Jun. 1-30 Far Out Space Places GOLDEN POND PLANETARIUM Visit the most extreme destinations in our cosmic neighborhood. Scale the cliffs of the Mariner Valley on Mars, glide on the winds of Neptune and visit the original lunar landing site of the Apollo astronauts. See "Far Out Space Places" daily at 10am and Sat. & Sun. at 4pm. $2/$4. Jun. 1-30 Explorers of the International Space Station GOLDEN POND PLANETARIUM See what it's like to live on the space station and do important scientific work. Before your trip is over, learn how to find the space station in your own night sky. See "Explorers" daily at 11am. $2/$4. Jun. 1-30 Kentucky Skies GOLDEN POND PLANETARIUM Sneak preview of tonight's sky! Learn the constellations, lore of night sky, and celestial events. See "Kentucky Skies" daily at 1pm. $2/$4. Jun. 1-30 Search for Life in the Universe GOLDEN POND PLANETARIUM Host Leonard Nimoy examines the ingredients necessary for life on our planet, as we ponder the possibility of life in our solar system and beyond. See "Search for Life in the Universe" daily at 2pm. $2/$4. Jun. 1-30 Blown Away: The Wild World of Weather GOLDEN POND PLANETARIUM See incredible views of our earth's weather through spectacular footage. Features a journey into space to explore the sun's effect on our weather. See "Blown Away" daily at 3pm. $2/$4. Jun. 1-30 Greek Mythologies and the Night Sky GOLDEN POND PLANETARIUM See one of our daytime shows followed by a tour of the night sky and the mythology behind the constellations. See "Greek Mythologies and the Night Sky" Fridays at 8pm, doors open at 7:30pm. $2/$5. Evening program only. Jun. 1-30 Summer Nights GOLDEN POND PLANETARIUM See one of our daytime shows (see list below), then go outside to the observatory for a look at the real night sky. Show Schedule: Search for Life 6/7; KY Skies 6/14; Blown Away 6/21; Explorers 6/28. See " Summer Nights" Saturdays at 8pm, doors open at 7:30pm. $2/$5. Evening program only. Sun., Jun. 1 1pm Pryor Creek Ladies Sewing Circle HOMEPLACE The ladies of the farm have decided to put on their Sunday best and meet together for an afternoon of sewing and maybe even a little gossip. Bring your needle and thread and join us in the parlor. *Ideal for Home Educators. Program free with HP admission. Sun., Jun. 1 2pm Busy As Bees NATURE STATION Hey kids! Do you think you would make a good worker bee? Find out as we learn all about bees, their life cycle, and how a hive works through activities and games. Also check out our honeybee colony and try to spot the queen. Program free with NS admission. Tues., Jun. 3 2pm Truly Talon-ted NATURE STATION Enjoy face-to-face encounters with the master hunters of the bird world, the raptors! By meeting several species of owls and a hawk, you'll see first-hand how these birds use stealth, speed, and superior senses to rule the skies. Program free with NS admission. Wed., Jun. 4 10am-12pm Dinnertime! HOMEPLACE Dinner, the noon meal, is started early in the morning with the food hitting the table around 12 noon. Call on the cooks as they prepare a hearty meal using a wood cook stove for the farm staff working today. Program free with HP admission. Thu., Jun. 5 10:30am Storytime with Turtle NATURE STATION Bring the little ones for this unique storytime program! Your kids will love to explore the world of turtles as we read a story about turtles and then meet a live turtle up close. We will also make a turtle craft that your kids can take home. *Ideal for Home Educators. Program free with NS admission. Fri. - Sun., Jun. 6-8 10am-5pm Drag Boat Races PIGSAH BAY See blown alcohol, hydros, jets, and flat bottom boats go in excess of 150 miles per hour. Test and tune on Fri., time trials on Sat., and racing on Sun. Pre-registration and medical release required for racers. For more information contact KY Drag Boat Assoc. 800-732-0088 or www.kdba.net. Sat., Jun. 7 9am -4pm National Trails Day LBL-wide All across the country, folks celebrate the great outdoors on National Trails Day, America's largest single-day trails and outdoor celebration. Sat., Jun. 7 1pm Ticks on the Farm! HOMEPLACE Mattresses made of a fabric called "ticking" were stuffed to make the "ticks" they slept on in the 1850s. Help the ladies at the Double Pen House fill ticks with feathers, corn shucks or straw to get the beds ready for a good night's sleep. *Ideal for Home Educators. Program free with HP admission. Sat., Jun. 7 1:30pm A Serious Case of the Uglies: Strange Animals of LBL NATURE STATION Beauty is often in the eye of the beholder. Let's look at some critters who have faces only their mothers would love, such as vultures, snapping turtles, opossums, and more. We will discover how their ugliness can be an advantage for survival. Program free with NS admission. Sat., Jun. 7 6-8:30pm Sunset Canoe Trip NATURE STATION Enjoy the beauty of an LBL sunset as we paddle the waters of one of Lake Barkley's scenic bays. We'll search for wildlife visiting the lake at twilight such as osprey, herons, beavers, and songbirds. Beginners are welcome! $25 per canoe. Includes same day NS admission. Registration limited. Reservations and full deposits required. Call 270-924-2020 to reserve your space. Sun., Jun. 8 1pm Notions of the Nigh Ox HOMEPLACE Through body positioning and verbal commands, the notions for the nigh ox should be controlled. We shall see! Meet at the ox bar to learn what makes an ox, how they work and to see the working steer in action. Program free with HP admission. Sun., Jun. 8 1:30pm Backyard Bats NATURE STATION Many people don't want bats anywhere near their homes… until they learn that one bat can eat 3000 mosquitoes per night! Discover some fun facts about bats and how people can help them during this slide presentation. Then go into the backyard to look and listen for bats roosting in our bat boxes. Each family will receive a bat resource packet. Program free with NS admission. Tue., Jun. 10 10:30am Woodland Walk NATURE STATION Let's go for a hike on one of our favorite trails! This 1-mile guided hike will take us through the woods, along a lakeshore, and by the edge of a field. As we hike, we will search for signs of wildlife we may find along the way. Program free to all LBL visitors. Meet at Nature Station. Tue., Jun. 10 2pm Tales of Scales NATURE STATION Get up close and personal with reptiles and amphibians such as snakes, salamanders, and turtles. We'll introduce you to several "ambassadors" from the cold-blooded world as we explore the fascinating ways these slimy and scaly critters survive. *Ideal for Home Educators. Program free with NS admission. Wed., Jun. 11 1pm Horses in Harness HOMEPLACE See our draft horses at work and learn how these gentle giants provided the muscle and spirit that powered many local farms during the 1850s. *Ideal for Home Educators. Program free with HP admission. Thu., Jun. 12 2pm Creature Feature: Purple Martins NATURE STATION For hundreds of years people and purple martins have shared an intertwined history. Take an up-close look at our martin colony, learn how these voracious insect eaters depend on the kindness of strangers, and see how you can attract these birds to your yard. Program free with NS admission. Fri., Jun. 13 1:30pm Myths, Legends, & Misconceptions NATURE STATION Find out the real stories about some of our most misunderstood wildlife such as wolves and snakes. You will have a chance to meet these creatures up close as we explore why they have gotten such bad reputations. Program free with NS admission. Sat., Jun. 14 9am-12noon Special Populations Fishing Tournament HONKER LAKE This event is designed to develop fishing skills of physically and mentally challenged children and adults of all ages. Cane poles and bait will be furnished. Pre-registration and medical release required. Call 270-924-2046 for more information. Sat., Jun. 14 10am-5pm South LBL Butterfly Count HOMEPLACE LBL and the North American Butterfly Association (NABA) invite you to count butterflies during this annual census. No experience is necessary, learn as you go. We'll start at The Homeplace and move south through LBL, visiting streams, fields, and woods. Be prepared to walk and eat lunch in the field. Recommended for ages 12 and up. Bring water, binoculars and a butterfly field guide if you have them. $3 fee goes to NABA. Contact Rita Venable (local NABA chapter) at 615-503-9631 for more information. Carpooling recommended. Sat., Jun. 14 1:30pm Backyard Birding NATURE STATION Chirp! Tweet! Caw! Ever wonder how to tell which birds are singing in your yard? Join one of the Nature Station's bird-loving staff as we stroll through the backyard in search of a variety of easy-to-learn birds. Program free with NS admission. Sat., Jun. 14 7:30-9pm An Evening with Our Batty Friends NATURE STATION Come spend a special evening discovering the magnificent but misunderstood lives of bats. We'll do some fun activities, make a bat craft, and venture out at sunset to look for bats emerging for their nightly insect hunt. Join us for a night dedicated to the world's only flying mammal! $2/$3. Evening program only. Reservations and full deposits required. Call 270-924-2020 to reserve your space. Sat. - Sun., Jun. 14 - 15 Saturday: 11am-8pm Sunday: 12-5pm Pickin' Party: Old-Time Music Festival HOMEPLACE Born of the heartland, old-time country music will once again echo in the hills and hollows of LBL. Experience the best of old-time music through workshops, pickin' sessions, and energized performances of old-time fiddle, banjo, songs, and bluegrass music. Plus, bring your banjo, guitar, fiddle, or harmonica to join in on the fun during daily open mic sessions. Enjoy weekend performances by Leroy Troy, old-time banjo picker and singer; Mark Dvorak, specializing in fretless banjo, guitar and timeless folk songs; and The Dixie Volunteers, traditional string band. Saturday enjoy local bluegrass band, Carefree Highway, and upcoming old-time string and bluegrass band, Cumberland River Plowboys. Amsden Handcrafted Instruments will demonstrate and sell their handmade creations. Learn to play traditional instruments during mini-workshops. Through out the day, stroll through the historic buildings, fields and gardens, and talk with the 1850 farm family. Children's activities from the 1850's are scheduled throughout the weekend. Festival food and ice-cold drinks will be available for purchase. Bring lawn chairs or ground blankets. Saturday $4/$6; Sunday $3/$5. Includes same day HP admission. For more information, call 931-232-6457. Sun., Jun. 15 1:30pm Father's Day Hike NATURE STATION Celebrate your father or grandfather by bringing the whole family out for a 1-mile guided hike in the woodlands around Nature Station. Along the trail we'll look for birds and other wildlife, and trees and flowers too. Afterwards, we'll make a craft for dad inspired by our hike. Program free with NS admission. Tues., Jun. 17 10:30am Woodland Walk NATURE STATION Let's go for a hike on one of our favorite trails! This 1-mile guided hike will take us through the woods, along a lakeshore, and by the edge of a field. As we hike, we will search for signs of wildlife we may find along the way. Program free to all LBL visitors. Meet at Nature Station. Tues., Jun. 17 2pm Pocket Full o'Possum NATURE STATION Visit with the Nature Station's resident opossum while she enjoys chow time. Discover more about this unusual mammal that carries its babies in its pouch, "plays 'possum," and loves to eat persimmons! Program free with NS admission. Wed., Jun. 18 1pm Work Before Play HOMEPLACE In the 19th century, children's chores had to be done before they could go out to play. Just for today, become an 1850's child. Visit the Double Pen House to dress in period clothes and help out with the chores on the farm. *Ideal for Home Educators. Program free with HP admission. Thu., Jun. 19 2pm Creature Feature: Bobcat NATURE STATION Get a look at one of our most secretive animals, the bobcat! About 200 roam the woods of LBL, but they are rarely seen. Learn about the habits of this elusive feline as you enjoy a close look at our resident bobcat. Program free with NS admission. Sat., Jun. 21 1pm "Stay Gee, Jake" HOMEPLACE We need help! Hold gee and go twice to middle. Walk back in history behind a rastus, double shovel, or spike tooth harrow and learn why these tools were so important to an 1850's farm. Program free with HP admission. Sat., Jun. 21 1:30pm Slithery Snakes NATURE STATION Snakes, they make some people smile and give others the shakes. But how well do you know them beyond their scaly skin? Meet several of our resident snakes up-close as we explore their unusual lives and their creepy reputations. Program free with NS admission. Sat., Jun. 21 6:30-8:30pm Hundreds of Herons Canoe Trip LOCATION TO BE ANNOUNCED Enjoy the sights and sounds of a colony-nesting site for night herons and cattle egrets. Also keep your eyes open for other wildlife as we paddle on Lake Barkley. Bring binoculars, cameras, and your enthusiasm for our feathered friends! Weather permitting. $25 per canoe. Includes same day NS admission. Registration limited. Reservations and full deposits required. Call 270-924-2020 to reserve your space and for meeting location. Sun., Jun. 22 1pm Puttin' by the Garden HOMEPLACE Summer fruits and vegetables had to be preserved for the winter months; however, before home canning became popular, preserving was a slow, tricky job. Visit the ladies of The Homeplace as they "put-by" the garden and orchard harvest. Program free with HP admission. Sun., Jun. 22 1:30-4pm Up a Creek: Stream Exploration NATURE STATION Let's explore a stream for salamanders, insects, and other "creeky" critters. Learn how scientists can tell if a stream is healthy by looking at bugs. Wear clothes and shoes that can get wet. *Ideal for Home Educators. $3 per person. Program only. Registration limited. Reservations and full deposits required. Call 270-924-2020 to reserve your space. Tues., Jun. 24 10:30am Woodland Walk NATURE STATION Let's go for a hike on one of our favorite trails! This 1-mile guided hike will take us through the woods, along a lakeshore, and by the edge of a field. As we hike, we will search for signs of wildlife we may find along the way. Program free to all LBL visitors. Meet at Nature Station. Tues., Jun. 24 2pm Frog Bog NATURE STATION Join us in the Nature Station Theater for a fun exploration of all things frog! Help us put together a tree frog puzzle, meet our resident frog and toad, and join us in a musical frog pond chorus! Learn more about a frog's life cycle, frog myths, and why frogs need our help. Program free with NS admission. Wed., Jun. 25 10am-12pm Dinnertime! HOMEPLACE Dinner, the noon meal, is started early in the morning with the food hitting the table around 12 noon. Call on the cooks as they prepare a hearty meal using a wood cook stove for the farm staff working today. Program free with HP admission. Thurs., Jun. 26 2pm Creature Feature: Venomous Snakes NATURE STATION Copperheads, cottonmouths, and timber rattlesnakes all make their home here in Land Between The Lakes. During this presentation, we'll teach you how to recognize our native venomous snakes and how to share the outdoors safely with these misunderstood creatures. Then watch as we feed our live resident snakes their weekly meal. Program free with NS admission. Fri., Jun. 27 6-8:30pm Sunset Canoe Trip NATURE STATION Enjoy the beauty of an LBL sunset as we paddle the waters of one of Lake Barkley's scenic bays. We'll search for wildlife visiting the lake at twilight such as osprey, herons, beavers, and songbirds. Beginners are welcome! $25 per canoe. Includes same day NS admission. Registration limited. Reservations and full deposits required. Call 270-924-2020 to reserve your space. Sat.-Sun., Jun. 28 & 29 10am-5pm Drag Boat Races PIGSAH BAY See blown alcohol, hydros, jets, and flat bottom boats go in excess of 150 miles per hour. Time trials on Sat. and racing on Sun. Pre-registration and medical release required for racers. For more information contact KY Drag Boat Assoc. 800-732-0088 or www.kdba.net. Sat., Jun. 28 10am-4pm Nature Arts Day NATURE STATION Join us in the backyard of the Nature Station for our popular annual event, Nature Arts Day. Discover how local artists and craftspeople use nature as inspiration in their unique creations. Visit with local artists and craftspeople as they display, demonstrate, and discuss their work. Arts and crafts will be available for purchase. Program free with NS admission. Sat., Jun. 28 1:30pm Powder, Patch, and Ball HOMEPLACE Muzzle-loading rifles may seem inefficient compared to modern firearms; however, they were a key to the elimination of elk and bison from the region by 1850. Cover your ears as we demonstrate these historic firearms. Program free with HP admission. Sun., Jun. 29 1pm What's on the Grill?: Insect Hunt & Cookout NATURE STATION What's more fun than catching live bugs in the backyard, examining dead bugs on the grill of a car, and eating hot dogs off another kind of grill? Not too much! Join us today as we discover insects both alive and dead and enjoy a tasty treat afterward. $3/$4. Includes same day NS admission. Reservations required. Call 270-924-2020 to reserve your space. Sun., Jun. 29 1pm Period Pastimes HOMEPLACE Today's children might play on computers, skateboards, or soccer teams, but children in the 1850s had just as much fun listening to stories, or playing with homemade toys and games. Join in on the fun as we enjoy a bit of leisure time on the farm. Program free with HP admission.