictures with them. The walks are subject to cancellation during inclement weather.
Clothing & shoes: Please be sure to wear clothes that are comfortable and you don’t mind getting soiled. Always wear closed-toed and water-proof shoes.
Please do not bring anything to feed the goats.
Price per family:
$20 Buys a Goat Pedicure (Pay-It-Forward)
$18 Buys a Bale of Hay (Cost to run the program)
$15 Buys Straw for Bedding (Reduced price for accessibility)
We ask that children 3+ participate as some of our animals can be overwhelming to our youngest human friends. (Tag-along children are welcome.)
Financial Assistance
In addition to our tiered prices, limited financial assistance is available for all farm education programs. To request additional assistance, please email FarmEd@WLFarm.org.
If you have any questions or concerns, please contact the Youth Programs Manager
Farm education programs are generously supported by the Cummings Foundation and the John and Mary Murphy Foundation. You can support the Farm by making a donation.