5 dates to choose from in 2022!
Sunday, May 15 - 2-4 p.m.
Sunday, July 17 - 2-4 p.m.
Saturday, August 20 - 2-4 p.m.
Sunday, September 18 - 2-4 p.m.
Join us for our Bee-to-Bottle Tours at Next to Nature Farm. We will take you through the entire life cycle of a bee and discuss how they work tirelessly to collect nectar and produce honey for us to enjoy. You'll learn about honey harvesting, extraction, and even get to bottle your own 12-ounce honey to take home.
This class occurs both indoor and outdoor and will happen rain or shine. Cost is $15 per person, ages 5 and under are free. We ask that you arrive 10 minutes early for the class so we can begin promptly.
Only a few left!
Announcing our next big vendor event at the Farm! Spring Farm Fest 2022 is set for Saturday, May 21, 2022 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. We are seeking vendors now. Specifically looking for artisans, crafters, makers with a preference toward handmade//homemade items. Download the vendor application and pay for booth space early to secure your spot.
This event is open to the public and we do a lot of promotional work ahead of time to promote vendors and family friendly activities. The Farm Fest includes hayrack rides to/from the event, a food truck, and additional craft/art projects to attract families.
Contact Chad Gilliland at (785) 491-1978 or nexttonaturefarm@gmail.com with questions.
Please pay for your booth online.
Download the application and e-mail/send to:
Chad Gilliland at nexttonaturefarm@gmail.com
Sold out
We're so excited to bring back Branch and Bloom to offer two options for her famous Summer Porch Pot classes. The pots you'll create in this make-and-take class will be stunning throughout the summer! She'll teach you the tricks to create brilliantly planned pots that "thrill, spill and chill" as the pros say! The class will be offered on Sunday, May 22 (we will add the later class when the first fills up). Grab your spot now, they will fill up! Get your friends together to celebrate spring and make something you'll adore over the summer.
Each class participant will design a summer planter pot with guidance from our expert arborist and gardener. The color choices are up to the participant. Each pot uses a high-quality potting mix and we'll discuss water and fertilization options as part of the class.
Saturday, June 11 | 1-3 p.m.
Join us for our make-and-take jam/jelly class where we will make Honey and Thyme Blackberry Jam and Native Kansas Grape Jelly. You will learn the basics of canning jams and jellies, including an overview of needed equipment and best practices for successful (and safe) canning. Each person in the class will work with the class instructor to help make a batch of jam and jelly and each person will take home one half-pint of each jam or jelly to enjoy.
Class will be held at Next to Nature Farm, 23338 Kissinger Road, Leavenworth, KS 66048. Class will begin at 1 p.m. (approximately 2 hours for class).
Honey and Thyme Blackberry Jam is a low-sugar, sweet-savory jam that can be used on grilled meats or used in a traditional method of jam on toast or biscuits. The Native Kansas Grape Jelly is one of our best sellers - this shows you how to use local fruits to produce delicious products!
Participants will also receive safety information for canning, handouts, and recipes for further canning experiences. Class is limited to 8 participants and pre-registration is required.
Saturday, June 18 | 2-4 p.m.
In this class, you will learn how to make kombucha. Kombucha contains probiotic, or friendly, bacteria. These microorganisms are known to boost a person’s health. There is some evidence to suggest that kombucha has a range of health benefits, including benefits for gut health, mental health, infection risk, and liver health.
Kombucha is easy to make and inexpensive (if you are a kombucha fan, you will save so much learning to make this yourself). In this class, you will get a S.C.O.B.Y. (symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast) and samples of homemade kombucha. Since S.C.O.B.Y. reproduces itself, it is the gift that will keep on giving!
Participants will learn:
Tickets required in advance. Limited class size of 8. We will consider offering another course if there is demand.
Saturday, July 9 | 2-4 p.m.
Pickling is the process of preserving or extending the shelf life of food by either anaerobic fermentation in brine or immersion in vinegar. In this class, we will discuss the right vegetables for pickling, and walk through the pickling and canning process, step-by-step. Through learning the process of pickling, you can safely create pickled products that will last for many years.
We will pickle local, seasonal vegetables including cucumbers, zucchini and other seasonal vegetables. Each participant will bring home a pints of their own hand-crafted refrigerator pickles.
Class will be held at Next to Nature Farm, 23338 Kissinger Road, Leavenworth, KS 66048. Class will begin at 2 p.m. (approximately 2 hours for class).
Participants will also receive safety information for canning, handouts, and recipes for further canning experiences. Class is limited to 8 participants and pre-registration is required.
Saturday, July 16 | 2-4 p.m.
Want to capture the taste of summer? Put up those tomatoes in the garden and taste summer all year around! In this class we discuss canning tomatoes and learn the blanching process for whole tomatoes, the difference between hot and cold packing, and make a simple Italian sauce for soups and stews. This is a make-and-take class and you will get a pint of Italian tomatoes to take home. We will also cover making salsa and marinara and provide recipes for several ways to can tomatoes.
Class will be held at Next to Nature Farm, 23338 Kissinger Road, Leavenworth, KS 66048. Class will begin at 2 p.m. (approximately 2 hours for class).
Participants will also receive safety information for canning, handouts, and recipes for further canning experiences. Class is limited to 8 participants and pre-registration is required.
Saturday, July 23, 2022 | 2-4 p.m.
Pressure canning is required for certain foods, including meat and low-acid foods like green beans. If certain foods are not prepared correctly, botulism will occur which is a deadly toxin. In this class, we will discuss what foods must be pressure canned, the equipment needed, cleaning and preparing foods for pressure canning, and safe pressure canning practices.
We will prepare a vegetable soup and a marinara with ground beef. Each participant will take home a quart of prepared vegetable soup at the end of the class. All participants receive materials on low-acid and high-acid foods and additional recipes.