Calendar: Aledo Rhubarb Festival

ALEDO, Ill. — The Aledo Rhubarb Festival will be from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. June 3 and 4 in Central Park, 100 S. College Ave., Aledo.

Rhubarb Festival is a celebration of all things rhubarb — from pie to ice cream to soda pop. If it’s rhubarb, it’s here! Aledo’s affinity for rhubarb became official when the town of 3,600 was named the “Rhubarb Capital of Illinois” by the State of Illinois’ 95th General Assembly House of Representatives. Learn the basics of pollination and pollinators, get a sneak peek at activities planned for the month of June, pick up tips on observing pollinators in the wild, and (weather permitting) take a guided stroll through the library Butterfly Hotspots to check out pollinator activity and learn about the flowers that attract them. The unique festival draws thousands of visitors to the Mercer County seat. The festival is easy to find — at the crossroads of Illinois Highways 17 and 94 — at Aledo’s Central Park and the Mercer County Courthouse lawn, and it spills into the streets of historic downtown Aledo.

For more information, visit aledorhubarbfest.com.

Pollinator Month

CHARLESTON, Ill. — Prairie’s Edge Master Naturalists will kick off Pollinator Month from 10:30 a.m. to noon June 4 at the Carnegie Public Library, 712 Sixth St., Charleston.

Learn the basics of pollination and pollinators, get a sneak peek at activities planned for the month of June, pick up tips on observing pollinators in the wild, and (weather permitting) take a guided stroll through the library Butterfly Hotspots to check out pollinator activity and learn about the flowers that attract them.

The month will feature a variety of fun and informative presentations and guided walks from 10 to 11 a.m.:

• June 10, Lake Charleston, meet at the pavilion.

• June 16, Decker Springs Road Hotspot.

• June 20, Douglas-Hart Nature Center.

• June 28, The Whiteside Garden.

For more information and to register, visit tinyurl.com/329j8hd3.

Seed Saving

EUREKA, Ill. — The program Seed Saving for Gardeners will be from 6 to 7 p.m. June 6 at the Eureka Public Library, 202 S. Main St., Eureka.

Seed saving begins sooner than you think. Plan for seed saving when you plan your garden. Master gardeners will guide you through seed-saving techniques, how to manage plants for high-quality seed production, and how to harvest and store seed.

Annie’s Project

LEWISTOWN, Ill. — Annie’s Project will be from 6 to 9 p.m. June 7, 8, 14, 16, 21 and 23 at the Fulton County Farm Bureau, 15411 N IL 100 Hwy, Lewistown.

Annie’s Project is a discussion-based workshop bringing women together to learn from experts in production, financial management, human resources, marketing, and the legal field. There’s plenty of time for questions, sharing, reacting and connecting with presenters and fellow participants. It’s a relaxed, fun and dynamic way to learn, grow and meet other farm women.

Cost is $50. Register by visiting tinyurl.com/djw5ubt7.

4-H BBQ

The Warren County 4-H BBQ will be from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. June 7 at two locations: Warren-Henderson Farm Bureau, 1000 N. Main St., Monmouth; and Hedding Elementary School, 401 W. Latimer St., Abingdon.

Take a night off from cooking and support 4-H youth. Dine-in, drive-through, or carry out a delicious pork chop sandwich, baked beans, applesauce, chips, dessert, and a drink.

4-H members are selling tickets in advance for $8. You may also purchase tickets at the the Warren County Extension office, 1000 N. Main St, Monmouth, or at the door.

Pressure Canning

The online program Yes, You Can! Water Bath and Pressure Canning Basics will be from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. June 7.

Participants will learn the basics of home food preservation, food safety guidelines, and the most recent methods used to preserve food safely.

Macoupin County Fair

CARLINVILLE, Ill. — The Macoupin County Fair will be June 7-11 at the fairgrounds, 21368 State Rte 4, Carlinville; www.macoupincountyfair.org; 217-854-9422.

Macon County Fair

CARLINVILLE, Ill. — The Macoupin County Fair will be June 7-11 at the fairgrounds, 21368 State Rte 4, Carlinville; www.macoupincountyfair.org; 217-854-9422.

Pike County Fair

PLEASANT HILL, Ill. — The Pike County Fair will be June 7-11 at the fairgrounds, 210 W. Clay St., Pleasant Hill; pikecountyfair@gmail.com; 573-754-2436 or 217-779-0287.

Garden Series

The online program The Garden’s Planted: Now What? will be from 6 to 7:30 p.m. June 8.

Attention to detail while conducting your garden maintenance and taking appropriate action can increase the health of your plants, save you time and increase your yield.

The program is part of the 2022 Garden Learning Series presented by the Solid Waste Agency of Lake County and the University of Illinois Extension, Lake County. Register by visiting tinyurl.com/4rdh3t8d.

Herb Workshop

DECATUR, Ill. — The Herb Container Workshop will be from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. June 8 at the Macon County Extension office, 3351 N. President Howard Brown Blvd., Decatur.

This workshop will cover the basics of container planting, and participants will create a planter of fresh, delicious herbs to grow and use all season.

Cost is $20 per container. Register at tinyurl.com/yc4rcccu. For more information, call Sarah Vogel at 217-877-6042.

Canning Basics

ROCKFORD, Ill. — The program Yes, You Can! Water Bath and Pressure Canning Basics will be from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. June 9 at the Winnebago County Extension office, 1040 N. 2nd St., Rockford.

Participants will learn the basics of home food preservation, food safety guidelines, and the most recent methods used to preserve food safely. Additionally, participants can have the dial gauge on their pressure canners tested; just bring your lid with the gauge attached.

Cost is $5. Register at tinyurl.com/4em7hpz3.

Help Desk

TAYLORVILLE, Ill. — The Master Gardener Help Desk will be open from 9 to 11 a.m. June 9 at the Christian County Extension office, 1120 N. Webster St., Taylorville.

Problems with your yard or garden? Are pests or weeds concerning you? Master gardeners will be available to help you with your gardening questions. Bring your questions and any samples you have. Samples should be enclosed in a plastic bag or container and should be fresh to obtain a good diagnosis.

If questions arise at a time the help desk is not open, call Christian County Extension office at 217-287-7246 and leave a message for the master gardeners. They will return your call as soon as possible.

Farm in the Park

ALEDO, Ill. — Farm in the Park will be from 3:30 to 6 p.m. June 10 at Aledo Central Park, 200 S. College Ave., Aledo.

This free, family-friendly event will allow visitors of all ages to explore agriculture at a variety of hands-on activity stations, see live farm animals at a petting zoo, get exercise in the jump house, and learn about nutrition and food safety.

4-H BBQ

ALEDO, Ill. — The Mercer County 4-H BBQ Fundraiser will be from 5 to 7 p.m. June 10 at the Aledo Fire Station, 211 SE 3rd St., Aledo.

The pork chop sandwich meal is $10 and includes sandwich, baked beans, apple sauce and dessert. The hot dog meal is $5 and includes hot dog, apple sauce, chips and dessert. Dine-in guest will have choice of tea or lemonade. Whole pies will also be available for purchase.

Perry County Fair

PICKNEYVILLE, Ill. — The Perry County Fair will be June 11-18 at the fairgrounds, 1041 Secretary Road, Pinckneyville; www.perrycoilfair.com; info@perrycoilfair.com; 618-790-4868.

Goat Milk Soap

ST. CHARLES, Ill. — The Goat Milk Soap Workshop 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. June 11 at the Kane County Extension office, 535 S. Randall Road, St. Charles.

Learn all the steps to create your own, custom-blended goat-milk soap, and let your creativity shine while making and decorating your own feed bag. Designed for ages 8-18, participants will take home two bars of goat milk soap and their bag creation.

Cost is $30. Register at tinyurl.com/2r5549r3. For more information, contact 4-H Youth Development Educator Leilah Siegel at lmcnabb@illinois.edu or 630-584-6166.

Herb Garden Tour

DECATUR, Ill. — The Decatur Public Library Herb Garden Tour will be from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. June 11 at the library, 130 N. Franklin St., Decatur.

Master Gardeners Elizabeth Jeffery and Barbara Hannon will lead a half-hour tour covering the herbs in the Herb Garden at the Decatur Public Library, with repeating sessions every 30 minutes.