Calendar: 2021 Summer Twilight Series - Bauman Family Farm

VIENNA, Ill. — University of Illinois Extension will team up with Grant and Casey Bauman to host the fourth and final twilight meeting at 6 p.m. Aug. 16 at Bauman Family Farm, 2230 Buncombe Road, Vienna.

The Baumans will discuss the regenerative grazing practices they use on their farm, including, building soil health and quality forage, fencing and water systems, and herd management. They also will share information on management and equipment used during pasture moves throughout the season. There will be an opportunity to tour some of the fields and see first-hand the soil benefits of regenerative grazing practices. Equipment on display will include poly wire reels, step-in posts, and fence chargers.

There is no cost to attend this in-person program, but pre-registration is required. In accordance with CDC guidelines, those who are not yet fully vaccinated are encouraged to continue wearing face masks at public events. To register online for this meeting, visit go.illinois.edu/2021TwilightSeries. To register by phone, call 618-695-2441.

All about raised beds at Douglas Discovery Garden

DANVLLE, Ill. — Join the Vermilion County master gardeners for a program on raised beds at 6 p.m. Aug. 17 at Douglas Discovery Garden, corner of Florida and Wayne streets, Danville. They will discuss different materials, bed size, soil, row covers, irrigation, and using trellises to maximize vegetable production.

Douglas Discovery Garden has won several State Master Gardener Teamwork Awards for its different innovative projects and community outreach. Attendees are welcome to stroll through the small orchard, and view numerous raised beds and flower gardens. Master gardeners will be on hand to answer questions. There will be handouts for attendees.

Jumping worms discussion

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — Kelly Allsup, University of Illinois Extension horticulture educator, will present a program about jumping worms in central Illinois from 3 to 4 p.m. Aug. 17 at the McLean County Extension office, 1615 Commerce Pkwy., Bloomington.

The program will include a discussion on jumping worms prevention and identification.

“Non-native invasive species are one of the biggest environmental threats, second only to habitat loss,” Allsup said. “Once invasive species have a foothold it can be hard to remove them, so prevention and early detection and response is key.”

End-of-summer vegetables

Fall harvested vegetables tend to be sweeter as the temperatures start to cool and they finish growing. Join Illinois Extension Horticulture Educator Bruce J. Black as he shares some tips for fall vegetables at 1:30 p.m. Aug. 17.

Black will review which vegetables are better suited for a late-summer planting and provide information on how to store fall-harvested vegetables for longer shelf life.

The webinar is part of Extension’s Four Seasons Gardening series. Register by visiting go.illinois.edu/fourseasons.

Master gardener hours at the Kane County Idea Garden

ST. CHARLES, Ill. — Join University of Illinois Extension master gardener volunteers to experience creative concepts and ask questions from 9 to 11 a.m. Tuesdays in August at the Kane County Master Gardener Idea Garden, 3480 Route 38, St. Charles.

This year’s project includes ideas and tips for:

Elevated beds.
Straw bale plantings.
Insect habitats.
Gardens with garlic or phytonutrient-rich produce.
A sensory patch.
Native species.
An Olympic-themed bed of grasses, ground covers, and flowers.

Follow the Idea Garden on Facebook at www.facebook.com/KaneMGIdeaGarden.

Warm-season grasses

Warm-season grasses grow and flower in the summer, providing habitat and forage for wildlife. Grass flowers aren’t very showy, but they are helpful in deciphering which grass is which.

A webinar at 2 p.m. Aug. 18 will provide the tools to tell Illinois native and non-native grasses apart. The grasses included are species found in natural areas as well as disturbed areas and roadsides. Lawn grasses will not be covered.

Speaker will be Erin Garrett, Extension energy and environmental stewardship educator.

This program is a follow-up to the spring webinar Cool-Season Grasses. Register by visiting tinyurl.com/mc42tknh.

Storing your bountiful harvest

After a bountiful summer harvest, you will want to ensure your fresh fruits and vegetables are properly stored and can be enjoyed for months to come. A webinar at noon Aug. 18 with Extension Educator Diane Reinhold will include information on how to cure squash and the best conditions for storing your root vegetables, winter squash, and apples. Register by visiting tinyurl.com/ka42rdc.

Compost with confidence

CLINTON, Ill. — DeWitt County master gardeners will host the program Compost with Confidence at 5:30 p.m. Aug. 19 at the Vespasian Warner Library, 310 N. Quincy St., Clinton.

Learn all about composting at this free event led by Extension Educator Sarah Vogel.

For more information, contact Beth Miglin, Extension horticulture coordinator, at bmiglin@illinois.edu, or call 217-935-5764.

Diabetes Clinic: Cooking with Herbs

EUREKA, Ill. — Join Extension Nutrition & Wellness Educator Jenna Smith for Diabetes Clinic: Cooking with Herbs at 1:30 p.m. Aug. 19 at Eureka Christian Church, 302 S. Main St., Eureka, Do you have an herb garden but are unsure how to incorporate them into your meals? Herbs can greatly enhance the flavor of food while reducing the use of salt and sugar. Participants will receive recipes and tips on growing, buying, storing, and using herbs and spices.

Diabetes clinics are informal but informational walk-in programs with a different topic each month designed especially for persons living with diabetes. There is no cost to attend this program and no registration is necessary.

A taste of the Food Forest: Black currants

NORMAL, Ill. — Fresh currants are not something you will likely find in a U.S. grocery store, yet they are widely popular in Europe and other parts of the world. Learn about what is being done to get black currants back on people’s radar by attending “A Taste of the Food Forest: Black Currants” at 6 p.m. Aug. 19 at Refuge Food Forest, 701 E. Lincoln St., Normal.

Walk the Refuge Food Forest with Nick Frillman, Extension local foods and small farms educator, and learn about the history of black currants, where they’re from, why they aren’t well-known, and why they’re making a resurgence now. Jenna Smith, University of Illinois Extension registered dietitian and nutrition and wellness educator, will discuss the nutritional benefits of black currants and send you home with a packet of delicious recipes. Smith will give a food demonstration on a cool summer treat using black currants as the star.

The program is free to attend, but registration is required by visiting tinyurl.com/25trjmrk.

Be ready for blueberries

Illinois soils are often not naturally primed for growing blueberries. The task of growing blueberries is much more enjoyable when your soil has been amended ahead of planting. Explore the benefits of soil tests and amendments to the soil when growing blueberries at 2 p.m. Aug. 19. The online program will be presented by Extension educators Andrew Holsinger and Katie Parker. Register by visiting go.illinois.edu/Know2Grow.

Soil Health Field Day

University of Illinois Extension is hosting a field day that is the first of a series of field days that will occur across the state over the next few years. The Soil Health Field Day will be from 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Aug. 19 in Ogle County.

Host farmer Norm Deets is participating in a study with the University of Illinois funded through USDA-SARE program where researchers are observing the changes in soil health over a period of five years. The first year of the study is concluding in August 2021.

The featured speaker for this field day is Dennis Busch, a professor at the University of Wisconsn-Platteville. Busch is bringing his rainfall simulator to use in a demonstration at the field day. Other speakers include Stacy Zuber, the Illinois soil health specialist with USDA-NRCS, and Rachel Curry, Illinois Extension’s watershed outreach coordinator covering the Lower Rock and Flint-Henderson watersheds in northern Illinois. Deets also will talk about his farming system and the steps that he is taking to build soil health.

The field day is free and open to the public. Lunch is included. Register by visiting tinyurl.com/3nw4yjyw. For questions about this program, contact Chelsea Harbach, harbach2@illinois.edu.

Make and Take Peach Apple Salsa Class

LA SALLE, Ill. — Make and Take Peach Apple Salsa Class will be from 8:30 a.m. to noon Aug. 21 at University of Illinois Extension Education Center & Community Teaching Kitchen, 944 First St., La Salle

Presented by Susan Glassman, Extension nutrition and wellness educator, the class will take you through the recommended practices that promote safe canning of fruits and vegetables. Have fun while learning to wash, peel, chop, measure, cook and can salsa in the teaching kitchen, and take home a jar to enjoy.

Cost is $15. Register by visiting tinyurl.com/28a6m4bu.