CARLINVILLE, Ill. — The Holiday Wreath Workshop will be from 6 to 7 p.m. Dec. 7 at the Macoupin County Extension office, 60 Carlinville Plaza, Carlinville.

Get into the holiday spirit and use nature’s bounty to help you build a beautiful wreath. Natural materials such as fresh evergreens, foliage, pine cones, berries, and more will be provided.

Cost is $25. Register at https://tinyurl.com/56esye9k.

Healthy Desserts

NAPERVILLE, Ill. — Healthy Desserts with 4-H will be from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Dec. 3 at the DuPage County Extension office, 1100 E Warrenville Road #170, Naperville.

Participants will learn how to make healthy and tasty versions of ice cream, cookies, and caramel apples, plus they’ll have fun with nutrition facts and cooking tips.

Cost is $20. Register at https://tinyurl.com/2c4pxaek. For more information, contact Leilah Siegel at lmcnabb@illinois.edu or 630-584-6166.

Christmas Cactus

FRANKLIN GROVE, Ill. — The program Getting to Know the Christmas Cactus will be from 6 to 7 p.m. Dec. 6 at the Winfred Knox Memorial Library, 112 S. Elm St., Franklin Grove.

The program is part of the Lee County master gardeners’ Big and Small Gardening series.

Master Cattleman

BROWNSTOWN, Ind. — The 2022-2023 Indiana Master Cattleman program will be from 6 to 9 p.m. ET Tuesdays, Dec. 6-March 7, at the Jackson County Courthouse, 111 S. Main St., Brownstown.

The 11-week program is designed to assist beef cattle producers improve profitability through an increase in production efficiency, forage utilization, reproductive success, genetic selection, herd health, and business management.

Cost is $200. For more information, visit https://tinyurl.com/2axm6jnk, or contact Richard Beckort, Jackson County ANR educator, at rbeckort@purdue.edu or 812-358-6101.

Evergreen Wreaths

MONTICELLO, Ill. — Learn about evergreens from Piatt County master gardeners and make a holiday wreath to take home from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Dec. 6 at the Piatt County Extension office, 210 S. Market St., Monticello.

Cost is $10. Register at https://tinyurl.com/fyzuhx2x. For more information, call B eth Miglin at 217-762-2191.

Applicator Program

ALBION, Ind. — Purdue Extension in Noble and Whitley counties will offer a private applicator recertification program to local producers Dec. 7. The program will focus on weed identification and pesticide safety.

The program will be offered at two locations: 1 to 3 p.m. ET Dec. 7 at the Noble County Extension office, 109 N. York St., Albion; and 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Dec. 7 at the Whitley County 4-H Center, 680 W. Squawbuck Road, Columbia City.

Check-in for both events will start one-half hour prior to the program start time. Official sign-up for PARP credits will follow each meeting.

Topics to be covered include:

• Field Crop Weed Identification, James Wolff, Extension educator in Allen County.

• Recognizing Toxic Plants in Pastures and Forage Crops, John Woodmansee, Extension educator in Whitley County.

• Pesticide Safety, Ann Kline, Extension educator in Noble County

The $10 PARP fee, normally paid by producers, will be covered by Indiana Soybean Alliance and Indiana Corn Marketing Council.

Commercial applicator CCHs and Certified Crop Advisor CEUs will also be available.

To register, call the Noble County Extension office at 260-636-2111 for the Albion PARP, or the Whitley County Extension office at 260-244-7615 for the Columbia City PARP. This program will count as an official meeting toward your private applicator license, one of the the required meetings during the five-year active license period. It will count for private pesticide or fertilizer applicators.

Travel Tips

URBANA, Ill. — The online program Spend Less, Travel More will be from noon to 1 p.m. Dec. 7.

For some, travel is relaxing on a beach after finally taking a break from everyday responsibilities; for others, it’s finding a great campground in their favorite park. Whatever your motivation for travel, saving for your trip can be a challenge. This webinar will cover ways to develop your travel spending plan, saving tips, and suggestions for making your next adventure more financially feasible.

Register for this Get Savvy workshop at https://tinyurl.com/yjs9kh27. For more information, contact Camaya Wallace Bechard at cawb17@illinois.edu.

Healthy Holiday

ROBINSON, Ill. — The program Healthy Holiday: Jolly Good Cooking will be from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Dec. 7 at the Robinson Public Library, 606 N. Jefferson St., Robinson.

Learn how to make healthy decisions at holiday gatherings, make your favorite recipes healthier, and other tips and tricks to avoiding holiday weight gain.

Registration is not required for this program led by Extension Nutrition and Wellness Educator Mary Liz Wright.

Vet 106

CAMPBELLSBURG, Ind. — Purdue Extension in Lawrence and Washington counties, and Spring Mill Veterinary Service are offering the Vet 106 program from 6 to 7:30 p.m. ET Dec. 7 at the Rode Farm, 11859 W. Saltillo Bono Road, Campbellsburg.

Vet 106 a continuation of the Vet 101 program started in 2017 to answer your beef cattle veterinary questions.

Emergency-related topics will include when to contact your veterinarian when encountering calving problems, fractures, respiratory and scouring symptoms. Attendees will participate in problem-solving activities, and a handling facilities demonstration.

RSVP for this free program by calling 812-275-4623 or emailing odavis@purdue.edu.

Cooking for 1 or 2

LE ROY, Ill. — Are fewer people gathered around your dinner table these days? Are you tired of eating leftovers? Is your “go-to” meal cold cereal because you just don’t want to cook?

Join Extension Nutrition and Wellness Educator Jenna Smith for the “Cooking for 1 or 2″ class from 10 to 11 a.m. Dec. 8 at Living Well United, 209 W. Washington St., Le Roy.

Learn how to repurpose leftovers into exciting makeovers. Participants will watch a food demonstration and receive a packet of recipes to take home.

This program is free to attend but registration is required by calling 309-830-2722.

Orion and Beyond

URBANA, Ill. — Learn how to become a better star watcher in the online program Orion and Beyond: Winter Night Sky Tour from 1 to 2 p.m. Dec. 8.

Winter provides a beautiful, clear sky for viewing constellations, bright planets, and other interesting celestial happenings. While the constellation Orion and his belt are always a winter favorite, the red planet Mars and the moon are the “stars” of this December’s nighttime show.

Learn about the paths of the moon and Mars, take note of annual upcoming meteor showers, enjoy a constellation tour of the sky, and celebrate the winter solstice. Participants will not only gain astronomical knowledge, but also tools and resources for better sky watching all year long.

Chainsaw Mill

SIMPSON, Ill. — Learn about the use of a chainsaw mill and see one in action from 2 to 4 p.m. Dec. 8 at the Dixon Springs Agricultural Center, 354 IL-145 N, Simpson.

University of Illinois Extension forestry educators will demonstrate the use and maintenance of a portable chainsaw mill, which is a low-cost option for landowners and others looking to mill timber for various projects. Their ease of transport makes them excellent options for milling a log whether in your backyard or in a forest setting. Methods of drying lumber will be discussed, as well.

Embracing Aging

BENTON, Ill. — Safety and Know Your Health Numbers will be the topics of the next Keys to Embracing Aging Series from 10 to 11:30 a.m. Dec. 8 at the Gwen Wynn Senior Center, 104 N. 10th St., Benton.

Practicing safety is important because it helps keep you out of harm’s way. From locking doors to learning how to swim, it is important to be safe in the various realms of life, including home, transportation, health, recreation and emergency preparedness.

Certain health numbers can save and extend your life. These numbers are associated with cholesterol, blood pressure, triglycerides, blood sugar, or body mass index. A lifestyle including regular visits to a healthcare provider, proper nutrition and physical activity promotes these numbers and contributes to healthy aging throughout your life span.

Call 618-439-3181 to register for this free program.

Winter Meeting

VALPARAISO, Ind. — The Porter County Pioneer Winter Meeting will be from 9 a.m. to noon CT Dec. 9 at Dale Graeber’s shop, 236 S 200 W, Valparaiso.

Program topics will include 2022 Corn Growing Season and Research Update, Agronomist Yield Pyramid, Herbicide Classification Chart, and Introduction to Biologicals for Agronomic Crops.

The free program is sponsored by Pioneer. Lunch will be provided. Register at https://tinyurl.com/2022Pioneer or call 219-465-3555. For more information, contact Nikky Witkowski at 219-465-3555 or nikky@purdue.edu.

Emergency Contact

CROWN POINT, Ind. — An Emergency Contact Workshop will be from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. CT Dec. 9 at the Lake County Extension office, 2291 N. Main St., Crown Point.

Learn how to create your emergency contact information right on your cell phone’s lock screen. In case of emergency, others will see it without having to have a password to get into your cell phone.

Register at https://tinyurl.com/ContactEmerg. For more information, contact Linda Curley at 219-755-3240 or lcurley@purdue.edu.

Regenerative Ag

ELIZABETH, Ill. — Join Jay Solomon, University of Illinois Extension natural resources, environment, and energy educator, and John Strauser, University of Wisconsin Extension grassland and perennial agriculture outreach specialist, for the program Working Towards Regenerative Agriculture from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Dec. 9 at the Elizabeth Community Building, Hwy 20 W, Elizabeth.

Over the years, many farmers have expressed increased interest in moving toward more perennial forage agricultural systems. However, systemic barriers have slowed this transition on many acres. Solomon and Strauser will identify ways groups can work together to implement perennial forage agriculture.

The program is free and lunch will be provided. Register at https://tinyurl.com/37j72wd5.

Cattle & Canvas

CAMPBELLSBURG, Ind. — Purdue Extension in Washington and Lawrence counties invites women in agriculture to the Cattle & Canvas event from 6 to 9 p.m. ET Dec. 9 at the Jane Nicholson Farm LLC, 607 N. Purkhiser Road, Campbellsburg. The event is an evening of fellowship, fun and food while learning about the beef cattle industry and the health benefits of eating beef. Participants will enjoy a meal and create a holiday cow painting.

Cost is $20. In Washington County, register at the Purdue Extension office, 806 Martinsburg Road. Suite 104, Salem, 812-883-4601, dhowellw@purdue.edu. In Lawrence County, register at the Purdue Extension office, 924 16th St., , Bedford, 812-275-4623, odavis@purdue.edu.

Etiquette Dinner

CORYDON, Ind. — The 4-H Etiquette Dinner for fourth- through eighth-graders will be from 6 to 8 p.m. ET Dec. 9 at the Harrison County Extension office, 247 Atwood St., Corydon.

Etiquette coach Sally Plass will teach proper dinner etiquette and manners. Dinner will be catered by TimBec2 Custom Catering.

RSVP by calling the Extension office at 812-738-4236.

Beef Meeting

SALEM, Ind. — The Indiana Beef Cattle Association and Purdue Extension invite all beef cattle producers in Clark, Crawford, Floyd, Harrison, Lawrence, Orange, Scott, Jackson, and Washington counties to the Area 2 IBCA and Purdue Beef Meeting from 5 to 8 p.m. ET Dec. 10 at Southern Hills Church, 1645 Hwy 135 S., Salem.

The meeting will feature great food and valuable information on a variety of beef topics. IBCA will provide an update on current policy and programs, and Purdue Animal Sciences will conduct educational presentations.

Calendar: Holiday Wreath Workshop