ZION, Ill. — Don’t trash your pumpkins, smash them. A pumpkin smash will be 4 to 7 p.m. Nov. 3 at Zion-Benton Township High School, 3901 21st St., Zion.

Smashing pumpkins keeps them out of the landfill and turns them into compost. Organic food waste like pumpkins create the potent greenhouse gas methane as they decompose without oxygen in landfills.

To participate, collect pumpkins and other organic fall decorations from your home neighborhood, school, or workplace. Remove candles, ribbons, and other nonorganic materials. Drop off the pumpkins at a smash site and they will be transported to a composting facility. Participants will have the opportunity to smash the pumpkins to break them down for composting.

No sign-up is needed for this free, family-friendly event.

Other pumpkin smashes:

Kane County

3 to 5 p.m. Nov. 3, McCleary Elementary School, 1002 W. Illinois Ave. Aurora.

Macomb County

10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Nov. 4, Veteran’s Park, 1800 E. University Drive, Macomb.

McLean County

10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Nov. 4, Rader Farms, 1312 Ropp Road, Normal.

McHenry County

10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Nov. 4, McHenry County College, 8900 Northwest Hwy #14, Crystal Lake.

Cook County

10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Nov. 4:

• Chicago High School for Agricultural Science, 3857 W. 111th St., 10 a.m. to Chicago.

• Coonley Elementary School, 4046 N. Leavitt St. Chicago.

• Comer Crops Youth Farm, 7200 Ingleside Ave., Chicago.

• Disney II Magnet School, 3815 N. Kedvale Ave., Chicago.

• George Washington High School, 3535 E. 114th St. Chicago.

• Linné Elementary School, 3221 N. Sacramento Ave., Chicago.

• Morton School of Excellence, 431 N. Troy St. Chicago.

• Plant Chicago, 4459 S. Marshfield Ave, Chicago.

• Solorio High School, 5400 S. St Louis Ave. Chicago, IL 60618

9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Nov. 4:

• First Presbyterian Church of Arlington Heights, 302 N Duton Ave., Arlington Heights.

• Lake Katherine Nature Center, 7402 Lake Katherine Dr., Palos Heights.

Noon to 4 p.m. Nov. 4:

• Chicago Fire Station 70, 6040 N. Clark St, Chicago.

Find more about pumpkin smashes, including how to start composting and how to host a smash at go.illinois.edu/PumpkinSmash.

Forestry Field Day

SIMPSON, Ill. — The Forestry Field Day will be 9:30 a.m. to 3:15 p.m. Oct. 28 at the Dixon Springs Agricultural Center, 354 IL-145 N, Simpson.

Topics will include:

• Invasive Plant Species, Megan Gulik, Forest Restoration Support Team.

• Prescribed Fire, Zack Stawicki, Southern Illinois Prescribed Burn Association.

• Introduction to Chainsaw Milling, Kevin Rohling, University of Illinois.

• Managed Forest Tour.

This field day is part of the Beginning Forest Landowner Short Course. Cost is $15 and lunch will be provided. Register at https://tinyurl.com/3v4thepb.

Fall Fest

AMBOY, Ill. — Fall Fest will be 2 to 5 p.m. Oct. 28 at the Lee County 4-H Center at the Lee County Fairgrounds, 1196 Franklin Road, Amboy.

The free fest will include a costume contest, pumpkin hunt, carnival games, popcorn and hot chocolate. A bonfire for seventh-graders and above will be from 6 to 8 p.m.

For more information, contact the Lee County Extension office at 815-857-3525.

4-H Awards

JOHNSTON CITY, Ill. — The Williamson County 4-H Achievement Program will be 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Oct. 28 at Bandy’s Pumpkin Patch, 15020 Pumpkin Patch Road, Johnston City.

Williamson County 4-H members will be honored for their hard work and accomplishments. Barbecue sandwiches and sides will be provided; families are asked to bring a dessert. The evening will include a bonfire and hayride.

Halloween Party

VIOLA, Ill. — The Saddle Teens 4-H Club invites the community to a Halloween Party from 2 to 4 p.m. Oct. 28 at the Viola Methodist Church, 1408 18th Ave., Viola.

The free event is a community service project by the 4-H Club to help all ages enjoy a not-so-scary Halloween party. Included will be games, make-and-take activities, costume contest and snacks.

Boo at the Slough

CYPRESS, Ill. — Boo at the Slough will be 1 to 3:30 p.m. Oct. 29 at the Barkhausen Cache River Wetlands Center, 8885 IL-37, Cypress.

Participants are encouraged to wear their costumes as they participate in activities and learn about the different creatures that live in the southern Illinois swamp areas.

For more information about this free event, visit https://tinyurl.com/9xane65y.

Hunter Safety

OLNEY, Ill. — The Hunter Safety Course will be 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. Oct. 30-Nov. 1 at St. Joseph Catholic Church of Stringtown Parish Center, 6342 Co Rd 1700 E, Olney.

Food Preservation

PETERSBURG, Ind. — The Mastering Home Food Preservation course will be 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET Oct. 31 to Nov. 3 at Petersburg Community Church, 420 E. Illinois St., Petersburg.

Mastering Home Food Preservation provides in-depth lectures, interactive discussions, hands-on practice, take-home products and valuable resources. USDA home food preservation recommended procedures will be taught. Topics covered include food safety, freezing, boiling water canning, pressure canning, jams and jellies, pickling and dehydration.

Enjoy It Later

CROWN POINT, Ind. — The class Preserve It Now...Enjoy It Later will be 10 am. to 2 p.m. CT Oct. 31 at the Lake County Extension office, 2291 N. Main St., Crown Point.

Participants will learn the basics of boiling water bath canning.

Cost is $30. Register at https://cvent.me/QDXbYW.

For additional information and a listing of other food preservation workshops through Purdue Extension, visit https://bit.ly/393hmty.

Pressure Cooking

JERSEYVILLE, Ill. — The program Electric Pressure Cooking for Your Health will be 1 to 3 p.m. Nov. 1 at the Jersey Community Hospital Wellness Center, 412 Maple Summit Road, Jerseyville.

Do you have an electric pressure cooker that is currently collecting dust? Get hands-on experience using the appliance and receive recipes the whole family will enjoy.

School Food Waste

ROCKFORD, Ill. — The Reduce School Food Waste program will be 6 to 7:30 p.m. Nov. 1 at the Winnebago County Extension office, 1040 N. 2nd St., Rockford.

Schools do a great job serving healthy meals to their students. Unfortunately, not all the food is eaten and lands in the garbage. Throwing away food is expensive and impacts the environment. Carol Erickson, SNAP-Ed educator, and Byran Amezquite from Legacy Academy of Excellence will address food waste, provide tactics to reduce waste, and explore ways to repurpose excess food safely.

Fisheries Meeting

PORTAGE, Ind. — The Lake Michigan Fisheries Meeting will be 6 to 8:30 p.m. CT Nov. 1 at the Portage Lakefront and Riverwalk classroom, 100 Riverwalk Drive, Portage.

Topics will include:

• Understanding fine and broadscale movements of Great Lakes Fish, Chris Vandergoot, Michigan State University Department of Fisheries & Wildlife.

• Occurrence and biomagnification of PFAS in Lake Michigan fishes, Gary Lamberti, University of Notre Dame Department of Biological Sciences.

• Fisheries update, Ben Dickinson, Indiana Department of Natural Resources.

Program partners include Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant, Indiana Department of Natural Resources, Indiana Dunes National Park, Michigan State University, University of Notre Dame and Purdue University.

For registration information, visit https://tinyurl.com/yeb9br3f.

Indoor Plants

HILLSBORO, Ill. — Success with Indoor Plants will be 2 to 3 p.m. Nov. 2 at the Montgomery County Extension office, 1 Industrial Park Drive, Hillsboro.

Make your houseplants happy with a little TLC. Plants that thrive in indoor environments require a balance of plant culture and human care. Learn how to create a healthy houseplant environment by selecting the right plants for your indoor space.

Woodland Conference

HUNTINGBURG, Ind. — The Woodland Owner Conference and Indiana Forestry & Woodland Owners Association Annual Meeting will be 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET Nov. 3 and 7:30 a.m. to 7:45 p.m. Nov. 4 at the Huntingburg Event Center, 110 E. 14th St., Huntingburg.

Field tours on Nov. 3 will include the Werner sawmill, 3545 N 550 W, Jasper; Niehaus property tour, 27000 Cougar Road, Bristow.; and St. Meinrad Archabbey caskets workshop, monastery and church, 200 Hill Drive, St. Meinrad. Evening events will include the Indiana Forestry Educational Foundation board meeting.

Nov. 4 events will include the Indiana Forestry & Woodland Owners Association Board of Directors meeting, IFWOA and Indiana Forestry Educational Foundation business meeting and policy update, and IFWOA Awards Banquet and IFEF Live Auction.

Nov. 4 seminar topics will include:

• Trails planning, construction and maintenance, Caryn Atkinson, IN DNR.

• Managing invasives with goats, Ron Rathfon, Purdue Forestry & Natural Resources.

• Conservation Stewardship Program, Dan Shaver, NRCS.

• Prescribed fire on private lands, Nathan Kachnavage, consulting forester.

• Timber industry and markets, Dennis Voyles, Orion Hardwoods.

• Creating and maintaining pollinator and wildlife habitat plots, Olivia Fry, Pheasants Forever.

For registration and hotel information, visit https://tinyurl.com/2wkbx6v5.

Farmer Breakfast

SALEM, Ind. — The Washington County Conservation Partnership will host the Beginning Farmer Breakfast, 7:30 a.m. ET Nov. 4 at the Washington County Government Building, 806 Martinsburg Road, Salem.

The program is cosponsored by the Soil & Water Conservation District, Purdue Extension, Natural Resources Conservation Service, Farm Service Agency, and Farm Bureau Inc. Attendees will learn about programs and services these organizations offer to beginning farmers.

Achievement Night

MONTICELLO, Ill. — 4-H Achievement Night will be 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. Nov. 4 at 4-H Memorial Camp, 499 Old Timber Road, Monticello.

Youths will receive recognition for 4-H Record Achievements, Leadership Acknowledgement, and Club Achievements for the 2022-2023 4-H year.

Calendar: A smashing good time