This year’s “Backyard Chickens” session was held this past weekend, drawing another enthusiastic full house. Participants spent the first segment in the farmhouse learning about the basics of keeping chickens: getting started, setting up a coop, feeding and caring for chickens, and chicken-keeping economics 101. Afterwards, everyone took a tour of the coops at the estate, including the property’s historic coop which houses our […]

Like most of the Boston area, the estate got another foot of snow overnight on the 27th of January. The snow has almost reached the height of most of our stone walls and is up close to the second rail on some of the newly installed split rail fence. Now that the sun is out, it’s easy to forget all […]

Two dozen brave souls (including several families) enjoyed the Wakefield Estate’s first Mid-winter Evening Garden Tour on Saturday, January 22. Several of the estate’s older and most handsome trees were illuminated with uplighting providing a dramatic spectacle against the black night sky. Under the added light of the nearly full moon bouncing off the brilliant white snow, visitors strolled through the garden on […]

The Wakefield Estate is partnering this year with the Hyde Park Presbyterian Church and the SHOUT After School Tutoring Program to provide children from the Henry Grew school in Hyde Park academic enrichment opportunities. Last week the kids collected a number of items from the landscape – berries, leaves, nuts, cones, ferns – with which to make colorful collages. Following […]

Last week for the third consecutive year, floral designer Lisa Ahern worked her magic and gave a dazzling holiday floral demonstration to a standing room only crowd. The evening session began with participants enjoying mulled cider, wine and snacks in the farmhouse, cozy with a fire flickering in the wood stove. Then Ahern displayed how to make several stunning decorations ranging a simple arrangement […]

In early October, the Wakefield Estate was pleased to host the 2nd Annual Women¹s Tree Climbing Workshop. Sponsored by the New England Chapter of the International Society of Arboriculture, the workship gave women arborists the opportunity to learn how to climb using a multitude of styles in climbing equipment & techniques. Designed as a two-day camping overnight event, the participants […]

We are partnering with our neighbors next door, the Thacher Montessori School,  to be certified through the Audubon Cooperate Sanctuary Program.  This program helps businesses and organizations conduct proactive environmental projects that benefit people and the environment by addressing four key environmental quality areas: Wildlife Habitat Management, Resource Conservation, Waste Management, and Outreach & Education.   Thacher’s Upper Elementary students are […]

The Wakefield Estate’s recent work and collaboration with Luis Arroyo, Science Specialist at Boston Public’s Charles Taylor School in Mattapan was the highlight of this year’s Boston Youth Environmental Networks annual showcase held October 29th. Mr. Arroyo was the featured speaker at the gathering of over 200 teachers and environmental education professionals held each year at the law offices of Wilmer Hale. Sharing […]

On Sunday, October 10, the estate partnered with Brookwood Community Farm for a hands-on workshop on how to prepare Kimchi – a delicious fermented cabbage dish of Korean cuisine. The beautiful autumn weather enabled the class to be held outside. Kelly Lake instructed the class about the benefits of lactofermentation, and how to mix the concoction. Participants prepared their own […]

Recently the Metro South Edition of the Boston Globe featured an article profiling some of the terrific programs that are underway here at the Wakefield Estate, including our Summer Archeology Institute for high school students, grade school science visits and college fellowships focused on a wide array of research topics. To read the complete article, follow this link.