Ellis Nature Centre

Ellis Nature Centre Ellis Nature Centre is a non-profit education & research facility on a sustainable farm. We invite you to visit us!

We promote best practices to conserve & protect nature through our events. Our research focuses on Mountain Bluebirds, Tree Swallows, & other cavity-nesting birds. Located in the heart of central Alberta, Ellis Nature Centre is both a working farm as well as a non-profit organization dedicated to the conservation of Mountain Bluebirds, Tree Swallows and other native cavity-nesting birds. Drop-in v

isitors and tour groups are welcome at Ellis Nature Centre during the summer months, when we are open to the public. We invite you to stroll the trails, enjoy the beautiful gardens, see the world's largest outdoor collection of bluebird nestboxes, take a tour out to our bluebird trail, visit the Visitor Centre and linger in the Tea House. Butterfly gardens, orchards, native wildflower gardens, hummingbird gardens and water gardens are linked by a network of trails, including an extensive wheelchair path. Check out our website for more information on our Tea House, Programs and Events! There is no charge to visit Ellis Nature Centre but donations are welcomed. Ellis Nature Centre is closed on Mondays, unless it is a holiday. Ellis Nature Centre is proudly supported by MEGlobal Canada.

Our Harvest Dinner menu features only the best of central Alberta’s produce! The night of good food is thanks to all of ...
08/04/2026

Our Harvest Dinner menu features only the best of central Alberta’s produce! The night of good food is thanks to all of the wonderful food producers here in our province. The next four producers we want to highlight are where we are getting the fruit and vegetables from.

Billyco Junction Gardens is supplying the fruit for the event. They are a family farm that grows U-pick fruits, vegetables, and flowers! This working farm features rhubarb, honeyberries, strawberries, cherries, raspberries and more from June to October! The farm fresh fruit will not only be featured in the dessert, but also in the main courses of the Harvest Dinner!

The vegetables are coming from Pik-N-Pak Produce. This farm produces fresh produce year round in their greenhouses, along with featuring pick your own produce fields too. These vegetables will be in many of the Harvest Dinner dishes!

Scholing’s Produce is where the potatoes are coming from. They are a family farm located in Lacombe Alberta. They have been growing high quality potatoes for Central Albertans since 1996. Which will be a delicious addition to the Harvest Dinner menu!

Lastly, Beck Farms is providing the carrots for the night. This family owned farm has been cultivating carrots for over 30 years, with the hope to only bring the best quality produce to the table. Our Harvest Dinner wouldn’t be complete without the carrots from Beck Farms!

If you're interested in trying any of these local producers, buy a ticket to our Harvest Dinner on August 22nd in partnership with the Lacombe Museum! https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/harvest-dinner-2026-tickets-1981970968520

If you are familiar with our Plantain Salve Workshops, then you might be interested in this Dandelion Salve Workshop! On...
08/03/2026

If you are familiar with our Plantain Salve Workshops, then you might be interested in this Dandelion Salve Workshop! On Saturday, August 15, 2026, join us for another hands-on salve-making workshop, this time featuring the infamous dandelion. Dandelion Salve's are traditionally valued for helping soothe sore muscles and achy joints!

During this workshop, we will guide you through the simple process of making your own dandelion salve from start to finish. You'll learn how to transform a common backyard w**d into a useful herbal salve and take home your very own jar to enjoy!

Date: August 15, 2026
Time: 10:30-12pm
Location: Ellis Nature Centre
Cost: $10
Spots available: 30

We are open today on this long weekend Monday! Our site is open 8am - 6pm, and our cafe is open 10am - 4pm. Bring your f...
08/03/2026

We are open today on this long weekend Monday! Our site is open 8am - 6pm, and our cafe is open 10am - 4pm. Bring your friends and family to enjoy the beautiful gardens and birds here at Ellis!

Join us tomorrow, August 3rd for our last honeybee workshop of the season! During this hour long workshop you will learn...
08/02/2026

Join us tomorrow, August 3rd for our last honeybee workshop of the season! During this hour long workshop you will learn about our bees and the honey making process. Then you will get to suit up and head down to the hive to help extract frames from the hive to take back and process. Each participant will go home with a jar of honey from the extraction, this isn't a workshop you want to miss!

This workshop is limited to 12 participants, costs $10 per person, and requires pre-registration. All ages are welcome! Register through the calendar of events tab on our website!

Date: Monday, August 3rd
Time: 3-5pm
Location: Ellis Nature Centre
Cost: $10

We are one week away from both our bug jam and our moth night, on Saturday, August 8th! This is a free full day (and nig...
08/01/2026

We are one week away from both our bug jam and our moth night, on Saturday, August 8th! This is a free full day (and night) of all things bugs; there will be talks by local entomologists about bees and other native pollinators at 12pm and Butterfly wings and wishes will be back talking about aquatic bugs at 1pm. We are also hosting multiple bug hunts throughout the day, where you will get a chance to grab a net and catch some bugs! If live bugs aren't your thing we will also have the Lepidopterists Travelling Collection of pinned moths and other bugs from 11am - 4pm.

And if that isn't enough bugs, don't worry you can join us from 10 PM to 1 AM where we will be attracting and observing a wide variety of species. Giving participants the opportunity to get up close and learn about the active insects after dark. We will have multiple stations set up throughout the night where you can view the different species captured and learn more about them from our experts!

Check out what is going on here at Ellis this August! We have a busy schedule to round out the summer including our 24th...
07/31/2026

Check out what is going on here at Ellis this August! We have a busy schedule to round out the summer including our 24th annual bug jam paired with our first annual moth night. Ending the summer with our Harvest Dinner Fundraising Gala. For more information and registration for any of these events (plus our kids programs) check out our calendar of events tab on our website!

Unfortunately the Hawks N' Raptors presentation for this coming Monday, August 3rd has been postponed. Don't worry if yo...
07/31/2026

Unfortunately the Hawks N' Raptors presentation for this coming Monday, August 3rd has been postponed. Don't worry if you were interested in attending the presentation is still happening this year, it will simply be rescheduled for the fall. Keep an eye out on our social media for more information later!

Don't wait to get your tickets for our 2026 Harvest Dinner Fundraising Gala! We spotlight the Lacombe community and all ...
07/30/2026

Don't wait to get your tickets for our 2026 Harvest Dinner Fundraising Gala! We spotlight the Lacombe community and all things local for this event! Food comes farm-to-table from Central Alberta farms, the silent auction will feature local goods and experiences, and all money raised supports both us and Lacombe Museum.

Purchase your ticket now: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/harvest-dinner-2026-tickets-1981970968520

Join us for our last site and garden tour of the season on August 4 from 1:30-2:30pm! Absorb the beauty of our site and ...
07/30/2026

Join us for our last site and garden tour of the season on August 4 from 1:30-2:30pm! Absorb the beauty of our site and gardens while learning about the rich history of the Ellis Farm.

The tour will be led on our main paved path, which is fully accessible, though places to sit throughout the path are limited. Pre-registration through the calendar of events on our website is highly encouraged!

Did you know our Harvest Dinner menu is 100% Albertan meat and produce! This is a night to celebrate all the best food t...
07/29/2026

Did you know our Harvest Dinner menu is 100% Albertan meat and produce! This is a night to celebrate all the best food that central Alberta has to offer. Our first three local food producers we would like to highlight are where the beef, pork, and eggs come from.

Our eggs for the Harvest Dinner are provided by 609 Farms. This small family farm is raising livestock the old school way. On heritage farm land they hand feed and water all of their animals, even producing their own feed for their animals on site. Their free-range farm fresh eggs are going to give the Harvest Dinner menu a home-grown taste!

Our pork is coming from TK Ranch. At TK Ranch they focus on happy, healthy, and humanely raised pigs. They raise their pigs on pasture for their whole life, which means that they are never confined solely to the barns. This means that even the breed of pig is considered, using heritage breed pigs, because they are naturally designed to withstand our colder northern climates. These pigs are treated with the utmost respect from birth to processing, and finally to the table of your Harvest Dinner!

Last but not least, Iron Kreek Ranch is supplying our beef for the event. This family owned and operated farm has humanely raised, grass fed, and 100% pasture finished beef and lamb. They are passionate about farming and treating not only their animals but also the land with the utmost respect and care. These practices of animal care and environmental protection, is what produces the top-quality beef for you to enjoy at our Harvest Dinner!

If you want your chance to try this local quality produce, buy a ticket to our Harvest dinner on August 22nd in partnership with the Lacombe Museum! https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/harvest-dinner-2026-tickets-1981970968520

Address

39502 Rg Road 260
Lacombe, AB
T4L1W7

Telephone

403-885-4477

Website

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