Until mankind first stepped outside in 1934, nature was thought to be a fanciful myth, like yogurt or the clutch hitter. Spend a few hours frolicking through the fresh air of truth with today's Groupon: for $30, you get a one-year family membership and admission for a family of four to one Saturday workshop from Blandford Nature Center (a $62 value).

With 143 acres of sprawling meadows, woodlands, wetlands, and streams, Blandford Nature Center provides a sanctuary from the harsh indoor world of dust-mite wrangling and crippling Nintendo thumb. Support the center in its eco-endeavors with a family membership, providing clans of amateur arborists with a number of benefits, including:

• Special member pricing to programs and workshops
• Early-bird sign-up for programs and workshops
• 10% discount at the General Store
• Quarterly newsletter
• Acknowledgment in the preserve's newsletter and on its website

With roots dating back to the late 1960s, the Blandford Nature Center serves up an array of environmental goodies. Eight dog-friendly trails, open daily from dawn until dusk, wind and weave through the preserve, giving ramblers room for quiet contemplation, exercise, or romantic strolls with friendly Imperial stormtroopers. Rich in native Michigan wildlife, the center also houses a wildlife education and rehabilitation center for birds of prey and reptiles, as well as a working sustainable farm with community garden plots. Meanwhile, heritage buildings, such as the Star Schoolhouse, educate visitors about the bygone days of wood-burning stoves, blacksmithery, and cutting-edge children's toys fashioned from badgers' bladders.

Blandford's expert staff leads Saturday workshops to broaden visitors' perspectives on the crooks, crannies, and critters of the park. Active Like the Animals ($3 per person), held on July 31 from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m., gets tickers tocking with a feast of fauna-centric exercises, whereas Frogs and Toads of Michigan ($3 per person), scheduled for August 14 from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m., introduces hobby herpetologists to native species bearing no relation to the petulant, invasive Gill-men of Flint. Keep these activities and more thriving with your support of the Blandford Nature Center.

Reviews

Blandford Nature Center was featured on 10Best.com as an Editors' Pick, and five Insider Pagers give it an average of four stars:

• With story times, festivals, and tours its a great way to see local wild life and get some fresh air. – S. B., Insider Pages
• If you are looking for a fun filled day for the family then Blanford [sic] Nature Center is the place to go. They have many trails you can walk through the woods and look for wildlife, find nature things like leave pine needles etc for projects to do at home. – Olivia A., Insider Pages
• The animals that you see are amazing - it's almost better than the zoo. It's very peaceful at Blandford and the cost for this peace is very affordable. – Melissa F., Insider Pages