Photo credit to Denny Beck
Spring Programs
Ready to register for Spring programs? Register Now
Preparing Your Spring Vegetable Garden
Now is a great time to start the vegetable garden you’ve always wanted. Under the direction of Master Gardener Bill Oliver, you will learn how to set up a new bed, prepare an existing bed and maintain soil health. You will also learn about the importance of crop rotation, companion planting and more. This program is free and open to all ages. Space is limited, however, so pre-registration is required. Registration deadline: April 16. Max. 20.
Code Date Day Time
253602-R1 4/23 Th 6-7 pm
# Sessions/Fee: 1/Free
Location: Salomon Farm Park, Wolf Family Learning Center, 817 W. Dupont Rd.
Learn to Drop Spindle
The drop spindle is a simple tool that is fun to use and provides a portable way to spin yarn making it handy for testing combinations of fibers and colors. If you have hand cards and a spindle, please bring them to class. We also have spindles available to borrow or purchase, if needed. Ages 11+. Instructor Julie Davidson has been a fiber farmer since 1996, starting with Angora goats. She loves using fibers in all forms, especially for spinning, dyeing and knitting. Registration deadlines: April 30 and May 14. Min. 6. Max 8.
Code Date Day Time
253824-R1 5/7 Th 6-8 pm
253824-R2 5/21 Th 6-8 pm
# Sessions/Fee: 1/$22
Location: Salomon Farm Park, 817 W. Dupont Rd.
Dyeing Naturally
Whether you plan to dye wool or cotton fabric, you’ll be delighted to discover the magic of natural dyes. Learn how to make an indigo dye bath or create dyes using avocado pits, onion skins, pomegranate peels or even spices right from your spice rack. No experience is necessary. Just grab an apron and some rubber gloves and come ready to learn a great craft. Instructor Julie Davidson has been a fiber farmer since 1996, starting with Angora goats. She loves using fibers in all forms, especially for spinning, dyeing and knitting. Registration deadlines are one week prior to the start of each class. Min. 6. Max. 8.
Code Date Day Time
Spice Dyeing Workshop
253825-R2 4/16 Th 5:30-8:30 pm
Location: Salomon Farm Park, 817 W. Dupont Rd.
Animal Play Dates
*Adult/Child
Salomon Farm Park is a great place for the whole family, including your youngest! In this hands-on, interactive session, participants will learn about the animals at Salomon Farm Park. The rabbits, chickens, ducks and pigs are all excited to meet you! Each session will focus on a different animal, so be sure to pick your favorite, or visit each one to meet them all! Ages 3-6. Registration deadlines are 5 working days prior to each class. Min. 5. Max. 10.
Code Date Day Time
Play Date with Chickens & Goats
253915-R2 5/7 Th 10-11 am
253915-M2 5/11 M 10-11 am
Play Date with Rabbits & Pigs
253915-M1 5/18 M 10-11 am
253915-R1 5/21 Th 10-11 am
# Sessions/fee: 1/$10
Location: Salomon Farm Park, 817 W. Dupont Rd.
The Buzz about Bees
*Adult/Child
If you have a busy little bee at home, bring them down to the farm to learn what the buzz is all about! Instructor Glenn Hile, local bee keeper and owner of Glenn’s Natural Honey, will share the importance of bees using fun hands-on activities. Ages 3-5. Registration deadlines: March 31 and May 19. Min 6. Max. 15.
Code Date Day Time
253902-T2 5/26 T 10-11am
# Sessions/Fee: 1/$10
Location: Salomon Farm Park Learning Center, 817 West Dupont Rd.
Dirt Wain Community Composting
Salomon Farm Park has partnered with Dirt Wain, a new composting initiative in the area that processes food scraps from households. Members are provided with a bucket that they fill, drop off at the Farm at their convenience, and then pick up a clean bucket to repeat the process. The pilot program is limited to the first 50 households. Dirt Wain is offering two 30-minute sessions on the basics of composting food scraps for people in the pilot program. For more detailed information or to sign up check out www.dirtwain.com or Salomon Farm Park on Facebook.
Meet Our Chefs
Photo credit: Rylan Capper
Patrick Whetstone
Chef Patrick Whetstone graduated from Johnson and Wales University in North Miami and opened David Bouley’s Evolution inside the Ritz-Carlton in South Beach before making his way back to Indiana where he practices his culinary artistry at The Personal Palate.
Read a first hand account of a blog written by Rylan Capper about his experience "Cooking on the Farm" with Patrick Whetstone...and then sign up today for a class!
Chad Seewald
Chad learned about desserts while working his way up from dishwasher to head pastry chef at a five star restaurant and mixed that knowledge with his love of all things geeky to create the one-of-a-kind shop, Sweets So Geek, that specializes in custom cakes, ice cream made in the store, desserts, and geeky themed chocolates.
Renee Williams
Chef Renee Williams is a graduate of Johnson and Wales in Charlotte, NC. She has an Associate’s degree in Culinary Arts with a Nutrition focus as well as a Bachelor’s degree in Beverage Management. She now works with the wonderful folks at Parkview Mirro Center.
Meghan Hauser
Meghan is the founder of Wholesome Roots Cooking and is a certified Healthy Hands Cooking instructor.
Photo credit: Rylan Capper
Photo credit: Rylan Capper
Photo credit: Rylan Capper
Spring Cooking Classes
Cooking Techniques
Professional or amateur, it’s never a bad idea to polish your skills and share your own secrets of the trade. Allow Chef Patrick Whetstone to answer any cooking technique questions you may have while he walks you through blanching, braising, poaching, roasting, sautéing, and steaming to produce a three course meal that we all can enjoy at the end. Ages 18+. Registration deadline: May 11. Min. 6. Max. 12.
Code Date Day Time
253801-M1 5/18 M 6-8pm
# Sessions/Fee: 1/$35
Location: Salomon Farm Park, 817 W. Dupont Rd.
Bread from Around the World
There is something about bread. Whether it’s used to sop up leftover sauce, buttered and noshed on, or even used as an eating utensil, bread is another food that is fairly constant across most cuisines. We’re going to make two different breads and explore options for ways to make them even MORE tasty! Join us to learn about Indian Naan and Italian Focaccia! Ages 16+. Instructor: Chad Seewald. Registration deadline: April 10. Min. 5. Max. 10.
Code Date Day Time
253829-S1 4/18 Sa 10 am-1:30 pm
# Sessions/Fee: 1/$45
Location: Salomon Farm Park, 817 W. Dupont Rd.
Desserts Made Easy with Chef Patrick!
Not a baker or pastry maker? Don’t worry, neither is Chef Patrick Whetstone. Allow yourself to cut loose for an evening and learn how Chef Patrick can take a simple approach to a seamless, daunting task and produce three separate desserts that you’ll be proud to call your own. Instructor: Chef Patrick Whetstone. Age 18+. Registration deadline: April 13. Min. 6. Max. 12.
Code Date Day Time
253832-M1 4/20 M 6-8 pm
# Sessions/Fee: 1/$35
Location: Salomon Farm Park, 817 W. Dupont Rd.
Little Roots: Culinary Classes for Preschoolers
*Adult/Child
Empower your little one to create his/her own healthy snacks. We’ve partnered with Wholesome Roots Cooking to offer fun, age appropriate cooking classes bursting with hands-on activities and healthy concept learning through games and activities. Younger siblings are welcome to stay with their caregiver, but any child participating in class must register. Ages 2-5. Instructor: Meghan Hauser. Registration deadlines are one week prior to the start of each class. Min. 5. Max. 15.
Code Date Day Time
Fruit Pizza
253909-T2 4/21 T 10-11 am
Cooking with Herbs
253909-T3 5/19 T 10-11 am
# Sessions/Fee: 1/$25
Location: Salomon Farm Park Learning Center, 817 W. Dupont Rd.
Roots: Culinary Classes for Youth
Designed to help children and youth to feel confident and comfortable in the kitchen, our Roots classes allow students to grow in their culinary skills. Each level allows for cooking instruction and recipes to be catered to the ability of the student! Each class offers hands on cooking time and instruction, and also allows time for eating! Note: Saturday classes are more involved and require the participation of one adult with each registered student. Classes are taught by trained Wholesome Roots instructors. Ages 6-14. Registration deadlines are 5 business days before each class. Min. 5. Max. 15.
Code Date Day Time
Mexican Fiesta
253917-M1 5/11 M 6-7:30 pm
# Sessions/Fee: 1/$40
Cooking Around the World
*Adult/Child
253920-S3 5/23 Sa 11 am-12:30 pm
# Sessions/Fee: 1/$60
*One adult must attend class with each registered youth. The registration fee covers both child and adult.
Location: Salomon Farm Park Learning Center, 817 W. Dupont Rd.
Photo credit to Erin Eicher with InJoy Photography
We Rent for Your Event!
Historic Old Barn
Wolf Family Learning Center
The peaceful setting of Salomon Farm Park makes our elegant rental spaces perfect for weddings, receptions, reunions, concerts, dances, and many other special events. We are now booking for 2020 and still have some availability for 2019! For more information visit our website at www.fortwayneparks.org and click on Facilities>Salomon Farm Park>Rental Opportunities or contact our rentals coordinator at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 427-6790. The Old Barn rents May-October only. Learning Center rents January-May and August-December.
Dirt Wain Community Compost Service
Dirt Wain is a new composting initiative in the area that processes food scraps from households and small businesses Dirt Wain is partnering with Salomon Farm Park to create a drop off site for household food scraps. Members are provided with a bucket that they fill, drop off at their convenience, and then pick up a clean bucket to repeat the process. The pilot program is limited to the first 50 households. Dirt Wain is offering two 30-minute sessions on the basics of composting food scraps for people in the pilot program. For more detailed information check out www.dirtwain.com or Salomon Farm Park on Facebook.
Voting at the Farm
April 27-May 1, 8:00 a.m.-8:00 p.m.
May 2, 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.
May 5, 8:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m.
Salomon Farm Park is a voting location with early voting hours. Any citizen may vote at Salomon’s Wolf Family Learning Center during early voting hours (April 27-May 2). We will have a children’s activity station to make voting easier for families.
Photo credit to Denny Beck
Events
SALOMON FARM PARK
Fiber Arts Celebration 2020
Free Community Festival
Fri May 15 10-3 • Sat May 16 10-5
817 W. Dupont Rd., Fort Wayne, IN
Live Animals • Sheep Shearing • Weaving • Spinning
Craft & Supply Vendors • Wagon Rides
Sponsored by the Flax and Fleecers Spinning Guild of Fort Wayne and
Farmers’ Market
at Salomon Farm Park
Call for Farm Vendors for the 2020 Salomon Farmers’ Market!
We are now accepting applicants for the 2020 Salomon Farmers’ Market season. Our vendors produce their goods within a 75 mile radius of Salomon Farm Park (817 W. Dupont Rd.) and are required to grow their own fresh fruits, vegetables and herbs. We strive to find vendors who embrace sustainable and organic growing practices. The market also may include baked goods, honey, maple syrup, handmade crafts, food, entertainment and children’s activities. The Farmers’ Market operates every Wednesday, 4:00-7:00 p.m. from June 3-September 2. If you are interested in receiving a vendor application, please call 260-427-6008 or you can email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Salomon Farm Fall Harvest Fest 2019 Photos
Field Trips on the Farm
May 1 – May 31
Salomon Farm Park, 817 W. Dupont Rd.
Farm tours are available at Salomon farm in 1-2 hour increments. Typically a farm tour will feature lots of hands on time with our animal friends and also highlight composting, gardening and farm life back in the old days. A wagon ride is available upon request for farm tours of 1½ hours or more. All ages welcome! Field trip scheduling is subject to availability and reservations must be made at least two weeks in advance. Please contact Salomon Farm Park at 427-6008 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for questions and scheduling. Field trip cost is $3/participant/hour. Teachers, care givers and adult chaperones are free. A minimum fee of $30/hour applies to all groups. We can accommodate up to 30 students per tour and 1:10 chaperone: student ratio is recommended.
Pictured from left to right: Dave Fike, Carl Fike, and Roy Fike.
Wild Walkers pose for a group picture at Pokagon State Park. Photo credit: Steve Hague
Wild Walkers 2020
Wild Walkers is an adult hiking group that meets the second and fourth Fridays of each month for a walk on the wild side. Each hike features a different natural area in the region (parks, wetlands, nature preserve, etc.) and carpooling is available when necessary. Please call Eden at 427-6008 or e-mail eden.lamb@cityof fortwayne.org if you have questions.
2020 Wild Walkers Schedule
Blacksmithing
Thanks to Salomon Farm Blacksmiths for all of their volunteer hours in teaching classes and demonstrating at events. Join the Blacksmiths at 9 am on the 4th Saturday of each month to watch and participate in forging (18 years and up only). Find the blacksmiths in the forge, just south of the gardens.
Salomon Trail
Be sure to check out the trail at Salomon! It is open to the public from 6 a,m.-11 p.m. To read more about the trail, check out the Salomon Trail Press Release
Thanks to Carroll High School's Future Farmer's of America for their continued support of Salomon Farm Park!
