Discovery Sessions
a partnership with Jackson Hole Farmers Market Alliance
Curiosity Grows Here
Dig into the roots of our local food system through engaging, bite-sized lessons designed for curious minds of all ages. From soil to supper, explore how farmers, ecosystems, and seasonal cycles shape the way we eat and live. These hands-on experiences invite you to taste, touch, and discover the deep connections between land, food, and community, and to see your place within it all.
JUNE
28 - Ecosystems & Community Connections
Activity: Where does our food come from? Create a “Local Food Map” using pins/stickers for vendor farms
Journal: Draw your own map– home, landmarks, compass; place yourself in the GYE
Food/Farm Connection: Who grows food in this valley?
JULY
5 - Watersheds & Biodynamic Farming
Activity: Spray bottle + crumpled paper mini watershed model
Journal: Match local farms to their watershed on a map
Food/Farm Connection: How do farms use snowmelt or irrigation?
12 - Geology & Soils
Activity: Soil jar demo; rock ID touch station
Journal: “Mystery rock” challenge – match rock to soil type
Food/Farm Connection: Composting + mineral-rich soil = healthy crops
19 - Fire Ecology
Activity: Fire-adapted plant scent jars + Fire Boards
Journal: Fire succession card sort– what grows after fire?
Food/Farm Connection: Prescribed burns on ranches & their impact on soil and grazing
26 - Vegetative Communities
Activity: GYE plant bingo
Journal: Match habitat to elevation zone (with foods like huckleberries or sage)
Food/Farm Connection: How do farms manage invasive plants or cultivate native species
AUGUST
2 - Birds of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem
Activity: Build-a-beak adaptation challenge (tool use to mimic beak adaptations)
Journal: Feather ID + bird behavior observation
Food/Farm Connection: Egg farmers– chickens, ducks, turkeys, quails! Compare eggs
9 - The Hidden Hunters
Activity: Owl pellet dissection or display with skull ID
Journal: Prey ID: match skull to critter
Food/Farm Connection: How owls help with pest management on farms
16 - Mammals of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem
Activity: Scat & Pelt touch station + track casting
Journal: Scat + track matching game
Food/Farm Connection: Bison vs cattle– domestication story + skull comparison
23 - Insects & Pollinators
Activity: Insect anatomy build
Journal: Who pollinates your food? Which fruits or veggies rely on pollinators?
Food/Farm Connection: Native bees = better yields (e.g., squash bees, bumblebees).
30 - Wildflowers & Plant Parts
Activity: Pressed flower bookmark
Journal: Dissect and label flower/plant parts
Food/Farm Connection: Tea blends, edible flowers, culinary herbs
SEPTEMBER
6 - Tree Detectives & Forest Types
Activity: Leaf rubbings + tree ID match
Journal: Bark textures– guess the tree!
Food/Farm Connection: Forest-foraged foods (mushrooms, nuts); role of trees as windbreaks/microclimates
13 - Farming in Place
Activity: “Guess the veggie” from seedlings
Journal: Plant spacing, seed sorting, edible math
Food/Farm Connection: Seed saving, seasonal planting strategies
20 - Habitat Connectivity
Activity: “Great Fence Challenge” – build for wildlife + livestock
Journal: Draw a fence that works for people and pronghorn
Food/Farm Connection: Fencing for livestock vs. migration– how do farmers adapt?
27 - Legacy & Belonging
Activity: Add to a collective story map: “What’s your favorite wild place?”
Journal: Archive station with old Murie quotes/photos
Farm and Food Connection: Food preservation, root cellars, old-time food sourcing
The Jackson Hole Farmers Market on the Town Square is a weekly community event supporting local and regional farmers, ranchers and food vendors.
From sweet goodies like cookies and pie, to savory butcher cuts, to crisp vine-picked vegetables, to honey and flowers, the Jackson Hole Farmers Market has everything you need for local produce and products.
We also have music every
