Discovery Days
Free Hands-On Workshops to Build Nature Skills and Stewardship
Sometimes just 30 minutes outside is enough to feel more grounded. From the scent of fresh herbs to the “ah-ha!” moments of new connections and the laughter of families sharing time outdoors together, Oxbow Discovery Days (formerly known as Pilot Programs) invite you into a living, evolving learning experience.
2026 Discovery Days
Friday, April 10
Saturday, April 11
Friday, June 12
Saturday, June 13
Details & Tickets Coming Soon
Friday, August 7
Saturday, August 8
Details & Tickets Coming Soon
Across farm fields and forest trails, moments of curiosity unfold into skills through lessons like parenting outdoors, food preservation, fostering biodiversity in everyday spaces, and more. Whether you’re new to outdoor learning or simply seeking a reset, these mini sessions offer simple, meaningful ways to reconnect with the world around you. Even better, your feedback helps shape future programs that invite more folks to learn, play, and feel at home in nature.
These investigations and experiences are designed for learners of all ages. You can drop in for one or stay all day. Mix and match from several unique workshops, each 30–45 minutes.
Join In. Give Back.
Come try something new. We’ll ask for your thoughts after, and your input helps shape what’s next. Here’s what to expect:
Hands-on Learning
You won’t just hear about nature, you’ll touch, taste, smell, and engage with it. From dyeing fabric with Oregon grape bark to building a worm bin, each session offers memorable sensory experiences and tangible skills you can use at home.
Community Feedback
Share your voice and help shape what’s next. Your insights helps shape future programming, ensuring it reflects what our community values.
Welcoming Environment
Whether you’re a seasoned nature lover or a total beginner, these sessions are welcoming, low-commitment, and completely free.
Topic Variety
Explore what sparks your curiosity. Choose from several unique sessions covering everything from dried flower bouquets and quick pickles to seasonal flavors and nature journaling. There’s something for every interest, and you’re welcome to try one or dig into them all.
Tickets
Register for for FREE
Oxbow’s Discovery Days are supported, in part, by 4Culture.We’re deeply grateful for their partnership, which allows us to offer accessible ticket pricing and connect more people with outdoor learning experiences.
Please register in advance—spaces are limited, and your RSVP helps us prepare materials thoughtfully to minimize waste.
Upcoming Sessions Schedule
April 10 & 11, 2026, 10AM-4PM
Times:
Friday, April 10, 10AM
Saturday, April 11, 10AM + 3PM
Length:
~45 minutes
Kid-friendly
Location:
Living Playground
Reimagine time outdoors with your family through a conversation-based, interactive workshop designed for parents, caregivers, and curious learners. Instead of focusing on specialized skills or perfect conditions, this session explores simple, everyday ways to make outdoor time more possible and enjoyable for a wide range of families. Through discussion, short activities, and shared examples, you’ll discover how time outside can support children’s confidence, independence, and ability to navigate challenges. Drawing from child development, outdoor education, and family practice, you’ll leave with practical strategies, inspiration, and flexible starting points to explore both on the farm and at home.
Times:
Friday, April 10, 10AM + 1PM
Saturday, April 11, 2PM
Length:
~30 minutes
Location:
Kids’ Farm
Understand how to read the signs of pest pressure in your growing spaces and respond with a holistic approach that minimizes environmental impact. Explore Integrated Pest Management (IPM) strategies in action at Oxbow, identify signs of pest presence, and discover resources to guide thoughtful, evidence-based responses.
Times:
Friday, April 10, 11AM + 3PM
Saturday, April 11, 11AM
Length:
~30 minutes
Kid-friendly
Location:
Living Playground
Explore the benefits of environmental education and how it helps bridge gaps in environmental literacy. While science is often taught in classrooms, there are many opportunities to more deeply connect ecological concepts to lived experience and our interwoven relationships with the world around us. In this session, you’ll learn the “why” behind environmental education and discover practical ways to apply its core principles in your classroom or daily life, building stronger, more meaningful connections to place.
Times:
Friday, April 10, 11AM + 3PM
Saturday, April 11, 3PM
Length:
~30 minutes
Kid-friendly
Location:
Outdoor Kitchen
Discover how to preserve vegetables and create probiotic foods through fermentation. Learn the basic techniques, which foods ferment best, and how to do it safely, then create your own sample to take home. Ideal for curious beginners!
Times:
Friday, April 10, 12PM + 2PM
Saturday, April 11, 12PM + 2PM
Length:
~30 minutes
Kid-friendly
Location:
Living Playground
Bring nature closer by learning simple, affordable ways to support wildlife and boost biodiversity wherever you grow (in a backyard, on a balcony, in a pea patch, or in community spaces). Perfect for parents, caregivers, and educators, you’ll gain easy, actionable steps to help local wildlife while sparking curiosity and creating spaces where people and ecosystems can thrive.
Times:
Friday, April 10, 12PM + 2PM
Saturday, April 11, 1PM
Length:
~30 minutes
Location:
Outdoor Kitchen
Learn to identify, prepare, and cook with invasive plants while gaining practical, hands-on experience. Discover how to access free, abundant foods while making space for native plants to thrive. After preparing a shared recipe, you’ll leave with resources to help you harvest and cook invasive plants throughout the seasons.
Times:
Friday, April 10, 1PM
Saturday, April 11, 1PM
Length:
~30 minutes
Kid-friendly
Location:
Clubhouse
Investigate the hidden world beneath your feet as you meet one of the farm’s hardest workers—the worm! Dig in to soil life up close and discover how these small creatures help grow healthy food and thriving ecosystems.
Times:
Saturday, April 11, 10AM-1PM
Length:
3 hours
Kid-friendly
Location:
TBD
Drop into our Second Saturday Restoration Work Party to get your hands in the soil and help support habitat by planting native trees and shrubs along the Snoqualmie River.
FAQs
No. You’re welcome to join for one session or stay for multiple throughout the day.
Yes! Many sessions are designed for kids, families, and caregivers, with additional offerings for adults.
No prior experience is needed. Sessions are designed to be welcoming and accessible for all skill levels.
Please bring weather-appropriate clothing, a water bottle, and a notebook if you’d like to take notes. These workshops include outdoor components, so dress for the season.
Portable restrooms (Honey Buckets) are available for visitors. Handwashing stations and hand sanitizer will be provided.
Oxbow offers accessible parking around our Plant Stand. Trails beyond can be uneven and difficult to navigate with wheelchairs or mobility aids. There is an accessible Honey Bucket portable restroom near Kids’ Farm. For questions or assistance, visit oxbow.org/visit/#accessibility or email thedirt@oxbow.org. To arrange for parking further into the farm and closer to the day’s programs, email education@oxbow.org.
Sign Up and Start Planning
Be the first to know when Pilot Program topics, tickets, and schedules are released.
Bonus! When you sign up, you’ll receive a free lesson plan for making your own newspaper planting pots. These DIY containers are a fun, earth-friendly way to cut waste while getting seeds started indoors.