Families are encouraged to share their knowledge with the cooperative.  This can be accomplished by teaching a workshop about an area of interest, planning a fieldtrip or organizing a volunteer opportunity for the group. We also encourage members of the broader community to give a workshop. Please contact us at info@kickhome.org for more information.  

Participation in Fieldtrips, Workshops and Volunteer Opportunities is open to all. If a family is not a KHC member we invite you to join us for any fieldtrip or workshop, however there might be an additional non member fee per participant.We encourage you to join our cooperative and pay the annual $25 membership fee which would allow you to take advantage of our member rates as well as support our homeschool enrichment programs.

We will be offering a variety of opportunities to learn and explore our natural and local community through fieldtrips, workshops and community volunteerism. Most events have been scheduled for Fridays, A partial list is below...  Other opportunities being considered are: Volunteering at the animal shelter, organizing a food drive, An Ice Cave Hikes, Winter Wildlife Walk, and Rock Climbing. We will continue to up-date this page and our calendar when new events and opportunities are added.



Popp's cave is on private land near Bosstown, WI. The cave is open to the public as long as particular access issues are carefully followed. Bill Humphrey is a professional guide who is familiar with cave access and the land use issues involved. We will begin with a few group warm ups, team building and a discussion on cave environments and safety protocol. There is a short but strenuous hike to reach the cave entrance which usually takes about 30 min each way. We will be in the cave for approximately 1.5 hours. Plan to spend approximately four hours total on this activity. There are many chambers and passageways to explore and many rock formations to observe inside the cave. We may encounter live bats, tight passageways, shallow pools of water and plenty of mud. What to bring: Old clothes that can get wet and muddy Optional Old shoes or rain boots. Optional Cotton work gloves Flashlight Optional change of clothes in a plastic bag. The cave is a constant temperature of 58F so an old fleece jacket or sweater is perfect. We will be outside so dress for the weather. This event takes place rain or shine. Bill will provide helmets, extra flashlights and a professionally guided experience. Group chaperones/teachers are free. Popp’s is 21 miles east of Viroqua near Bosstown, WI. DIRECTIONS: From Viroqua, take HWY 14 E. towards Richland Center. Bosstown is at the intersection of Hwy 14 and County Highway G. From this intersection, continue on HWY 14 approximately 1/2 mile to Town Line Road, on the right. Pull in at Town Line Road and park on the shoulder the bridge. Please stay off the private property in this area. We will meet on the road by the bridge. There is a short but strenuous hike to reach the cave entrance which usually takes about 30 min each way.

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• November 20, 1-3pm Volunteer at the Humane Society

• October     30    Pumpkin Party

The Timmish family is excited to host a Pumpkin party on Fri. Oct. 30th at their farm on Salem Ridge.  They will have pumpkins, possibly seconds at reduced price, to sell the families.   Please come for an afternoon of play and pumpkin carving at our farm at 1 p.m..  Costumes encouraged.  We'll provide a snack of popcorn. apples and cider.  We've also got lots of pumpkins for carving.

• October    16        VSN’s Food & Farm Initiative Kickapoo Harvest

See 9/18 description.

• October     9     9:00am - 1:00pm    Wild Foods Gathering and Lunch

Experienced naturalist, Nicholas Gale will guide us on a walk to learn about wild foods available in our area. We will identify and gather wild foods, some of which we will then enjoy in a mid-day meal. Dress for the weather and bring a container (bags, basket) to collect foods. We will meet at Kickapoo Nature Reserve Visitor’s center. Cost is $6.00 per child  (pre-registration 9/25)

If parents want to participate and eat the food, they also need to pay the fee. However, the reserve requires the group to bring only one adult per 10 children, so we do not need every child to have a parent present. Carpooling anyone? (Note: for those interested adults, right around that time, Nicholas Gale will be offering a wild foods walk/lunch at the Reserve, geared more towards adults).

• September    25     9:00am - 12:00pm     Fun with Bugs

Have a fun morning out by a trout stream learning about what makes for the best trout habitat.  We will take some easy quality measures by the stream and then collect water bugs with a net to see what kind of food trout like to eat.  All these ingredients make for a fine home for fish in this area. Note:  There are no chairs for the class, so dress appropriately, for sitting on the ground.  Also, feel free to bring a picnic lunch and/or fishing gear for after the class.  Read's Creek Nursery (about 5 miles south of Viroqua on hwy 14).   Note:  There are no chairs for the class, so dress appropriately, for sitting on the ground.  Also, feel free to bring a picnic lunch and/or fishing gear for after the class. 

• September    18     VSN’s Food & Farm Initiative Kickapoo Harvest: Gleaning for Healthy Communities

We will be working with the Valley Stewardship Network (VSN) to wash, sort and package harvested food into boxes that will be delivered to Parkview on the following Saturday (a representation of our group is welcome to help with that as well.) If there is an abundance of produce then it will be given to the public high school, which they will in turn incorporate into their hot lunch program. We will meet at the VHS kitchen in the early afternoon (time to be announced) There is a need for at least 10 people (12 and over) to commit. Younger children are welcome to participate with a parent.

January 23 (weather-permitting)    1:00pm-4:00pm
Snow day at the Shea's. Bring your sled, cross-country skis, snow shoes, etc. for an afternoon of fun in the snow. Warm drinks provided indoors. Bring a snack to share.

January 30    10:00am - 11:30am
 Geology Hike, teaches us about geology while hiking in the beautiful, unique Kickapoo Reserve. Recommended for ages 5 to 17. Cost for either class is $2 per child.
February 6,13,&27
Creativity Courses (see details on calendar)

February 20    10:30am -11:30am
Part 1 of 2 traditional dance workshops with Sue Hulsether at Green Man Music Hall in Viroqua. Cost is $5 per class, per child for cooperative members

March 6    10:30am  to12:00 noon
Part 2 of 2 traditional dance workshops with Sue Hulsether at Green Man Music Hall in Viroqua. Cost is $5/ class/ child for cooperative members.



March 20    9:30am
Basket making with Nicholas Gage. See details on calendar.

April 3    9:30am
Making bluebird houses with Laurel and John Shea. Free to cooperative members.

April 17    9:30am
Making willow structures with Lisa Ashley. Cost for materials to be announced.

April 24     9:30am
Sausage making with John Shea and Rice Spann, at the Shea farm. Free to cooperative members.

May 1      9:30am
Harvesting and making herbal medicines, with Julie Kienitz-Peak. Cost for materials to be announced.

May 29    9:30am
Wild foods gathering and lunch with Nicholas Gage. Cost and location to be announced.

 Environmental Focus Day                Kickapoo Valley Reserve

Thursday, October 11  9am - 2:30pm  

Classes designed for two age groups; ages 4-8 and 9-12. We will begin our day with all ages combined for a class on Bats and then split into two groups... the younger children will participate in the class, "Everybody needs a home" and the older children can participate in, "Animal Signs"   After lunch  there is an opportunity to go on a Geology hike. (The hike is geared towards older children, but the younger children could also hike with their parents and turn around if they tire. For a full description of the classes visit the KVR website: http://kvr.state.wi.us/home ($2 per class and class size is limited. Enroll now, but pay the day of the fieldtrip.)

SPELUNKING (CAVE EXPLORATION) Dec. 11, 10am-2pm
Popp's cave is on private land near Bosstown, WI. The cave is open to the public as long as particular access issues are carefully followed. Bill Humphrey is a professional guide who is familiar with cave access and the land use issues involved. We will begin with a few group warm ups, team building and a discussion on cave environments and safety protocol. There is a short but strenuous hike to reach the cave entrance which usually takes about 30 min each way. We will be in the cave for approximately 1.5 hours. Plan to spend approximately four hours total on this activity. There are many chambers and passageways to explore and many rock formations to observe inside the cave. We may encounter live bats, tight passageways, shallow pools of water and plenty of mud. What to bring: Old clothes that can get wet and muddy Optional Old shoes or rain boots. Optional Cotton work gloves Flashlight Optional change of clothes in a plastic bag. The cave is a constant temperature of 58F so an old fleece jacket or sweater is perfect. We will be outside so dress for the weather. This event takes place rain or shine. Bill will provide helmets, extra flashlights and a professionally guided experience. Group chaperones/teachers are free. Popp’s is 21 miles east of Viroqua near Bosstown, WI. DIRECTIONS: From Viroqua, take HWY 14 E. towards Richland Center. Bosstown is at the intersection of Hwy 14 and County Highway G. From this intersection, continue on HWY 14 approximately 1/2 mile to Town Line Road, on the right. Pull in at Town Line Road and park on the shoulder the bridge. Please stay off the private property in this area. We will meet on the road by the bridge. There is a short but strenuous hike to reach the cave entrance which usually takes about 30 min each way. Be prepared for winter hiking with snow boots to keep your feet dry and warm.

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Registration
We are requiring pre-registration for all classes. Classes with instructor fees will be cancelled if we do not have at least 10 participants two weeks prior to the class. To register for a fieldtrip please call or email Jenny Spann: (637-8759) or (jennyspann@frontiernet.net)  To sign up for volunteer opportunities call or email Maggi Hall (634-6754) or (truth4metoo@hotmail.com)