Farmcraft - As a volunteer teacher for this program you take students on a tour of our farm to help them learn about how farming was done before electricity.
There are many ways to get invololved and volunteer at Merry Lea. The following is a list of some of volunteer opportunities that are available. If you are interested in helping with any of these programs please contact Jenny Spitler at jennyds@goshen.edu or call (260) 799-5869.
Volunteer
Teachers
Between 7,000 and 8,000 school children participate in Merry
Lea run programs
every year. We rely on volunteers to help teach all of these programs. After
training, volunteers can help to guide groups on trails, around the farm,
through the
sugarbush, or to the gravel pit. Volunteers teach, lead learning
activities, and communicate
their love
of the natural world to area children. Some volunteers choose to work
with a specific program while others help with all the programs we offer. On
the left you will see a list of several of our most popular programs at Merry
Lea.
Sugarbush Support and Production Help
Our sugarbush program runs for 6 weeks in February and March. This
program requires more than just teaching volunteers. We also need
support volunteers to help keep mulitple fires burning and just lend
a hand with the production of syrup and the daily programs. We
also need people to come in the afternoon and weekends to help collect
gallons upon gallons of sap.
Work Days
Once or twice a year Merry Lea holds a volunteer work day to tackle projects
that require many hands. Last year we spread gravel, painted a
barn, sewed bags for the bird banding program, cleaned a neglected building,
and repaired all the aquatic dip nets. This is always a great day
of fun, fellowship, and hard work.
Enchanted Forest
Every year in late October the animals in the woods can talk to people
and share about their lives. This is a special program that draws
in hundreds of local groups and families. We always need lots
of volunteers to be animals (we provide costumes), trail guides, kitchen
help, and lots of other support needs.
Gardens
Gardening is a lot of work! Many times throughout the growing season
there is a need for extra hands to help get the work done. So,
if you would enjoy planting, weeding, or especially harvesting we could
use your help.
Explore the woods, wetlands, prairies and more by volunteering to teach our natural history programs. We offer a wide range of programs including Exploring Nature, Wonderful Wetlands, What's Buggin' You?, Rock Cycle, Trees are Terrific, and Feathered Frenzy.
Sugarbush - Help teach students about the craft of making Maple Syrup at the Yoder Sugarbush in Huntertown. You can teach students how to tap trees, use a two person saw, boil down the sap and much more. This program also requires a lot of non-teaching volunteers. See more details to the right.