Gardening, Nature, & Conservation

Pressed Flower Pumpkins

Decorate beautiful autumn pumpkins without the mess of carving! In this creative, hands-on workshop, you’ll use pressed flowers and foliage grown at River Bend Homestead to transform simple pumpkins into works of seasonal art.

Participants will arrange their blooms and greenery on each pumpkin, securing them with an all-natural adhesive that enhances the natural beauty. You’ll learn simple tips for composition and preservation so your creations will last well through the season. Everyone will leave with a pair of unique, handcrafted pumpkins—perfect for displaying as festive décor or gifting to someone special.

Community Instructor: Becca Mathews

Composting 101

Whether you have a garden, want healthier soil, or are simply looking for a better way to handle food scraps and yard waste, discover the magic of composting! Learn how everyday organic materials can be transformed into a beneficial resource for your garden and the environment.

Don’t have a place to compost where you live? We’ll also explore creative alternatives and local opportunities for keeping food scraps and yard waste out of the landfill while still making the magic happen. If you’d like to leave class with the proverbial recipe for the potion AND the magic wand, composting kits will be available for purchase the day of class with everything you need to get started at home.

Class Note: Registration for this one-hour class is just $10. Compost bin kits are available to purchase as an optional add-on for $60 when registering. There will be a limited number of compost bin kits available for purchase during class as well. Payment may be made by debit or credit card, check, or exact cash.

Community Instructor: Lauren Rush, City of Perrysburg, Natural Resources Manager; Zachary Nemec, Wood County Solid Waste Management District, Outreach and Program Planner

Make Your Own Woven Acorn

Create a one-of-a-kind woven acorn using natural materials, just in time for the autumn season. Beginning with a small gourd shell as the base, participants will learn a traditional coiling technique using longleaf pine needles to create the textured top of their acorn.

Along the way, learn the basics of pine needle coiling and how this technique can be used for future projects. Longleaf pine needles will be provided for class, but the same coiling method can also be practiced at home using suitable pine needles gathered from your own backyard.

577 Staff Instructor: Samantha Day

Basket Making: Foraging Basket

Celebrate the autumn season by creating a foraging basket from natural materials, many harvested right from the gardens and grounds at 577. We will use an English ivy rim and willow spokes to form the structure of the basket, with maypop vine and flat reed filling out the body.

The English ivy, willow, and maypop vine used for the project have been harvested from the grounds at 577, making these locally gathered materials part of the finished basket. Basic “straps” will be provided, but participants are encouraged to bring or make their own strap to personalize their basket.

577 Staff Instructor: Samantha Day

A Deep Dive into Dahlias: Tuber to Bloom

From tubers to blooms, explore the full growing cycle of a dahlia plant while getting hands-on with freshly dug tubers. Learn the best time to plant, how long to wait before digging them up, where and how to store them over the winter, and whether you can save the seeds. You’ll also discover ways to encourage your plants to produce more blooms throughout the growing season.

These colorful summer blooms draw the attention of gardeners of all skill levels, and you’ll leave class feeling more confident caring for your own dahlias, whether you have one plant or a hundred.

Each participant will receive one tuber to take home, along with instructions for storing it over the winter and replanting it in the spring. Gloves will be available to borrow, but participants are welcome to bring their favorite pair of gardening gloves.

Community Instructor: Becca Mathews

Herbs of the Cauldron

Join us around the fire as we explore the archetype of The Witch and the magical plants and symbolism associated with it through the centuries. Despite their baleful reputation in modern culture, historically, witches have been among our most revered healers, naturalists, counselors, and wise women. We’ll discuss the ways modern herbalists follow a similar path and delve into the home remedies, folk traditions, and inherited wisdom that are part of our legacy. This will also be a time to share stories and honor those whose wisdom we continue to build on today.

Class Note: Hot cider will be provided. Please bring your favorite mug to enjoy during class.

Community Instructor: Sarah Williams

Honeybees 101

Explore the fascinating and complex world of honeybees, from their behaviors to their importance in nature. Whether you are toying with the idea of beekeeping, looking for simple ways you can help our local bee population, or just love Apis mellifera, participants will gain a better understanding of these amazing and vital creatures.

Learn about the diverse and interconnected workings of a honeybee hive, explore the lifecycle and jobs of bees, see what a year of natural beekeeping looks like, and leave inspired and ready to support bees in big and small ways.

Class Note: This class is the prerequisite class needed for Beekeeping 101 classes at 577.

Community Instructor: Sara Grunberg

Basket Making: Market Basket

Weave a colorful market basket that’s as useful as it is beautiful! Using a classic D-handle and various sizes and colors of flat reed, participants will build their basket from the base up while exploring traditional basket-weaving techniques.

The first part of class will focus on constructing the base around the handle using undyed flat reed. From there, choose from a variety of colored reeds to create a colorful alternating pattern as you weave up the sides. To finish, reed and cordage will be used to secure a strong rim, creating a sturdy basket ready for trips to the market, gathering from the garden, or displaying at home.

Class Note: This is a longer workshop, so participants are welcome to bring snacks to enjoy during class.

577 Staff Instructor: Samantha Day

Make Your Own Mini Woven Acorns

Celebrate the textures of autumn by creating two (2) unique mini woven acorns using natural materials. Beginning with small gourd shells as the base, participants will use longleaf pine needles and a traditional coiling technique to create the textured tops of their acorns.

Along the way, participants will explore the basics of pine needle coiling and discover how the technique can be used for other creative projects. Longleaf pine needles will be provided for class, but the same coiling method can also be practiced at home using suitable pine needles gathered from your own backyard.

577 Staff Instructor: Samantha Day