April 12. 2014 - Drumlin Farm with EBNHC

On Saturday April 12, 2014, we met at EBNHC on a sunny Spring day to load up the van and drive 20 miles west to Drumlin Farm Wildlife Sanctuary in Lincoln, MA. ICO volunteers Liz, Johnna and Tracy met up with Lets Get Moving coaches Liz and Gabrielle, and nine EBNHC kids: Joseph, Ashley, Walter, Steven, Ariel, Gabrielle, Julissa, Angela, and Joshua for a fun-filled day of hiking and discovery. We held the opening circle at EBNHC, and everyone shared their favorite sport.

We arrived at Drumlin Farm shortly after 10:30am and began our adventure at the animal barns. First, we saw the chicken coop and marveled at the speckled hens. Next, we saw the greenhouse where many vegetables, including spring chives were grown. Then, we moved to the goat barn and saw a herd of friendly goats. Liz taught the kids that a baby goat was in fact, called a “kid.” As we sauntered through the horse stables and the pig pen, Joseph and Steven picked up some branches and offered to protect us from imaginary zombies from World War Z! At the pig pen, the kids took turns weighing themselves to see whether they’re a “growing piglet” or a “farm pig.” Everyone took photos of the adorable baby goats, piglets, and lamb – too bad we weren't able to pet them!

Before going underground to discover the Red Foxes and the field mice, Liz handed out a fun scavenger hunt where the kids were asked to locate seeds, insects, amphibians, mammals, nests, and birds. We emerged from the underground Fox Lair and to discover the lovely nature trail. The kids were especially excited when they spotted a bird’s nest perched high up in a tree, and took turns placing found treasures into the keepsake boxes along the path. Joshua found his first acorn and carefully placed it in a keepsake box. We came into a clearing where we built nests and shelters for animals in the forest. All the kids banded together and built makeshift shelters from fallen branches. Gabrielle, Angela and Joshua placed fresh pine needles and branches to create a rain shelter, while Steven, Walter, Joseph, Ariel and Ashley built a mini teepee out of sturdy wood. Julissa built a lovely perched nest with a built in escape route for the field mice and moles. Soon the kids were hungry so we headed down to the picnic area to enjoy a healthy lunch of sandwiches, carrots, hummus, cheese and fruit.

After lunch, we hiked up “The Drumlin,” a 280 feet tall hill with a beautiful clearing at the top. The kids played a vigorous game of tag in the sun. As we made our way down the hill, Joseph told scary stories about coaches who became lost in the woods and Angela began filming our adventures. On the way back to the entrance, we discovered the Sheep Barn with many baby lambs and the Bird Hill aviary, where we admired the majestic white owls with their 42 inch wingspan! After a quick restroom stop, we decided to stop by the chicken coop one last time in search of spring chicks. We saw one hen sitting underneath a heating lamp, but there were no chicks in sight. At 3:20pm, Johnna led our closing circle and everyone shared their favorite parts of the trip. We bid farewell to all the lovely animals and made our way to the parking lot for our journeys home. Overall, it was a great educational opportunity and the kids gained a new found appreciation for the animals and plants that provide us with deliciously nutritious meats and vegetables.

View photos from the trip here!

~ Tracy 

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