The Summer Youth Program (SYP) registration is open and while a few weeks are full, we still have plenty of space for your child! There are programs for kids ages 2-15, starting June 22 and running through August 28.
We will again offer the following programs: Traditional, Forest Theatre, Fig & Forest Culinary, STEM @ Sylvester Manor, and O.W.L.S. (Outdoor Living Wilderness Skills), plus two new afternoon programs, DIRT and Endeavors. This year, there will be two extra weeks’ options: Midsummer Week (June 22-26) and Quintessence Week (August 24-28).
Fresh, local, and grown right here on Shelter Island — that’s what you can look forward to all season long. Our CSA runs for 21 weeks, June through October, with weekly Saturday pickups featuring a rotating bounty of seasonal vegetables, herbs, berries, and flowers. It’s the easiest way to eat well, support the farm, and stay connected to the community throughout the season. Shares go quickly, so don’t wait — sign up now. We also offer a farmstand credit, which is a great option for those who don’t want to commit to the CSA, but still want to enjoy farm-fresh produce.
The key to soil health is organic matter–biological material in various states of decomposition. More of it feeds larger populations of earthworms and soil microorganisms, improves soil structure and water-holding capacity, and makes nutrients more readily available to plants. In the woods, falling leaves and branches slowly build organic matter over time. In the open fields, we assist the process by cover cropping and by applying compost and mulch. Since the snow melted, we’ve been making good use of old leaf piles and newly raked leaves dropped off by Gunnar, Stewart, and Billy to mulch crops like garlic, raspberries and blackberries.
In the asparagus patch, Elias, April and Nick weeded, repaired the landscape fabric covering the walking paths, and spread tons of leaf mulch along the rows. From the soil’s perspective, we irrigated, fertilized and suppressed weeds simply by adding organic matter! Thank you, all, for investing in future harvests by tending to the soil now.
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School Break at Sylvester Manor
School vacation is a great time to be at Sylvester Manor! Our program threads the music of Chopin through the week, noticing the inspiration from the natural world in a musical representation of seasons. Children will encounter the artworks and elements of the ineffable beauty of the night, write lyrical works and create innovations inspired by Chopin’s ballads.
April 6-10
9:30am-12:30pm
Ages 6-10 years old
Enroll for the week or by the day
The sheep are getting their spring haircuts, and that means it’s time for one of the most satisfying jobs on the farm: skirting fleece. Skirting is the process of removing “junk” wool, stains, second cuts and vegetable matter from the wool fleece. We’d love your help to remove, sort, grade and inspect the wool in order to prepare it for yarn. No experience needed. Gloves will be provided.
Friday, April 10
1:00pm Barn Complex (park at public restrooms)
No RSVP needed, just show up
Sculpture @ Sylvester Manor, an outdoor exhibition of sculptures and installations, will return to our historic landscape for a third year, from June 13 to October 4. The exhibition will engage a diverse spectrum of artists local to the East End of Long Island. Save the date for an opening reception to meet the artists and tour the exhibition.
Opening Reception
June 13
Manor Grounds
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Save the Date: Shakespeare at the Manor
Shakespeare comes back to the Manor this summer! Join us at the end of July as we welcome returning and new actors, led by Allen O’Reilly, to our beautiful outdoor setting as they perform Twelfth Night. Stay tuned for ticket information.
Twelfth Night Saturday, July 25 & Sunday, July 26 Manor Grounds
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Creekside Concert: The James Hunter Six
We’re thrilled to welcome The James Hunter Six to Sylvester Manor for a special Creekside Concert this summer.
Part of the band’s 2026 U.S. summer tour, this special evening comes on the heels of their acclaimed new album Off The Fence. Led by UK singer-songwriter James Hunter, the band is known for its irresistible blend of soul, rhythm and blues, and vintage groove. Hunter has also toured and performed with Van Morrison, underscoring his place as one of today’s great roots and soul artists.
Sylvester Manor is also happy to welcome back NYC’s high energy traditional blues duo New Moon Acoustic Blues to open the show. For complete details, please visit our website.
We anticipate this will be a very popular show, so we encourage everyone to purchase tickets early.
The James Hunter Six
Saturday, August 8
4:30-7:30pm
Creekside at Sylvester Manor
$55/person; children 9 and under are free
As a belated celebration of Women’s History Month, April’s Artifact of the Month features Cornelia Horsford’s personal care items and hair accessories from the late 19th century.
These ivory tools are engraved with her initials, CCFH, and the set includes a hand mirror, a shoehorn, a glove stretcher, and a nail brush and buffer. Some may look familiar, while others reflect beauty practices that have long since faded. Glove stretchers were a crucial implement for the tight-fitting gloves popular in Victorian fashion; they could expand stiff leather gloves and reshape the fingers after washing. Further, the nail buffer was used as a finishing tool rather than to prime nails. In a time before nail lacquer, this tool was used to buff colored powder into nails and leave a shiny finish. The French hair pins are made from tortoiseshell and feature elaborate gold studding amid their intricate carved designs, and were used to hold long heavy hair like Cornelia’s in place.
As the youngest of five sisters, Cornelia grew up at Sylvester Manor surrounded by the rituals of 19th century femininity–personal grooming and hair styling were hegemonic cultural practices, but they also offered opportunities for self-expression.
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Summer Intern Position Available
If you or someone you know has a knack for marketing and is a whiz at social media, come work with us this summer! This is a hands-on, creative role that blends storytelling, photography, video production, and community engagement. You will work closely with farm staff and program coordinators to capture the energy and spirit of life at the Manor — from early morning harvests to bustling farmstand days to special events and educational programming.
The trails and grounds are open for your enjoyment, seven days a week from sunrise to sunset. Pick up a map highlighting our four walking trails (Creekside, Woodlands, Old Growth Forest and Farm). Paper maps are available at the kiosk at the front entrance to the Manor and also at the Welcome kiosk located by the parking area near the bathrooms. You can always download a digital version by clicking the button below.
Due to storm damage, the Land Bridge is temporarily closed. Please adhere to the posted trail closures.
Leashed dogs are welcome, but please pick up after your dog and dispose of the waste properly. No bicycles or motorized vehicles are allowed on the trails. The public restrooms are open to the public.
Download the “Sylvester Manor Walking Tour” from the App Store for a self-guided tour of the grounds. Use the app and learn more about our historic property at your own pace.
