Environmental Programs

When one tugs at a single thing in nature, [s]he finds it attached to the rest of the world.
- John Muir

Learn to Live in Harmony with the Natural World

To "simply keep it local" is at the heart of Cuvilly's educational philosophy. Every program, special event and learning curriculum we offer is designed to promote an ecologically sustainable lifestyle. Come to Cuvilly to learn how to live in harmony with your local surroundings. Contact Environmental Educational Coordinator Erika Gorgenyi at erika@cuvilly.org for registration information for programs and events listed below.

Programs and Events

  • Simply Keep It Local (SKIL) Summer Program

    Story Weavers Summer Adventure 2010

    Create your own adventures and discover wildlife at Cuvilly Arts & Earth Center's beautiful farm and reservation. Challenge yourself to learn to survive on this piece of land, discovering how much food you can find or grow right here. Take field trips to nearby natural areas, wade in the marsh, and try your hand at clamming. Learn from professional farmers and naturalists as well as the ancient people of this land. Work with your group to turn your experiences into stories told through drawings, writing, and skits. Spend your days hanging out with wildlife, trees, veggies, and goats; hike, explore, and take on group challenges. Uncover ancient secrets of the area and become part of the story of this special place! For ages 9 - 12, with limited space for seven and eight-year-olds. A special invitation to Cuvilly pre-school and kindergarten alums to "Come Home to Cuvilly" for the summer!

    Cost: $275 per participant per week

    Next Scheduled:

    Story Weavers - Summer Adventure 2010.

    Weekly Themes:

    All sessions: Hiking, exploring, games, working with farm animals, clam gathering, native skills, creating our own stories (each session runs Mon.- Fri., 9am-3pm).

    Week One, July 19-23: Home - Exploring our home through map making, learning to grow food, find wild foods, and cook foods that we harvest from the land.

    Week Two, July 26-30: Journey - Experimenting with past, and present ways to take journeys. Learning about ship building, bike riding, and other energy efficient ways to travel.

    Week Three, August 2-6: Ideal Communities - Experiencing world cultures, exploring connections among animals and plants in our natural community, planning an environmental service project, designing our own utopia.

    For program details and registration form, download the 2010 SKIL brochure.

  • Seasonal Nature Fun and Fireside Stories

    Accompany Cuvilly's education director on adventures through Cuvilly's trails, gardens, barns and fields. Learn about the lore of the land, listen to the trees talk and sway and the barnyard animals honk and bray. Share stories of the land around a campfire while sipping hot chocolate or cider, depending on the season. [All ages]

    Cost: $5 per participant

    Next Scheduled: Please check back intermittently throughout the school year for upcoming programs.

  • "We Cycle" Bike-a-Thon and Bike Donation Drive

    This ride around scenic and historic Cape Ann supports Cuvilly Arts & Earth Center's environmental education programs. There will be two routes offered -- a 25-mile and 50-mile route. Registration for the event will open at 7 a.m. at Cuvilly's Ipswich campus; all participants, whether pre-registered through BikeReg.com or not (please see below), are required to check in and sign waiver form. Start time of the ride is 8 a.m., with the ride ending by noon.

    Besides raising funds for Cuvilly, the Bike-a-thon is intended to promote cycling as an alternative mode of transportation to gas or oil-fueled conveyances. This year, Cuvilly is partnering with the peace advocacy organization, Bikes Not Bombs, and will be collecting used and old bikes to be refurbished and donated to the organization. Participants are encouraged to clean out their garages and sheds for unwanted bicycles in good condition (no rust please) for donation to Bikes Not Bombs. Cuvilly will be collecting used bikes for this purpose on the day of the event. If you don't want to ride and still want to donate used bikes, please drop off your bikes at Cuvilly, along with a $10 donation (made out to "Bikes Not Bombs") that goes toward refurbishing your donated used bikes. (Please note: Cuvilly will assume the cost of $10 refurbishment fee to Bikes Not Bombs if donor participates in the Bike-a-Thon and meets the suggested donation to Cuvilly of $75.)

    Asking family and friends to help you with your $75 minimum donation to Cuvilly Arts & Earth Center is a good idea!
    Sponsor pledge sheet.

    Cost: Registration Fee & Suggested Donation for Bike-a-Thon -- $35 per person; with an additional $75 suggested donation. Register for this event at BikeReg.com.

    Next Scheduled: Sat., Sept. 25, 2010; Rain or Shine Event! We ask participants to pre-register for this event through BikeReg.com but will also welcome walk-ins on the day of the event.

  • Cuvilly Critters' Trek

    A fundraiser for the care and feeding of Cuvilly's barnyard animals, this 6-mile walk or run (Sheep Stampede), 25-mile bike ride (Pony Pedal) and abbreviated walk for younger children and a parent (Chicken Trot) features a picnic lunch and musical entertainment for all. Register for the events (and be sure to choose your t-shirt size!). You must also print out and bring your filled-out pledge sheet as indicated below.
    Pledge Sheet.

    Cost: Event is free; Important to Note: All participants must be willing to gather enough sponsors to garner at least $30 for the care of Cuvilly's animals. A minimum of $30 pledge monies must be turned in at the time of the event to participate in the walk/run/bike ride and to receive a free t-shirt and lunch. Please contact info@cuvilly.org if you have any questions.

    Next Scheduled: Sat., May 15, 2010, starting at 9 a.m.; It's not too early to save the date for next year - Sat., May 14, 2011!

    Sheep Stampede - 6 mile walk/run - departs at 9 a.m.

    Pony Pedal - 25-mile bike ride - departs at 9:15 a.m.

    Chicken Trot - 1.5 mile walk - departs at 9:30 a.m.

    Please arrive at Cuvilly Arts & Earth Center at least 15 minutes prior to your chosen event in order to submit your pledge monies and receive your free t-shirt; early birds can arrive as early as 8:15 for a power breakfast of bagels and bananas.

    Please Note: This is a rain or shine event!

  • Vegetable and Fruit Canning Workshop

    Learn how to continue to reap the fruits of your harvest even when the season is over. Local gardens and orchards provide the vegetables or fruit for preserving nature's bounty.

    Cost: $20 per person

    Next Scheduled: November 2010