July 09, 2025

Calendar: Monarch Migration Festival

GALESBURG, Ill. — The eighth annual Monarch Migration Festival will be from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sept. 10 at Lakeside Nature Center, 1033 S. Lake Storey Road, Galesburg.

Visitors will have the opportunity to rotate through educational stations that will include learning about the life-cycle stages of the monarch; migration information; tagging live adult monarch butterflies; butterfly, pollinator, and milkweed inspired crafts; and a butterfly release. Education stations are provided in partnership with Illinois Extension Master Gardeners and Master Naturalists, city of Galesburg Parks and Recreation nature staff, Knox County Farm Bureau Ag in the Classroom educator, Monarch Teacher Network volunteer Rhonda Brady, along with other experienced monarch enthusiasts.

The educational stations will be “inside the fence” and will require pre-registration due to space and supplies being limited. Walk-ins are welcome to attend activities and booths that will be “outside of the fence.” If space is available “inside the fence,” walk-ins may be accommodated on a first-come,-first-served basis.

Register by visiting https://tinyurl.com/3b53vmbr.

Autumnal Festival

NORMAL, Ill. — Illinois State University’s Autumnal Festival will be 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sept. 10, and 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sept. 11 at the ISU Horticulture Center, Corn Crib, Normal.

Participants will be invited to Be a Monarch Hero by pledging their support to promote monarch habitat; construct a monarch life-cycle bracelet; and use their senses to discover a garden filled with refreshing scents, bright colors and textures, and soft, delicate sounds.

For more information and tickets, visit https://www.facebook.com/horticulture.ilstu.edu.

4-H Safety Day

JERSEYVILLE, Ill. — 4-H Safety Day will be 10 a.m. to noon Sept. 10 at the Jersey County Fairgrounds, 100 W. Fairground Ave., Jerseyville.

Learn about tractor and machinery safety, lawn equipment safety, fire safety and more during this interactive program. Parents or guardians are required to attend with children.

Register for this free event at https://tinyurl.com/ycwk3bsz. For more information, contact Jessica Jaffry at jjaffry@illinois.edu or call the Jersey County Extension office at 618-498-2913.

BBQ Fundraiser

MARTINSVILLE, Ill. — The Clark County 4-H BBQ Fundraiser will be 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sept. 10 at the Martinsville Community Center, 122 W. Cumberland St., Martinsville. The $10 meal includes pulled pork, baked potato, a slice of bread, green beans, applesauce, and vanilla ice cream. Kids 5 and under are free. Drive-through service available.

Purchase tickets in advance from any Clark County 4-H’er or the Clark County Extension office, 15493 IL-1, Marshall. Tickets also will be available at the event. For more information, call 217-826-5422.

Seed Saving

BOURBONNAIS, Ill. — The Seed Saving Workshop will be at 1 p.m. Sept. 12 at the Kankakee County Extension office, 1650 Commerce Drive, Bourbonnais.

In this workshop, led by Kankakee County Master Gardener Coordinator Holly Froning, you will learn when and how to harvest seeds from your garden, what plants to harvest from, and how to properly store them for the winter. You also will learn about how saving seeds helps preserve food culture — heirloom crops wouldn’t exist if it weren’t for gardeners who grew and saved seeds.

Cost is $5. Register at https://tinyurl.com/3zh7efvt.

Garden Tours

DECATUR, Ill. — Macon County South Side Garden Tours will be 5:30 to 7 p.m. Sept. 12 at the Decatur Public Library, 130 N. Franklin St., Decatur.

The tour will include the Herb Garden, Pollinator Garden, Native Garden, and Cottage Garden. Master gardeners will be present to tell you about the components of each of the gardens.

Register at https://tinyurl.com/mry5pedc. For. more information, contact Julia Duncan at julia8@illinois.edu or 217-877-6042.

Rainscaping Workshop

NAUVOO, Ill. — The Rainscaping Workshop Series will be from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Sept. 12, Sept. 14, Sept. 19, and Sept. 21 in Building A at 130 Young St., Nauvoo.

Over the course of four training sessions, participants will learn how to site, design, construct and maintain a rain garden. Participants also will create a demonstration rain garden along Hotchkiss and Hyde streets with community partners.

A certificate of completion will be awarded to those attending all sessions, including the rain garden installation.

Register for this free program by visiting https://tinyurl.com/mrxw45vx. For more information, call the Hancock County Extension office at 217-357-2150.

International Day

CORYDON, Ind. — “Sing-a-long Celebration” is the theme of International Day from 9:30 a.m. to noon ET Sept. 13 at the Harrison County Extension office, 247 Atwood St., Corydon.

If you have a song you’d like to sing/share, contact Karen Schwartz at 812-736-2373.

No refreshments provided. Just happy singing voices.

For more information, visit https://tinyurl.com/mu8ej27w.

The Nature of Oaks

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Learn about oaks and and their ecological contributions from 7 to 8:30 p.m. ET Sept. 13.

The webinar will feature Doug Tallamy, a professor of agriculture in the Department of Entomology and Wildlife Ecology at the University of Delaware. Tallmay has authored 106 research publications and his book, “Nature’s Best Hope,” was a New York Times Best Seller in 2020. His latest book, “The Nature of Oaks,” was published by Timber press in March 2021.

The webinar is free for Indiana Forestry & Woodland Owners Association members, and $5 for nonmembers. Register by visiting https://tinyurl.com/z3d9zcfa.

Tree Planting

CARLINVILLE, Ill. — The program Fall Tree Planting will be from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. Sept. 14 at the Macoupin County Extension office, 60 Carlinville Plaza, Carlinville.

Fall is a great time for planting trees. Learn how to use techniques to successfully transition from the nursery to the landscape, when to plant, creating the planting hole, fertilizing, and the planting process.

This program is free and will take place in-person and online. Register at https://tinyurl.com/ybse6hy3.

Garlic Workshop

BOURBONNAIS, Ill. — The Garlic Workshop will be at 1 p.m. Sept. 14 at the Kankakee County Extension office, 1650 Commerce Drive, Bourbonnais.

Garlic is a long-season, over-wintering crop that does best when planted in the fall to be harvested in the early summer. Garlic is well-suited to both small areas or large operation alike.

You will learn how to plant garlic, challenges to watch for, and hands-on training. Everyone will go home with garlic to plant in their garden.

Cost is $10. Register at https://tinyurl.com/4zjktryw.

Terrarium Workshop

CHARLESTON, Ill. — Join Master Gardener Darla Chouinard to create a terrarium from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. Sept. 14 at the 4-H Building, Coles County Fairgrounds, 603 W. Madison Ave., Charleston.

Terrariums are indoor miniature gardens contained within glass that allow heat and light to enter and confine moisture. You can make a basic terrarium in less than an hour with just a few materials.

Cost is $15. Register at https://tinyurl.com/2p8526yb.

Vermiculture Training

BOURBONNAIS, Ill. — Vermiculture training for teachers will be from 4 to 5 p.m. Sept 14 at the Kankakee County Extension office, 1650 Commerce Drive, Bourbonnais.

Vermiculture can utilize school cafeteria waste and provide a variety of classroom-appropriate experiments while maintaining the bin in the classroom. Vermiculture combines engineering and biology. Students design an optimal environment for red wigglers in a compost bin using the engineering design process. Each participant will receive age-appropriate materials and a bin with worms.

Cost is $8. Register by visiting https://tinyurl.com/2vyza6zv. For more information, call Holly Froning at 815-933-8337.

Art in the Park

CORYDON, ind. — Art at the Park with Watercolors will be from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. ET Sept. 14 at Hayswood Park, 755 Old Hwy 135, Corydon. Participants in third grade and up will receive everything needed to paint with watercolors.

Paint the colors of fall, or something interesting you see at the park. RSVP by calling 812-738-4236.

Venison Processing

COLUMBIA CITY, Ind. — Purdue Extension, in partnership with the Indiana Department of Natural Resources’ Division of Fish & Wildlife, is sponsoring venison processing workshops. During each workshop, a deer will be skinned, butchered, and prepared in a variety of ways for the participants to taste. Food safety and handling procedures, as well as an update on deer health issuesm will be presented.

The goal is to equip participants with the skills and knowledge necessary to safely process their own deer and end up with a delicious, high quality product that they will be proud to share with family and friends.

The program will be 6 to 9 p.m. ET Sept. 14 at the Northeast Purdue Ag Center, 4821 E 400 S, Columbia City, and 6 to 9 p.m. ET Sept. 15 at the John S. Wright Forestry Center, 1007 N 725 W, West Lafayette.

Cost is $10. Register by calling Jonathan Ferris at 765-973-9281 or email ferrisj@purdue.edu. For more information, visit https://tinyurl.com/bdd9rr72.

Maple Syrup Field Day

CARMEL, Ind. — The Maple Syrup Field Day will be at 10 a.m. ET Sept. 15 at 10531 White Oak Drive, Carmel. Topics will include urban maple syrup production and songbird habitat.

Register at https://tinyurl.com/2p8tcsvv.

Water Treatment

WANATAH, Ind. — Fruit and vegetable growers are continually assessing their operations to determine where they can limit risk and increase productivity. As a result, many have expressed interest in learning more about how on-farm, preharvest water treatment systems work and how they may fit within their current setup.

Learn about different approaches to treating water on-farm from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. CT Sept. 16 at the Pinney Purdue Ag Center, 11402 S County Line Road, Wanatah.

Instructors will include Scott Monroe, food safety educator for Purdue Extension; Amanda Deering, associate professor for Purdue Department of Food Science; and Tari Gary, Extension coordinator for Purdue Department of Food Science.

Lunch will be provided by Purdue Extension — Porter County.

For more information, contact Nikky Witkowski at 219-465-3555 or nikky@purdue.edu.

Forestry Field Day

ROME CITY, Ind. — The Soil & Water Conservation District Forestry Field Day will be 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. ET Sept. 17 on landowner Clarence Miller’s 40-acre forest, 11787 N 225 W, Rome City.

• Quentin Beahrs, forester, Indiana Department of Natural Resources, will discuss developing woods for recreational purposes, including camping, hiking, hunting and birdwatching.

• Tom Crowe, Forestry Consultants, will be discuss timberstand improvement for hardwood production.

• Jamie Perry, Indiana Association Soil & Water Conservation District, will discuss urban agriculture.

The event is free and will include a morning snack of coffee and doughnuts, as well as lunch following the program. Dress appropriately for this outdoor activity.

To RSVP or for more information, contact Martin A. Franke at 260-463-3166, ext. 3, or martin.franke@in.nacdnet.net.