Calendar: Safe summer grilling

FREEPORT, Ill. — Safe Summer Grilling will be 1 to 3 p.m. June 20 at the Oakdale Park Mogle Center, 4433 S. Cranes Grove Road, Freeport.

Learn about grilling vegetables, beef and poultry, selecting the right cut of meat to get the most flavor, the importance of food safety, and why inspecting your grill before use is important. There will be recipes and samples.

Cost is $5. Register at https://tinyurl.com/3w6a5h79.

Livestock Judging Contest

URBANA, Ill. — The Illinois 4-H Livestock Judging Contest will be 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. June 17 at the Stock Pavilion. 1402 W. Pennsylvania Ave., Urbana.

The Illinois 4-H livestock judging program teaches youth to identify breeds of livestock and helps them make decisions to improve their local herds.

For more information, visit https://tinyurl.com/58cpv8b4.

Upcoming County Fairs

June 14-23 — Hamilton County Fair, Route 14 West, McLeansboro, Ill.; facebook.com/HamiltonCountyIllinoisFair; hamiltoncoilfair@gmail.com; 618-926-1813.

June 15-22 — Vermillion County Fair, Fairgrounds Road, Cayuga, Ind.; www.vermillioncountyfairboard.com; 812-249-2026.

June 16-22 — Grant County Fair, 1403 E. SR 18, Marion, Ind.; www.grantcountyinfair.com; info@grantcountyinfair.com; 765-664-0343.

June 16-22 — Washington County Fair, 118 N. Fair St., Salem, Ind.; 812-883-4601

June 17-21 — Dearborn County Fair, 351 E. Eads Pkwy., Lawrenceburg, Ind.; www.dearborncountyfair.com; dearborncountyfair@yahoo.com; 812-926-1189.

June 17-22 — Warren County Fair, 29-57 Park Ave., Williamsport, Ind.; 765-762-3231.

June 18-23 — Allen County Fair, 2726 Carroll Road, Fort Wayne, Ind.; www.allencountyfairgroundsin.com; allencountyfairgroundsin@comcast.net; 260-449-4444.

June 18-23 — Henry County Fair, 311 E. North St., Cambridge, Ill.; www.henrycountyfairillinois.com; 309-937-3391.

June 18-28 — Hancock County 4-H Fair, 620 N. Apple St., Greenfield, Ind.; www.yourhancockfairgrounds.com; 317-462-1469.

June 19-23 — Montgomery County Fair, 300 Water St., Butler, Ill.; https://www.facebook.com/fair.montgomerycoil; fair.montgomerycoil@yahoo.com; 217-324-5829; 217-532-2440.

June 19-23 — Western Illinois Fair, 516 S. Oak St., Griggsville, Ill.; www.westernillinoisfair.com; info@westernillinoisfair.com; 217-833-2116.

June 21-22 — Moultrie-Sullivan Junior Fair, 4-H Center, 1400 N CR 1500 E, Sullivan, Ill.; moultriesullivanfair.com; 217-549-0831.

June 21-24 — Spencer County 4-H Fair, 930 Fairground Drive, Rockport, Ind.; www.spencercountyfairindiana.org; 812-362-8066.

June 21-27 — Steuben County Fair, 101 Lane 101B Crooked Lake, Angola, Ind.; 260-668-1000.

June 21-29 — Bartholomew County Fair, 750 W 200 S, Columbus, Ind.; www.bartholomewcountyfair.com; office@bartholomewcountyfair.com; 812-372-6133.

June 21-29 — Ohio County 4-H Fair, 412 Main St., Rising Sun, Ind.; 812-438-3656.

Ticks and Tickborne Diseases

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Ticks and Tickborne Diseases: How to Protect Yourself and Your Pets will be 7 to 8 p.m. June 17 at the Extension Auditorium, 801 N. Country Fair Drive, Champaign.

Learn where ticks and tickborne diseases have been found in Illinois, how climate change may affect them in the future and how that change may impact us as we explore the outdoors. Learn how personal protective measures and landscape management can protect people and animals from ticks and the diseases they transmit.

Cooking with Veggies

THOMSON, Ill. — Cabbage will be the topic of the montly Cooking with Veggies program, 5 to 6:30 p.m. June 17 at the York Township Library, 1005 W. Main St., Thomson.

Learn the basics of planting, harvesting and creating recipes with cabbage. Register by calling the library 815-259-2480.

Preserve It Now

MIDDLEBURY, Ind. — The pressure canning workshop Preserve It Now, Enjoy It Later will be 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. ET June 18 at the Middlebury Public Library, 101 E. Winslow St., Middlebury.

Cost is $30 and includes lecture, resources, hands-on practice and take-home product.

For more information and to register, visit https://tinyurl.com/sbb9t9pf.

Heat Illness

URBANA, Ill. — Heat illness will be the topic of the Cultivating Caution webinar series, 11 a.m to noon June 18.

Heat exposure can negatively affect agricultural workers, but there are ways to prevent it. Review risk factors, early symptoms, treatment, workplace controls like rest breaks and hydration, and personal protective measures when working in hot conditions.

Shade Gardens

MONTICELLO, Ill. — Shade gardens will be the topic of the June Community Growing program, noon to 1 p.m. June 18 at the Piatt County Extension office, 210 S. Market St., Monticello.

Discover the many shade-loving plants that will actually thrive in low-light, making them a perfect addition to your shade garden.

Plants for Pollinators

LANARK, Ill. — Landscape Plants for Pollinators will be the topic of the Learning in Lawn Chairs program, 3 to 4 p.m. June 18 at the Lanark Farmers Market, 101 N. Broad St., Lanark.

Learn how to create a vibrant ecosystem in your backyard, attracting essential pollinators and nurturing biodiversity with every bloom. No registration is required.

Preserve the Season

BUDA, Ill. — Discover how to safely preserve fresh produce at the program Preserve the Season, 5 to 6 p.m. June 18 at the Mason Memorial Public Library, 104 W. Main St., Buda.

Learn about canning, drying and freezing. Participants will make freezer jam and take home resources.

Wildlife Management

DANVILLE, Ill. — Wildlife Management in Your Landscape will be 6 to 7 p.m. June 18 at the Danville Public Library, 319 N. Vermilion St., Danville.

Sharing your space with wildlife can be enriching, but unwanted wildlife activity can also damage gardens and become a nuisance. Learn how to coexist with these common animals — deer, squirrels, rabbits, chipmunks, raccoons and groundhogs — by understanding their ecological roles and implementing humane management strategies. Discover how to create a backyard oasis that attracts desirable wildlife while minimizing unwanted visitors.

4-H Food Show

PINCKNEYVILLE, Ill. — The Perry County 4-H Food Show will be 6 to 8 p.m. June 18 at the Pinckneyville Community Center, 203 N. Walnut St., Pinckneyville.

Those participating must be registered 4-H youth enrolled in the appropriate fair project areas. Guidelines and policies can be found in the Perry County 4-H Handbook.

For more information, visit https://tinyurl.com/ycxe6yhr.

Bicycle Safety

INDIANAPOLIS — The Marion County 4-H Bicycle Maintenance and Safety program will be 3 to 5 p.m. ET June 19 at 4-H INDY Studio, Discovery Hall, 1202 E. 38th St., Suite 201, Indianapolis.

Learn about fixing a flat, tuning up your bike and maintaining it throughout the year. Cost is $5 per child; accompanying adults are free.

Field Day

PANA, Ill. — Dudley Smith Farm Field Day will be 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. June 20 at the University of Illinois Dudley Smith Farm Research Center, 2200 E 600 North Rd, Pana.

Soil health and quality play a significant role in the nutritional value of pastures and cover crops, determining grazing strategies and sustainability. The field day will help producers break down soil components impacting quality, explore research findings, and leave with options to employ better soil health changes in their cattle, pasture and farming operations. There will be a farm tour of field cropping systems and the beef paddocks to conclude the day.

There is no cost to attend the field day. A free lunch will be provided. Register at https://tinyurl.com/3a3zxssy.

Alpaca Farm Tour

BEMENT, Ill. — A tour of the Sundrop Alpaca Farm, 656 E 1000 North Rd, Bement, will be 9 to 11 a.m. June 21.

Participants will learn how the farm uses the alpaca wool to spin and make products to sell. Register at https://tinyurl.com/ynef2fa7.