STERLING, Ill. — Explore the world of pollinators with Whiteside County master gardeners at the Pollinator Celebration from 8 a.m. to noon July 23 at the Twin Cities Farmers Market, 106 Avenue A, Sterling.

Discover the lifecycle of a butterfly with a butterfly lifecycle bracelet, create an egg carton caterpillar, and design your own butterfly. Hear about the busy life of bees and learn to pollinate like a bee.

For more information, contact Mary Nelson at the Whiteside County Extension office at 815-632-3611.

Clay County 4-H BBQ

FLORA, Ill. — The 29th annual Clay County 4-H BBQ will be from 4 to 7 p.m. July 22 at the Clay County Fairgrounds, REA Building, 104 Golf Course Road, Flora,.

The $10 Brisket Meal includes brisket, sides, homemade dessert and drink. The $5 Hotdog Meal includes: hotdog, chips, homemade dessert and drink.

Tickets are available from Clay County 4-H members and 4-H leaders, and the Clay County Extension office, 223 W. Railroad St., Flora. For more information, call 618-662-3124.

Champaign County Fair

URBANA, Ill. — Champaign County Fair, July 22-30, 1302 N. Coler Ave., Urbana; www.champaigncountyfair.cc; office@champaigncountyfair.cc; 217-367-8461.

Elizabeth Community Fair

ELIZABETH, Ill. — Elizabeth Community Fair, Jul-22-24, 42 West St., Elizabeth; www.facebook.com/TheElizabethCommunityFair; geisz@sandprairie.net; 815-598-3145.

Elkhart County 4-H Fair

GOSHEN, Ind.— Elkhart County 4-H Fair, July 22-30, 17746 County Rd 34, Goshen; www.4hfair.org; info@4hfair.org; 574-533-3247.

Putnam County 4-H Fair

GREENCASTLE, Ind. — Putnam County 4-H Fair, July 22-29, 191 US-231, Greencastle; www.putcofair.org; 765-655-1565.

Richland County Fair

OLNEY, Ill. — Richland County Fair, July 22-30, 702 White Squirrel Circle, Olney; www.richlandcountyfair.org; 618-392-0766.

Master Gardener Informational Booth

TAYLORVILLE, Ill. — Not sure what vegetables, fruit, or flowers would work best for your needs? Have a plant dying or a problem with a tree or pest? Get your questions answered from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. July 23 at the Master Gardener Informational Booth at the at the Taylorville Farmers Market in Taylorville Square, 101 S. Main St., Taylorville.

Crawford County Fair

OBLONG, Ill. — Crawford County Fair, July 23-30, 108 Legion Pkwy., Oblong; crawfordfair.com; secretary@crawfordfair.com; 618-553-2079.

Edgar County Fair

PARIS, Ill. — Edgar County Fair, July 23-30, 114 N. Main St., Paris; www.edgarcountyfair.com; skinridgepoultryfarm@gmail.com.

Jasper County Fair

RENSSELAER, Ind. — Jasper County Fair, July 23-30, 3671 W. Clark St., Rensselaer.; www.jaspercountyfair.weebly.com; 219-866-7263.

Henderson County Fair

STRONGHURST, Ill. — Henderson County Fair, July 24-30, 122 E. Jones St., Stronghurst, Ill.; www.hendersoncofair.com; thefair@hendersoncofair.com; 309-924-1177.

Jackson County Fair

BROWNSTOWN, Ind. — Jackson County Fair, July 24-30, 476 E County Rd 100 S, Brownstown; www.jacksoncountyfair.org; 812-358-2751.

Monroe County Fair

WATERLOO, Ill. — Monroe County Fair, July 24-31, 4177 IL-156, Waterloo; monroecounty-fair.org; 618-939-7796.

Saline County Fair

HARRISBURG, Ill. — Saline County Fair, July 24-30, 200-598 Dorris Heights Road, Harrisburg; salinecountyfair@yahoo.com; 618-253-5126.

Scott County 4-H & Jr. Ag. Show

WINCHESTER, Ill. — Scott County 4-H & Jr. Ag. Show, July 24-29 , 41 N. Walnut St., Winchester; www.facebook.com/scottcountyjrfair; 217-742-9572.

Book to Barn

GREENCASTLE, Ind. — The Book to Barn program for children ages 3 to 5 will be 11 to 11:30 a.m. and 3 to 3:30 p.m. ET July 25 at the Putnam County Fairgrounds, 191 US-231, Greencastle.

Included will be story time, snack and barn tour.

For more information, contact Abbi Sampson at 765-653-8411 or sampsona@purdue.edu.

Urban Tree Health Training

EFFINGHAM, Ill. — Would you like to learn more about trees and how we can keep them healthy and prosperous in the urban landscape? The Illinois Forestry Association will be offering Urban Tree Health Training from 12:30 to 3:30 p.m. July 25 at the Effingham County Extension office, 1209 N. Wenthe Drive, Effingham

This program should be of interest to professionals managing urban trees or forests. However, this training is also useful for the general public. Register at tinyurl.com/yf6u9n4z.

Land Leasing Basics

The online program Land Leasing Basics: Legal Training for Illinois Small Farms will be from 7 to 8 p.m. July 25.

Leasing farmland is so commonplace that landowners, farmers, and ranchers may not think twice about the lease itself until things go wrong. Prevent problems with a strong lease while building a path to a resilient future. This online workshop will help you understand what a lease should include and how to put it in writing. Get started with the tools, knowledge, and skills you need to create a strong document that works for your needs, whether you are a landowner, rancher, or farmer.

Fulton County Fair & Racing

LEWISTOWN, Ill. — Fulton County Fair & Racing, July 25-30, 1325 S. Main St., Lewistown; www.fultonfair.com; 309-547-3748.

Mason County 4-H & Jr. Ag Show

HAVANA, Ill. — Mason County 4-H & Jr. Ag Show, July 25-28, 17248 E County Rd 1600 N, Havana; www.masonctyilfair.org; fairboardassoc@gmail.com.

Vanderburgh County Fair

EVANSVILLE, Ind. — Vanderburgh County Fair, July 25-30, 201 E Boonville-New Harmony Road, Evansville; www.vanderburghcountyfair.com; 812-867-6217.

Allen County Fair

FORT WAYNE, Ind. — Allen County Fair, July 26-31, 2726 Carroll Road, Fort Wayne; www.allencountyfairgroundsin.com; allencountyfairgroundsin@comcast.net; 260-449-4444.

Madison County Fair

HIGHLAND, Ill. — Madison County Fair, July 26-31, 225 Park Hill Drive, Highland; www.madcofair.com; madcofair@gmail.com; 618-654-6656.

Stephenson County Fair

FREEPORT, Ill. — Stephenson County Fair, July 26-30, 2250 S. Walnut Road, Freeport; www.stephensoncofair.org; info@stephensoncofair.org; 815-235-2918.

2022 Ag Field Day

MONMOUTH, Ill. — The 2022 Ag Field Day will be from 8 to 11:30 a.m. July 27 at the Northwest Illinois Agriculture Research and Demonstration Center, 321 210th Ave., Monmouth. Topics by presenters Nick Seiter, Emerson Nafziger, Trent Ford, Phillip Alberti and Greg Steckel will include corn rootworm, nitrogen management, climate trends, hemp, and corn/soybean planting dates.

The program is free to attend, and water/light refreshments will be provided. Presentations will take place in the fields, so bring a hat and sunscreen. For more information and registration, visit go.illinois.edu/MonmouthFieldDay2022.

Vermicomposting Make and Take

MILAN, Ill. — Learn how to turn your food scraps into rich soil and reduce waste at the Vermicomposting Make and Take Workshop from 10 a.m. to noon July 27 at the Rock Island County Extension office, 321 2nd Ave. W, Milan.

Emily Swihart, horticulture educator, and Kristin Bogdonas, nutrition and wellness educator, will lead a make-and-take workshop on vermicomposting. Learn about using worms to decompose organic food waste, turning the waste into a nutrient-rich material for use in your garden and potted plants.

You will go home with a vermicomposting bin, red wrigglers (composting worms) and instructions on how to care for and maintain your worm bin throughout the year. You will be able to start composting your food scraps right away.

Cost is $20 for all materials. Register at tinyurl.com/5xcfzuk7.

Adams County Fair

MENDON, Ill. — Adams County Fair, July 27-Aug. 2, 210 E. 1250th St., Mendon; www.adamsfair.org; adamsfair@adams.net; 217-936-2230.

DuPage County Fair

WHEATON, Ill. — DuPage County Fair, July 27-July 31, 215 Manchester Road, Wheaton; www.dupagecountyfair.org; info@dupagecountyfair.org; 630-668-6636.

Lake County Fair

GRAYSLAKE, Ill. — Lake County Fair, July 27-July 31, 160 E. Peterson Road, Grayslake; www.lcfair.com; info@lcfair.com; 847-680-7200.

Agronomy Field Day

EWING, Ill. — The annual Agronomy Field Day will be at 9 a.m. July 28 at the Ewing Demonstration Center, 16132 N. Ewing Road, Ewing.

The event will feature various educators and campus faculty as they provide best management practices for local growers.

Ewing Demonstration Center has served the agricultural community of southern Illinois since 1910. Research at the center includes various trials for corn, soybeans, sorghum, wheat, and cover crops. The center has featured no-till research and demonstration plots for more than 50 years as it offers representative growing conditions for southern Illinois.

The event presentation topics will include:

• What’s in Your Autonomous Toolbox?

• Use of Precision Technologies for the Improvement of On-Farm Research

• Above-Ground Insects and Bt Corn

• Understanding Your Soil & Water: Visualizing the Dynamics of Conservation Practices

The field day is free, and lunch will be provided. Certified Crop Advisor CEUs will also be offered. To register, visit go.illinois.edu/Ewing or call 618-439-3178.

Help Desk

TAYLORVILLE, Ill. — The Christian County Master Gardener Help Desk will be from 9 to 11 a.m. July 28 at the Christian County Extension office, 1120 N. Webster St., Taylorville. 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.

Wetland Reserve Tour

CANTON, Ill. — The Prairie Hills Wetland Reserve Tour will be at 9:30 a.m. July 28. The Prairie Hills Wetland Reserve, 22360 US-24, Canton, is a property of the Prairie Land Conservancy. Chris Enroth, a PLC board member, will talk about the work the land trust does, and opportunities for master naturalists to get involved with PLC properties. Enroth will lead the group on a hike around the lower wetlands area where the topography is more level.

Register at tinyurl.com/35nv9zcr. A video about the Prairie Hills Wetlands Reserve is available at www.prairielandconservancy.org/prairie-hills-wetland-reserve.html.

For more information, contact Christine Belless, natural resources program coordinator, at cbelless@illinois.edu or 309-547-3711.

Growing Herbs in Containers

HILLSBORO, Ill. — The program Growing Herbs in Containers will be from 10 to 11 a.m. July 28 at the Montgomery County Extension office, 1 Industrial Park Drive, Hillsboro.

Learn about what herbs are best suited for containers, and participants will create a planter of fresh herbs. Cost is $20. Register at tinyurl.com/mw27xe5v.

Lee County 4-H Fair & Jr. Show

AMBOY, Ill. — Lee County 4-H Fair & Jr. Show, July 28-July 31, 1196 Franklin Road, Amboy; www.leecounty4hcenter.com; kdallam@hotmail.com, 815-857-2603.

Stark County Jr. Fair

WYOMING, Ill. — Stark County Jr. Fair, July 28-Aug. 1, 300 E Washington St., Wyoming; www.starkcountyjrfair.com; starkcountyjrfair@gmail.com; 319-461-6580.

Magnificent Moths

CYPRESS, Ill. — The program Magnificent Moths will be from 10 a.m. to noon July 29 at the Barkhausen Cache River Wetlands Center, 885 IL-37, Cypress.

Did you know there are over 150,000 species of moths in the world? Moths play an important role in the food web, but are often ignored.

The outdoor program for ages 5 to 17 will include:

• Facts about moths in southern Illinois

• Make-and-take moth crafts

• Plant a flower for visiting moths

• How to attract moths at night

The event is free and open to the public.

Happy Hour Hike

URBANA, Ill. — The East Central Illinois Master Naturalists and Champaign County Climate Coalition will host a Happy Hour Hike from 5 to 6 p.m. July 29 at Weaver Park, 2205 E. Main St., Urbana.

No registration is necessary. For more information, visit the Champaign County Climate Coalition Facebook Page, or call 217-333-7672.

Happy Hour Hikes are held on the the final Friday of the month at local natural areas. These meet-ups are designed to be low-key opportunities to enjoy a walk and talk with conservation-minded folks in our region. Whether you are just getting curious about our local environment or it is your full-time job, anyone is welcome to join. You will be in the company of others who enjoy sustainability and climate-related activities and conversation.

Indiana State Fair

INDIANAPOLIS — Indiana State Fair, July 29-Aug. 21, 1202 E. 38th St., Indianapolis; www.indianastatefair.com; marketing@indianastatefair.com; 317-927-7500.

Morgan County Fair

MARTINSVILLE, Ind. — Morgan County Fair, July 29-Aug. 6, 1749 Hospital Drive, Martinsville; www.morgancountyindianafair.org; 765-342-9905.

Calendar: Pollinator Celebration