Have you ever wondered what owls eat? Do you know the difference between a raccoon and an opossum track? What is geocaching? Is that snake poisonous?

The answers to these questions and more will be answered on Saturday, when Historic Jefferson College, hosts its first NatureFest program from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

This festival will promote an appreciation of nature and outdoor activity by encouraging participation in hands-on, family-friendly activities, lectures and workshops. The Master Gardeners will have a plant sale, and there will be outdoor-related informational tables, live animal displays and guided tours through our 1.5 mile nature trail.

Activities include making leaf rubbing booklets, pinecone feeders, plaster animal track molds, dissecting owl pellets, paper plate owls and much more! In addition to the plant sale, the Master Gardeners will also present workshops on azalea trimming and propagating plants, and talks on medicinal plants, roses for the Southern garden and upside down gardening.

David Carter of the Adams County Extension Service and Joyce Borum of the Master Gardeners will be leading guided tours through the nature trail. There will be a nature bingo game with prizes and a presentation about corn snakes, starring Frank and Jim, my own live snakes! All of activities are open to children and adults.

Participating organizations that will have informational and/or activity tables include: Adams County Extension Service, Friends of the St. Catherine Creek National Wildlife Refuge, Grand Village of the Natchez Indians, the Mississippi Museum of Natural Science, The Duncan Gray Center & Camp Bratton-Green, La., State Parks, Mississippi Geocachers, Adams County 4-H, Mississippi Wildlife Federation, Soil & Water Conservation, and Professional Fisheries Services.

Historic Jefferson College is an 80-acre site, administered by the Mississippi Department of Archives and History. The 40-acre campus is a lush lawn area with eight historic buildings and live oak trees dripping with Spanish moss, while the nature trail runs through the back 40 acres, alongside St. Catherine Creek. It is located in Washington, off U.S. 61, four miles northeast of Natchez.

There is a $2 admission for adults, $1 for children. This event will go on rain or shine.

For more information, contact me at 601-442-2901 or send e-mail to rperson@mdah.state.ms.us.

Robin Seage PERSON is the branch director at Historic Jefferson College.