News Archive

Sixth annual holiday open house December 10th

Friday, 20 November 2015 10:39

Join us for our sixth annual holiday open house on Thursday, December 10th from 4:00-8:00 pm. The 1794 Isaac Davenport Mansion house will be decked out in spectacular holiday style for this special event, one of the few events during the year where visitors are able to visit inside. Tickets are free for members, $10 suggested donation for others. Annual memberships will be available for purchase, along with hand-crafted wreaths beautifully decorated with greens from the estate. Refreshments are provided. Please RSVP by calling 617-333-0924 if you plan to attend or reply by email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

 

Talk by Noted Education David Sobel Dec. 1

Friday, 13 November 2015 10:32

Wakefield Charitable Trust & Thacher Montessori School present: Cultivating Wonder of Nature in Childhood, a talk by environmental educator David Sobel

 

Tuesday, December 1, 6:00 PM (Snow Date: December 8)

Thacher Montessori School, 1425 Blue Hill Avenue, Milton, MA

The Wakefield Estate is very excited  to invite our members and the wider community to an evening lecture by noted environmental educator David Sobel, senior faculty member in the Education Department and Director of the Center for Place-Based Education at Antioch University New England.

William Wordsworth suggested that the natural world is "appareled with celestial light" in childhood, meaning that nature is perceived differently by children than by adults. David Sobel believes there is a critical period in middle childhood when children are biologically programmed to bond with the natural world. If this bonding occurs, it sets the individual on a path of environmental values and commitment. Parents and educators should take advantage of this openness in childhood and provide frequent opportunities for children to adventurously be at-one in nature. In this talk, Sobel will present a bit of provocative research, a dash of theory, a lot of parenting stories, and a look at how the parent/child/nature relationship changes from early childhood to early adulthood.

David Sobel has spent his career researching and consulting about child development and place-based education. He has authored seven books and more than 60 articles focused on children and nature for educators, parents, environmentalists and school administrators in the last 25 years. He was identified as one of the "gurus and rock stars of environmental education" in a feature article in Teacher magazine and as one of the 2007 Daring Dozen educational leaders in Edutopia magazine. The lecture will take place at 6:00pm in the Thacher school auditorium - admission: $10. Reservations are required. RSVP to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . tion Department and Director of the Center for Place-Based Education at Antioch University New England.

Wreath-Making Workshop to be held Dec. 2nd; Family session Dec. 5th

Wednesday, 11 November 2015 10:26

The Wakefield Estate will hold our popular wreath-making workshop Wednesday, December 2nd from 6:30-8:00 pm. Participants will create a fabulous holiday wreath for their door with locally-sourced fancy evergreens. This workshop will begin at 6:30 pm with a short demonstration by Lisa Ahern from Cedar Grove Gardens, who will show how to embellish a plain wreath base and turn it into a custom-made show stopper! All materials provided. If extra wreaths are produced, they will be sold as part of our Holiday Wreath Sale. The fee for this class is $35; $25 for members. Registration is required.

This year, the estate is adding a family wreath and birdseed ornament-making session on Saturday, Dec. 5th, 10:00 am – 12 noon. Come make a wreath and birdseed ornaments with your kids. We will show you how to turn a plain wreath into something the whole family will be proud of, and everyone can make birdseed ornaments to feed our wild feathered friends this winter. All materials provided. Charge for this session is $40/family to make one wreath and ornaments; $30 for members. As with the other session, registration is required; call 617-333-0924 x22.  

Order a Hand-crafted Holiday Wreath! Deadline: Dec. 2nd!

Wednesday, 11 November 2015 10:20

Wakefield Estate Offers Locally-sourced Holiday Wreaths!

Once again this holiday season, the Wakefield Estate is taking orders for its popular hand-crafted, locally-sourced holiday wreaths. The wreaths are 18, 24 or 30 inches in diameter and can be hung or used as a holiday centerpiece. The deadline to order a wreath is Wednesday, Dec 2; order by calling 617-333-0924 x22 . Wreaths will be available for pick up at the Wakefield Estate (1465 Brush Hill Rd in Milton) during the week of Dec. 7-11, or earlier if arranged with Wakefield Estate staff. The wreaths are $35-$50; all proceeds benefit the Wakefield Charitable Trust's educational programming.