Pickin’ Pawpaws

Saturday, Sept. 25 • 1 p.m.

Carpenter’s Bottom, 3229 State Route 98

“Pickin’ up pawpaws, puttin’ em in her pocket!” Take a hike with Crawford Park District Naturalists Lisa and Chelsea to learn about and search for our largest native fruit… the Pawpaw! If the pickins are ripe and ready, we will have a tasty snack! Carpenter’s Bottom is located on State Route 98 east of Bucyrus, just beyond the railroad tracks.

Viewing the Night Sky

Saturday, Sept. 25 • 7:30 p.m.

Lowe-Volk Park, 2401 State Route 598

Join members of the Crawford Park Astronomy Club as they share their knowledge and telescope skills with all who are interested in the celestial sights.

Caterpillar Hunt

Saturday, Sept. 25 • 8-11 p.m.

Lowe-Volk Park, 2401 State Route 598

The Spicebush Swallowtail caterpillar is an incredible snake mimic! Can we find one munching on the spicebush in our woods? Join Crawford Park District Naturalist Chelsea to learn about the fascinating world of caterpillars. When darkness falls, we will use UV lights and flashlights to search for caterpillars and other nocturnally active creatures in our park. Fun for all ages! Lowe-Volk Park is located 3 miles north of US Route 30.

Feeding Day

Sunday, Sept. 26 • 1 p.m.

Lowe-Volk Park, 2401 State Route 598

Will it be fruits, vegetables, leafy greens, shrimp, worms, or mice? Can you guess what’s on the menu for the animals in the Crawford Park District’s Nature Center? If you want to help feed some of the animals, stop by the Lowe Volk Park Nature Center for this fun filled program.

Archery

Sunday, Sept. 26 • 3-5 p.m.

Lowe-Volk Park, 2401 State Route 598

Whether for sport, food, or fun, archery is a great outdoor activity that gets us away from the gadgets of life, allowing us to focus on one thing: hitting the target. Join Crawford Park District staff for an archery shoot that will include an introduction to archery safety and shooting basics. All equipment will be provided.

Prairie Wildflowers

Sun. Sept. 26 • 3 p.m.

Salem Cemetery Prairie, corner of Lower-Leesville and Parcher Road

The tall-grass prairies of Ohio are renowned for their late summer displays of wildflowers. The Salem prairie is a restoration project that is in its 12th year and it is now one of the best prairies in northern Ohio. Meet Crawford Park District Naturalist Warren Uxley at the Salem cemetery.

Nature Storytime

Monday, Sept. 27 • 10 a.m.

Lowe-Volk Park, 2401 State Route 598

Join Crawford Park District Naturalist Chelsea for an interactive read aloud and a fun story-related activity or animal visitor! It will be held outside in nice weather or inside the Nature Center if it is raining. Kids will receive a nature storytime ticket for attending and can choose a prize after five visits.

K9 “Nose” Best

Monday, Sept. 27 • 6 p.m.

Lowe-Volk Park, 2401 Sate Route 598

The Ohio Division of Wildlife recently implemented a K9 program to assist the agency in its enforcement efforts. The Crawford Park District welcomes Wildlife Officer Nathan Kaufman who will discuss what it takes to become a wildlife officer and a K9 handler. Officer Kaufman will also have a demonstration of K9 May’s abilities.

Book Club

Monday, Sept. 27 • 7 p.m.

Lowe-Volk Park, 2401 State Route 598

Do you love nature and also love to read? With the abundance of books available for nature lovers, sometimes it is hard to choose the next great book to read. Join the Crawford Park District’s Book Club and we will figure it out together! Come armed with your favorite book about nature or a nature centered book you want to read and be ready to make your case to the club! Meetings are held at the Lowe-Volk Park Nature Center the last Tuesday of each month.

Infant Explorers: Crawdads/River

Wednesday, Sept. 29 • 5 p.m.

Lowe-Volk Park, 2401 State Route 598

Your first instinct may be to keep your babies indoors. However, research tells us that infants in outdoor spaces benefit from access to a wide variety of sensory stimuli which they just can’t experience indoors. Join Crawford Park District Naturalist Abby and baby Vincenzo for a program about “crawdads” that will take place down by the river. Baby carriers may be useful for the hike to the river as the river trail is not stroller accessible. Dress for the weather and possibility of mosquitoes; we will be outside for at least part of the program.

Coleman Lanterns: Sunshine of the Night

Saturday, Oct. 2 • 7 p.m.

Lowe-Volk Park, 2401 State Route 598

Gas pressure appliances have been around for over 100 years and Coleman continues to produce lanterns today. A Coleman lantern is synonymous with the outdoors, with millions of lanterns produced over the years. Join Crawford Park District Director Josh Dyer and other Coleman collectors to learn about the history of Coleman lanterns, how lanterns work, and more importantly, how to fix them. After the presentation, stay for a glorious light up. Bring your old lantern and let’s see if we can make it the Sunshine of the Night again.

Homeschool in Nature: Arachnids

Thursday, Oct. 7 • 9 a.m., 11 a.m., 2 p.m.

Lowe-Volk Park, 2401 State Route 598

Did you know all spiders spin silk, but not all use it to catch their prey? The Crawford Park District Homeschoolers will explore some of the amazing characteristics of not just spiders, but also of other arachnids. Dress for the weather because we’ll also go on a hike to look for these unique animals. Please call the Park District at 419-683-9000 to reserve a spot for your 5-12-year-old. Lowe-Volk Park is located 3 miles north of US Route 30.