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!
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. Additionally, when you pick our above program cost tiers the Cummings Foundation matches those funds. A little extra goes a LONG way!
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.
Spring 2025
Registration will open on Saturday, January 25th at 8am
Session 1: March 3 – April 11
Session 2: April 28 – June 6
Join us for a 9 week session of our Sprouts program! This is a program for our littlest explorers accompanied by a caregiver. Each week we will dive into a new topic relevant to the nature around us – from goats to our ponds to exploring our education garden! These programs aim to facilitate a connection with the outdoors, foster curiosity, and share tips and tricks with caregivers on getting little ones outside in all weather. Tiered pricing available ($113-$338).
This program is for children 2 and 3 years old.
Tuesday
April 1 – June 3
9:15am – 10:15am
10:30am – 11:30am
Wednesday
April 2 – June 4
9:15am – 10:15am
10:30am – 11:30am
*We will not have Sprouts programming the week of April 21-25*
Come spend spring on the farm! We will learn about the environment around us and watch the farm come alive again. During our time together we will explore adjacent Whipple Hill, care for our goats and chickens, and of course play some games and make friends along the way! These programs aim to facilitate a connection with the outdoors, develop a love of learning, and foster curiosity. Tiered pricing available ($180-$360).
Our Friday morning PreK class is not 3 hours long!
This program is for children 4 years and older.
Friday
Session 1 and Session 2
9am-12pm
Come spend spring on the farm! We will learn about the environment around us and watch the farm come alive again. During our time together we will explore adjacent Whipple Hill, care for our goats and chickens, and of course play some games and make friends along the way! These programs aim to facilitate a connection with the outdoors, develop a love of learning, and foster curiosity. Tiered pricing available ($180-$360).
Monday Afterschool
Session 1 and Session 2
3:30pm – 5:30pm
Wednesday Afterschool
Session 1 and Session 2
3:30pm – 5:30pm
Come spend spring on the farm! We will learn about the environment around us and watch the farm come alive again. During our time together we will explore adjacent Whipple Hill, care for our goats and chickens, and of course play some games and make friends along the way! These programs aim to facilitate a connection with the outdoors, develop a love of learning, and foster curiosity. Tiered pricing available ($180-$360).
Tuesday Afterschool
Session 1
3:30pm – 5:30pm
Thursday Afterschool
Session 1 and Session 2
3:30pm – 5:30pm
Our Kitchen Hybrid program is back! Join us for six weeks on the farm this spring exploring nature and cooking up delicious farm based recipes. We will spend our first four weeks splitting our time between outdoor programming and the kitchen. Our last two weeks will be all outdoors! These programs aim to connect us to the environment around us and to our food system. Tiered pricing available ($130-$390).
We will be handling eggs, dairy and gluten in this class.
Tuesday Kitchen Hybrid
Session 2
3:30pm – 5:30pm
Summer 2025
Registration will open Saturday, January 25th at 8am.
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 16 – June 20*
June 23 – June 27
June 30 – July 3*
July 7 – July 11
July 14 – July 18
July 21 – July 25
July 28 – August 1
August 4 – August 8
August 11 – August 15
August 18 – August 22
*Short weeks 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 23 – June 27
June 30 – July 3*
July 7 – July 11 – Kitchen Hybrid Program
July 21 – July 25
August 18 – August 22
Afternoon Sessions
1pm-4pm
June 30 – July 3*
July 7 – July 11
July 14 – July 18
July 21 – July 25
July 28 – August 1
August 4 – August 8
August 11 – August 15
*Short weeks 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 28 – August 1
Afternoon Sessions
1pm-4pm
June 23 – June 27
July 7 – July 11
July 14 – July 18 – Kitchen Hybrid Program
July 28 – August 1 – Kitchen Hybrid Program
August 11 – August 15
August 18 – August 22
Our Kitchen Hybrid program is back! Half of our time will be spent outside around the farm exploring the environment around us including adjacent Whipple Hill. The second half of our day will be spent in the kitchen learning to make delicious farm based dishes with farm chef Kelcy. 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).
We will be handling eggs, dairy and gluten in this class. Due to high cross contamination risk we are not able to accommodate these allergies at this time.
Morning Sessions
9am-12pm
1st-3rd Grade Kitchen Hybrid
July 7 – July 11
Afternoon Sessions
1pm-4pm
4th-6th Grade Kitchen Hybrid
July 14 – July 18
July 28 – August 1
Summer FAQs
We ask that folks only sign up for 2 weeks to allow as many kiddos to enjoy the farm as possible.
We also ask that you only sign up for one session in a week. This means only morning or afternoon.
Thanks for your understanding!
You will sign your child up for the grade they will be in the Fall of 2025.
Our PreK/K program is for kids who are 4 years and older!
Some topics will remain the same like goats and chickens but we believe in running with kids interests! Depending on what the group is interested in we will adjust the schedule accordingly. We have a group that loves to hike? Into the woods we go! A group is really interested in our education garden? We will do extra garden chores!
We ask that participants bring nut free snacks to programming. That being said, we are open to the public so this is not a fully allergen free facility. If you have any questions or concerns about allergies and farm programming please reach out to farmed@wlfarm.org.
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.
Thanks to the Friends of Winchester Public Library, we are so lucky to co-host programs. Please check out the information below and link to their website for more information. All of the programs co-hosted by Wright-Locke Farm and Winchester Public Library take place at the farm and are led by a farm educator and librarian.
Maple Sugaring!
Wednesday, March 19th
noon – 1:00
Wright-Locke Farm
Instructor: Lauren Winterer
*Once the registration link is created with the Library, we will link it here. Otherwise, feel free to reach out to the Library for more details!
Family Maple Sugaring with Lauren Winterer is back! Come join Lauren to learn about the New England tradition of Maple Sugaring!
You’ll learn about tapping trees and different types of maples; you’ll taste the sap from the spile and bucket; there will be a blind taste-test of store-bought syrup and the “real stuff”; and you’ll boil the sap down into fresh maple syrup!
This program takes place indoors and outside.
Sunday, Feb 9, 9:00 – 10:00 a.m.
Saturday, Feb 22, 9:00 – 10:00 a.m.
Sunday, Feb 23, 9:00 – 10:00 a.m.
Pricing:
Pay-It-Forward: $25
Cost to run the program: $20
Reduced price: $15
Did you know that when you select the “Pay-it-Forward” price for any of our programs the Cummings Foundation matches those funds? A little extra goes a LONG way!
Registration:
Registration will open on at 8am Saturday, January 18th. To register, click on your preferred date/time. Please input all members of your family who will join and remember, the pricing is per family!
The Family Sugaring program is geared towards families with young children. If you would like to learn more about Roland “Boot” Boutwell’s Maple Sugaring for children (age 10+) and adults, please click here.
Dates:
More dates coming soon! Sign up for our newsletter to learn more!
Time: 10:00am – 11:00am
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
Did you know that when you select the “Pay-it-Forward” price for any of our programs the Cummings Foundation matches those funds? A little extra goes a LONG way!
Please input all members of your family who will join and remember, the pricing is per family!
We ask that children 3+ participate as some of our animals can be overwhelming to our youngest human friends. (Tag-along children welcome.)
Dates:
More dates coming soon! Sign up for our newsletter to learn more!
Time: 11:30am – 12:30pm
Take the goats for a walk at Wright-Locke Farm and into Whipple Hill with Lauren Winterer!
Goats walks will take place in the fields and trails behind the farm at 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. Led by our Enrichment Coordinator and Educator Lauren Winterer, the group 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)
Did you know that when you select the “Pay-it-Forward” price for any of our programs the Cummings Foundation matches those funds? A little extra goes a LONG way!
Please input all members of your family who will join and remember, the pricing is per family!
We ask that children 3+ participate as some of our animals can be overwhelming to our youngest human friends. (Tag-along children are welcome.)
Come back to check about the Spring 2025 Storywalk! Thanks for your curiosity and support!
Special thanks to the partnership with Winchester Public Library and Winchester Cooperative Bank.
What to expect: This is a short and stroller-friendly loop, easy for little legs and leashed furry friends. Bring a snack and enjoy the farm.
Loop: You’ll start by the lower animal paddock near the Squash Barn, walking down the gravel path towards the pond. Loop around the pond, into the shaded woods. Come out by the Win Fast Forest and hike back up the hill to the farm property. (Be aware that there might be poison ivy, so please stay on the path.)
This is free and open to the public seasonally during farm hours.
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.