Calendar: Program seeks to increase residential rainscaping

ST. CHARLES, Ill. — The Purdue Rainscaping Education Program with University of Illinois Extension will be 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. May 2 and May 3 at the Kane County Extension office, 535 S. Randall Road, St. Charles.

The Purdue Rainscaping Education Program’s goal is to increase rainscaping in residential and small-scale public spaces. Landscapes with rainscaping capture stormwater, which reduces polluted runoff from homes and communities. When plants and soils of a rainscaped landscape absorb water from storms, they keep pollution from reaching streams, rivers and lakes.

This two-day program will teach bioretention/rain garden planning installation, and maintenance. The sessions may include experiential training activities, field techniques and field trips to view rainscaping projects.

The program is suited for conservation agencies and organizations, stormwater professionals, landscape professionals and consultants, and trained volunteers such as master gardeners and master naturalists.

Cost is $135 per person and includes materials to take home and lunch both days. Register at https://tinyurl.com/yc2s6ktr. For questions, contact Horticulture Educator Jamie Viebach at 630-955-1123 or jviebach@illinois.edu.

Farmyard Frenzy

FARMER CITY, Ill. — DeWitt County 4-H Farmyard Frenzy will be 10 a.m. to noon April 27 at the Farmer City Public Library, 109 E. Green St., Farmer City.

The free event will include an up-close look at farm animals and activities.

4-H Animal Clinic

GREENVILLE, Ill. — The annual 4-H Animal Clinic for Bond, Clinton, Jefferson, Marion and Washington counties will be 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. April 27 at the Bond County Fairgrounds, 1224 Midway Drive, Greenville.

The event will include Basic Nutrition Session at 8:30 a.m., Species Sessions (beef, sheep, swine, goat, dairy) at 9 a.m., pizza lunch at 11 a.m., YQCA training at noon, Rabbit Session at 1 p.m. and Poultry Session at 1:45 p.m.

The National Day of Service activity will be available during each session. Register by visiting https://tinyurl.com/yckkewma.

Livestock Learn and Fun Day

EUREKA, Ill. — Livestock Learn and Fun Day will be 8:30 a.m. to 2:45 p.m. April 27 at the Woodford County Fairgrounds, 1448 County Rd 800 N, Eureka.

Participants ages 8 to 18 will learn about various species of animals, showmanship skills and animal nutrition.

Session choices include beef, swine, poultry, rabbits, sheep, goats, horses, dairy, livestock judging and YQCA.

Cost is $15. Register at https://tinyurl.com/38npazw6. For more information, call 309-467-3789.

Seed to Harvest

EVANSVILLE, Ind. — Seed to Harvest: A Beginner’s Guide to Edible Gardening will be 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. CT April 27 at the Ivy Tech Community College, 3501 N. First Ave., Evansville.

Topics covered will be:

• Garden Planning

• Soil Health and Composting

• Vegetable Selection and Care

• Common Garden Pests

• Using Your Garden Goodies

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

For more information, contact Amanda Bradshaw-Burks at 812-867-4935 or bradshaa@purdue.edu.

Rabbit Show Clinic

CLINTON, Ill. — The DeWitt, Macon and Piatt 4-H Rabbit Show Clinic will be 2 to 4 p.m. April 28 at the DeWitt County Fairgrounds, 7563 Business US 51, Clinton.

Participants ages 8 to 18 will learn about basic rabbit care and showmanship. Rabbit grooming, nail clipping and tattooing will be available for those who bring their rabbits.

Cultivating Care

MARION, Ill. — Cultivating Care Garden Stewardship Days will begin 8 to 10 a.m. April 29 at the First Presbyterian Church, 1200 S. Carbon St., Marion.

Learn how to water, weed and harvest produce, which will be weighed and delivered to the Salvation Army of Southern Illinois in Marion. Dates for the 2024 gardening season include April 29, May 13, June 10, June 24, July 8, July 22, Aug. 5, Aug. 19, Sept. 16, Sept. 30, Oct. 14 and Oct. 28.

Food Drive

ROCKVILLE, Ind. — The Parke County Supermarket Dash food drive will be 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET April 29 at Kirby Foods IGA, 1250 N. Lincoln Road, Rockville.

Help stock the Parke County food pantries and buddy bags by donating canned goods, nonperishable food and hygiene items.

For more information, visit https://tinyurl.com/4yfaesbt.

Introduction to Fermentation

SAYBROOK, Ill. — Introduction to Fermentation will be 1 to 2 p.m. April 29 at the Cheney’s Grove Township Library, 204 S. State St., Saybrook.

Featured will be lacto-fermentation, which includes fermented foods such as sauerkraut, kimchi, pickles and sourdough. Learn about selecting the right ingredients and fermentation vessels, and mastering the fermentation process.

Salsa Gardening

TAYLORVILLE, Ill. — 4-H Salsa Gardening for Kids ages 5 to 18 will be 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. April 29 at the Christian County Extension office, 1120 N. Webster St., Taylorville.

Extension Horticulture Educator Andrew Holsinger will discuss starting seeds, planting a salsa garden and basic care requirements.

Cost is $5. Register at https://tinyurl.com/bry6xb24.

Home Preserving

KENDALLVILLE, Ind. — The four-day Mastering Home Food Preservation Workshop will be 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET April 30 to May 3 at the Community Learning Center, 401 E. Diamond St., Kendallville.

The course includes in-depth lectures, interactive discussions, hands-on practice, and take-home products and resources.

Topics will include:

• Food Safety

• Boiling Water Canning

• Pressure Canning

• Pickling and Fermenting

• Freezing and Dehydrating

• Jams and Jellies

For more information, contact Abigail Creigh at 260-636-2111 or creigh@purdue.edu.

Herb Gardens

FARMER CITY, Ill. — Herb Gardens with DeWitt and Piatt Master Gardeners will be 6 to 7 p.m. April 30 at Outreach, 701 E. Clinton Ave., Farmer City.

Participants will learn how to select, plant and maintain herb gardens so that they add beauty to the home landscape while offering added culinary and other uses.

DIY Lawn Care

AUBURN Ind. — DeKalb County DIY Lawn Care will be held 6 to 8 p.m. ET Tuesdays and Wednesdays, April 30, May 1, May 7 and May 8, at the DeKalb County Office Building, 215 E. 9th St., Auburn.

Session topics include:

• Basics of Taking Care of Lawns

• Lawn Pest and Problems

• Weed Identification and Management

• Seeding Establishment

• Lawn Renovation

Cost is $20, and includes supporting materials and resources for all sessions.

Tree Identification

MURPHYSBORO, Ill. — The Tree Identification Walk with Master Gardeners will be 5 to 6:30 p.m. May 1 at Riverside, Park, 2610 W. Riverside Park Road, Murphysboro.

Participants will:

• Learn about the 14 different tree species planted at Riverside Park.

• Learn about key tree identification characteristics.

• Learn how to use a dichotomous key to identify trees.

• Learn about the diseases or pests associated with these tree species.

• Learn how to prevent urban tree damage to protect your backyard trees.

Container Gardens

SPRING VALLEY, Ill. — Vegetable Gardening in Raised Beds and Containers will be 5 to 6 p.m. May 1 at Richard A. Mautino Memorial Library, 215 E. Cleveland St., Spring Valley.

Participants will learn how to select, plant and maintain container gardens so that they can become attractive, season-long additions to the home landscape.

Raspberries, Blackberries

ROCKFORD, Ill. — Brambles: From Raspberries to Blackberries will be 6 to 7 p.m. May 1 at the Winnebago County Extension office, 1040 N. 2nd St., Rockford.

Raspberries and blackberries can be an essential small fruit to grow when you have limited space. With management and selection, you can have a patch consistently producing for you each year. This course will provide you with information on selection, pruning, general management and integrated pest management.

Forest Workshop

GREENCASTLE, Ind. — The Forest Measurement and Inventory Workshop will be 6 to 8 p.m. ET May 1 at the Manning Field Station at DePauw University Nature Park, 1400 W County Road 125 S, Greencastle.

Participants will learn how to identify trees, develop a tree inventory and measure trees.

Flower Baskets

ALBION, Ill. — The Flower Basket Workshop will be 4 to 6 p.m. May 2 at the Edwards County Farm Bureau, 5 S. 5th St., Albion.

Participants will be potting plants to make a flower basket, just in time for Mother’s Day. Register at https://tinyurl.com/4pz4wy6e.

Montgomery County Plant Sale

HILLSBORO, Ill. — The Montgomery County Master Gardener Plant Sale will be 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. May 3 at Mt. Moriah Lodge 51, 903 S. Main St., Hillsboro.

The sale will include 10-inch premium hanging baskets with assorted colors and different sun and shade varieties.

Proceeds will benefit the Montgomery County Farmer’s Institute. For more information, call 217-532-3941.

Macon County Plant Sale

DECATUR, Ill. — The Macon County Master Gardener Plant Sale will be 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. May 4 at the Macon County Fairgrounds, 3700 N. Westlawn Ave., Decatur.

Shop a wide variety of annuals, perennials, native plants, houseplants, succulents, hanging baskets, vegetables and tomatoes. Master gardeners and master naturalists will be available for consultations. A bargain shed will feature new-to-you supplies and tools.

Peoria County Plant Sale

PEORIA, Ill. — The Peoria County Master Gardener Plant Sale will be 8 a.m. to noon May 4 at the Metro Center, 4700 N. University St., Peoria.

This annual event is an opportunity to buy plants, started and grown in sterile mediums by local master gardeners, and learn from their experiences.

Available will be native plants, perennial plants, annual plants, pollinator plants, vegetable transplants and herbs.

For more information, visit https://tinyurl.com/rk67z86e.

Christian County Plant Sale

TAYLORVILLE, Ill. — The Christian County Master Gardener Plant Sale will be 9 a.m. to noon May 4 in the back parking lot of the Christian County Extension office, 1120 N. Webster St., Taylorville.

Shop a wide variety of perennials, native plants, houseplants, trees and shrubs. Master gardeners will be available for consultations, so feel free to ask questions, especially about which plant would work best for your needs.

For more information, call 217-287-7246.

Dixon Springs Plant Sale

SIMPSON, Ill. — University of Illinois Extension will host a plant sale from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. May 4 at the Dixon Springs Agricultural Center, 354 IL-145, Simpson.

Plants will include a variety of vegetables, herbs and flowers. Extension staff and Illinois master gardener volunteers will be available to answer questions and hand out information about gardening topics.

Hydroponics Training

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Training in hydroponics will be 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. ET on Saturdays, May 4, May 11, May 18 and May 25 at the Purdue hydroponics facility in the Department of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture, 525 Ag Mall Drive, West Lafayette.

Purdue faculty will lead the hands-on training. Participants will receive printed materials, plants and seedlings.

The four-week course also will be offered in June.