Calendar: Getting started with backyard chickens

CARMI, Ill. — Getting Started with Backyard Chickens will be 6 to 8 p.m. April 2 at the White County Extension office, 1715 College Ave., Carmi.

Chickens can be a great start into keeping livestock or an easy addition to your current farming operation. Katie Bell, Extension local foods and small farms educator, will discuss the basics of getting started with chicks, laying hen nutrition and breeds. Important considerations for keeping chickens on small acres or in town also will be discussed.

Baking Basics

CROWN POINT, Ind. — Baking Basics: Flour Food Safety and Measurement Matters, will be from noon to 1 p.m. CT April 2 at the Lake County Extension office, 2291 N. Main St., Crown Point.

The program will be led by Linda Curley, Extension health and human sciences educator. Register at https://tinyurl.com/BBFFS2024.

Digital Ready

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Purdue Extension Community Development’s online Digital Ready business series will be 2 to 3 p.m. ET Tuesdays and Thursdays, April 2 to May 2.

Topics will include Claim Your Online Turf, April 2; Website Basics, April 4; Grow Your Virtual Customers, April 9; Search Engine Optimization, April 11; Email Analytics and Marketing, April 16; Podcasting 101, April 18; How to Blog Successfully, April 23; Introduction to Social Media Platforms, April 25; Social Media Plan and Content, April 30; Social Media Analytics and Marketing, May 2; and Digital Storefront, May 7.

Milk Jug Salsa Garden

FRANKLIN GROVE, Ill. — Learn how to start a salsa garden in a milk jug greenhouse from 6 to 7 p.m. April 2 at the Winfred Knox Memorial Library, 112 S. Elm St., Franklin Grove. Begin growing jalapeño peppers, tomatoes and herbs.

Tree Fruit

CARLINVILLE, Ill. — The program Grow Your Own Tree Fruit will be 4 to 5 p.m. April 3 at the Macoupin County Extension office, 60 Carlinville Plaza, Carlinville.

Learn to grow and care for tree fruits like apples, pears, peaches and cherries, and keep your fruit trees healthy and productive throughout the season.

Find registration information for this free program at https://tinyurl.com/3b4p8676.

Tree Care

DECATUR, Ill. — Community Tree Care: Improved Tree Planting Techniques will be 9 to 11 a.m. April 3 at the Macon County Extension office, 3351 N. President Howard Brown Blvd., Decatur.

Learn about tried-and-true methods of tree planting, and new research in planting for improved establishment. This session is geared toward tree-care professionals, landscapers, municipal staff and community volunteers. CEUs will be offered for ISA certified arborists.

Cost is $20. Register at https://tinyurl.com/2sr6rx4t.

Good Bugs

CHERRY VALLEY, Ill. — The program Beneficial Insects: Garden Warriors will be 6 to 7 p.m. April 3 at the Cherry Valley Library, 755 E. State St., Cherry Valley.

Gardeners tend to focus on insects that eat their plants without paying attention to insects that act as warriors in the garden by either eating the bad bugs or parasitizing them. Learn about the most common beneficial insects with Boone County Master Gardener Barb Wych, and never accidentally kill a good bug again.

To register for this free program, call the library at 815-332-5161.

Dehydrating Produce

URBANA, Ill. — The online program Dehydrating Your Summer Produce will be 6 to 8 p.m. April 4.

Dried foods are delicious, healthy, lightweight, and easy to store, use and transport. Whether you are looking to lighten the weight of your favorite foods for camping and backpacking, or preserving fruits and vegetables throughout the winter, drying is easy and safe.

This session will cover the basics of safely selecting, dehydrating, and storing fruits and vegetables. Register by visiting https://tinyurl.com/3n5z2rjd.

Tree Care Essentials

WELDON, Ill. — Tree Care Essentials will be 10 to 11:30 a.m. April 5 at the Weldon Public Library, 505 Maple St., Weldon.

The session will cover fundamental tree-care practices, including proper planting, watering, pruning and pest management. Gain insights to ensure the health and longevity of trees in any environment.

Fabulous Frogs

ROCKFORD, Ill. — Fabulous Frogs will be 6 to 7 p.m. April 4 at the Winnebago County Extension office, 1040 N. 2nd St., Rockford.

Learn about a frog’s life cycle, distinctive calls, habitats, food resources and what they can tell us about our changing environment.

Honeysuckle Sweep

DECATUR, Ill. — Honeysuckle Sweep will be 8 to 11 a.m. April 6 at Fairview Park, 2095 W. Eldorado St., Decatur.

Help prevent the spread of invasive species in Fairview Park. Amur honeysuckle is an invasive species that is a threat to biodiversity. It takes over an area quickly and blocks sunlight so native flowers, shrubs and trees can’t grow.

Bring your own gloves, pruners and loppers.

For more information, call 217-877-6042.

Grassland Fire Rx

RENSSELAER, Ind. — The Learn-n-Burn Grassland Rx Fire Workshop will be 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. CT April 6 at the Rensselaer Library, 208 W. Susan St., Rensselaer.

The workshop will cover prescribed fire and other grassland management tools, including herbicide, interseeding and disking.

Cost is $25 and includes lunch. Register by visiting https://tinyurl.com/3whnacu8.

Gardener’s Day

MACOMB, Ill. — The 26th Annual Gardener’s Day will be 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. April 6 at the Spoon River College Macomb Community Outreach Center, 2500 E. Jackson St., Macomb.

There will be vendors and educational sessions, including: Drip Irrigation, New Plants for 2024, The Other Pollinators, Garden Tools and Care, Grow Mushrooms at Home, Composting Dos and Don’ts, and How to Cook Mushrooms at Home.

Find registration information at https://tinyurl.com/mr33pa6v.

Let’s Get Growing

MONTICELLO, Ill. — Gardeners’ Day: Let’s Get Growing will be 8 a.m. to noon April 6 at the Monticello Community Building, 201 N. State St., Monticello.

Browse educational displays and resources, ask master gardeners questions, and enjoy light refreshments.

Workshop sessions will include: Butterfly Host Plants, The Hidden Heroes of the Garden, Rain Gardens, Zen Photography, Beekeeping from a Beginner’s Perspective, Pollinator Pocket Gardens, and Improving Your Garden’s Soil.

For more information and to register, visit https://tinyurl.com/24j4x3x5.

Spring Fling

AUBURN, Ind. — The DeKalb County Spring Fling will be 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. ET April 6 at the DeKalb County 4-H Exhibit Hall, 708 S. Union St., Auburn.

The event will include a light breakfast, wreath making and other activities, and lunch.

Cost is $10. For more information, visit https://tinyurl.com/mu3basy.

Wildflower Walk

HUDSON, Ill. — The Spring Wildflower Walk will be 9 to 10:30 a.m. April 6 at COMLARA Park, 13001 Recreation Area Drive, Hudson.

Master gardeners and master naturalists will lead the walk, pointing out and discussing various wildflowers in bloom. Trails may be muddy; be prepared with appropriate clothing and footwear. Educational handouts will be provided.

Tree I.D. Workshop

FARMLAND, Ind. — The Tree Identification Workshop will be 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. ET April 6 at the Davis Purdue Agricultural Center, 6230 IN-1, Farmland.

Th event will include a classroom lesson, lunch, field lesson and forestry tour.

The program will be presented by Don Carlson, forester, Purdue Forestry and Natural Resources; and is sponsored by Purdue Extension — Agriculture and Natural Resources and Indiana Department of Natural Resources.