Create a Birdfeeder Buffet
TipsFive foods your backyard birds will love.
We tell the ongoing story of Elkhart County by building lasting connections to history.
Do you have a small wedding party with just a few guests? Are you looking for an intimate place in a park surrounded by blooms and nature to marry the love of your life?
DeFries Gardens, located in the heart of the River Preserve County Park, offers a picturesque backdrop for your wedding ceremony. Please keep in mind this is a public park with limited parking and the garden can only be rented for a two-hour time block. To learn more, read the Wedding Permit Form (PDF). Reserve the gardens here. For questions, please contact our admin team at 574.535.6458.
Join the Elkhart County Parks for a Dutch Oven Pizza Lunch. Sign up alone or with a group up to 5 to make and bake a simple pizza for lunch. Each person will assemble a pizza with provided toppings and then bake it in a Dutch oven for a hot fresh pizza lunch. Courtney Franke (Bonneyville Miller) will discuss Dutch oven camping tips while the pizza bakes.
Five foods your backyard birds will love.
Learn a little more about evergreen conifers and how to ID them
Look up!Β What kind of clouds do you see?
Twice a year Elkhart County residents have to adjust their clocks one hour, moving from Standard time to Daylight Saving Time and back again. This adjustment wasnβt always the case.
Summer birds may have left the scene, but a new group of birds is swooping in to take their place β the pine perchers! As winter approaches, mixed flocks of conifer seed-specialists β like siskins, kinglets, and nuthatches β move into our area in places where pines are abundant. Step into the evergreens to watch these charismatic birds, inch up trunks, pluck insects from treetop, and hang upside-down from pinecones as they fuel up for the cooler months to come. The group will head out at 8 a.m. β please plan travel time accordingly.
β’ What to Expect: Come prepared for a 2-mile hike
β’ Suggested Gear: Hiking boots and weather-ready layers.
Kick off spooky season with a visit to Elkhart County Historical Museum. Gather ’round and listen to area ghost stories, folklore, and creepy tales from the past during this lighthearted, family-friendly event. To make things extra spooky, bring a blanket or pillow from home and cozy up to our indoor “campfire.”Β Apple cider, donut holes, and s’mores snack mix served.