Tucked away behind The Orchard Shop lies the Orchard Garden. Unlike many of the other gardens at Minnetrista, we grow vegetables and other produce in the Orchard Garden. Additionally, local community members are welcome to stop by, remove a few weeds, and take home a cucumber or an onion with them.

In the latest Other Happenings Blog I had the pleasure of speaking with our new Theatre Connections Manager, Mason Absher. Absher is a 2011 graduate of the University of the Indianapolis and has been interested and practicing theatre for over 23 years. We asked him a few questions about our upcoming mainstage play that will be performed at Faeries, Sprites, & Lights. We wanted to get an idea of what was happening behind the scenes to know what we can expect at the upcoming event.

As a kid growing up in East Central Indiana, June, July, and August were my favorite months of the year. School was out for the summer, and the warm summer air that had been beckoning me and my friends all May was finally ours for the taking!

Spring is a beautiful time of the year at Minnetrista and what better way to know what to see and do when you're at Minnetrista in the spring than from an insider! I decided to send out an email to all of the staff at Minnetrista to share their favorite Minnetrista spring activities with you. Here are some of the top responses!

Lauren, who is a Ball State University graduate, is our newest Sales & Events Coordinator. Hired in 2016, she is responsible for assisting social, corporate, and business cliental who book spaces at Minnetrista through the entire rental process.“

It’s not every day that one sees a bear walking around Minnetrista's campus. It’s also not every day that Sister Berenstain Bear comes to campus. Thankfully for us, both bears turned out to be the same.

As for what she was doing here, Sister Bear was dropping off new books in Minnetrista’s Little Free Libraries to promote PrimeTrust of Muncie’s new financial literacy program!

Minnetrista had the pleasure of inviting two girls from our community to play and discover our 40-acre campus with the Winter Bird Quest Explorer Bag. With the help of the girl’s mother, Joleen and Claire spent a fun and exciting afternoon with us!

It may only be the second week of January, but at Minnetrista, our creative team is already busy crafting and planning new programs for friends and families to enjoy this year.

Being able to provide unique programming that engages every member of your family or group is what we are striving for. We do not want your 12-year-old to be bored while your 3-year-old is having fun, or for you to feel like you’re just watching. We think it is more fun when the whole family’s absorbed in what’s going on.

You may have noticed the temperature dropping outside, and have started to go into hibernation mode, but maybe you wrote winter off a little too soon. Maybe there’s a place near you, in Muncie, that has 40-acres filled with fun activities every season. At Minnetrista, there are 40-acres of fun every season, and winter is no exception.

Create a chalk masterpiece in the Backyard Garden. Play dress up in Betty’s Doll House. Discover a new favorite board game in Betty’s Cabin. Find a quiet garden spot to read a book from the Little Free Library.

Have you ever desired a place where you could relax and free your mind? A site to see stormwater management in the works? A place to enjoy nature without leaving Muncie? Did you know that we have that very spot, right here at Minnetrista? We like to call it our hidden gem, The Nature Area.

Have you noticed that if you don't like spending a lot of money to have fun, it's a great time to be in Muncie?

The ever-growing list of free summer events makes this paragraph really long. Foodie Fridays at Canan Commons; First Thursday gallery openings; Arts Walk; Moonlight Movies; the Muncie Three Trails Music Series, After Hours Art Reels, America's Hometown Band concerts; hikes at the Red-Tail Land Conservancy; Charles W. Brown Planetarium programs on the BSU campus; food demos and samplings at the Farmers Market at Minnetrista, and so many more—all providing flavorful, colorful, and cultural experiences for exactly zero dollars.

The best spot to Instagram on Minnetrista's campus is at the Catalyst sculpture. Catalyst is a focal point of Minnetrista, serving as a reminder to the community, of the devotion that the Ball family had for Muncie and the surrounding areas. We hope that Catalyst is an inspiration to this community, and to continually push all of us to achieve great things.

It’s that time of year again. Summer is here, the weather is warming up, and whimsical, faerie fun is beginning to sprout all over East Central Indiana. Here at Minnetrista, that can only mean one thing: faeries! Yes, in just a few short weeks, about one thousand faeries will fly into the sparkling wonderland known as Oakhurst Gardens for Faeries, Sprites, & Lights at Minnetrista.

The month of June at Minnetrista means blooming gardens, a bustling Farmer’s Market and one quintessential summer activity: picnicking! We have rounded up the top 8 most scenic spaces on campus for your picnicking pleasure.

Your pulse quickens, your eyes widen, and ah ha! The light bulb switches on!

We’ve all experienced the joy of an unanticipated discovery — a brief moment of exhilaration followed by a nod of the head and a knowing grin that creeps slowly across your lips.  Minnetrista specializes in ah ha! Moments. Our 40 acre campus is a giant canvas for discovery — a playground for the curious! Donors help throw the switch!

It’s that time of year again. The sun is shining, the flowers are in bloom, the birds are chirping, and it’s time to plan your next outdoor visit to Minnetrista!

When you think of Minnetrista, what do you instantly think of? Beautiful gardens, scenic nature areas, outdoor activities, readily available venues? Many people do.

The weather is warmer and the days are longer. Are you are looking for ways to appease your spring fever? Look no further! Below are my top 10 picks for enjoying spring at Minnetrista.

The Living Lightly Fair, will be held at Minnetrista on September 19 from 9–4 p.m. It is an annual celebration of resources for sustainable lifestyles. This year’s fair features ten engaging speakers, interactive kids’ activities, live music, a marketplace of green vendors, youth dance performances, food demos, the opportunity to test drive a hybrid car, and an expired medication drop-off.