FREEPORT, Ill. — Carrots will be the topic of the Preserving Practice Pressure Canning program, 6 to 9 p.m. June 25 at the Stephenson County Extension office, 2998 W. Pearl City Road, Freeport.

This hands-on workshop will begin in the classroom and then head to the kitchen, where participants will process their own jar of carrots. Additionally, participants can have the dial gauge on their pressure canners tested; just bring your lid with the gauge attached.

Register by visiting https://tinyurl.com/yc7c9zhp.

Garden Walk

DECATUR, Ill. — The 2024 Macon County Garden Walk will be 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. June 22.

Gardens on the tour will include:

• Decatur Public Library, 130 N. Franklin St., Decatur

• Crossing Healthcare Garden, 320 Central Ave., Decatur

• Heritage Garden at Rock Springs, 3939 Nearing Lane, Decatur

• Staley Museum Garden, 361 N. College St., Decatur

Master gardener volunteers will be onsite to answer questions. Register at https://tinyurl.com/594wd22z. Contact Whitney Allison at 217-877-6042 or wallison@illinois.edu with questions.

Info Booth

TAYLORVILLE, Ill. — The Master Gardener Information Booth will be open 9 a.m. to noon June 22 at the Taylorville Farmers Market on Taylorville Square, 101 S. Main St., Taylorville.

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? Christian County master gardeners will be available to answer your horticulture and gardening questions. Look for the orange tent.

Raised Beds

CLINTON, Ill. — Vegetable Gardening in Raised Beds and Containers will be presented by Piatt County master gardeners, 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. June 22 at the Vespasian Warner Public Library District, 310 N. Quincy St., Clinton.

Whether you’re limited on space or seeking to optimize your gardening efforts, this program will equip you with the knowledge and skills needed to cultivate a thriving vegetable garden in raised beds and containers.

In this program, learn how to choose soil mixes, container/raised bed options, and gardening methods to make the most of your available space.

To register for this program, call the library at 217-935-5174.

4-H BBQ

PARIS, Ill. — The Edgar County 4-H BBQ will be 4 to 7 p.m. June 22 at the Edgar County 4-H Fairgrounds, 319 E. Elliott St., Paris.

Cost is $10 per ticket and includes two boneless pork chops, green beans, apple sauce, baked potato, dessert and bottled water.

Tickets can be purchased through any 4-H member or at Brad’s Florist, 621 W. Jasper St., Paris.

Upcoming County Fairs

June 22-28 — Starke County 4-H Fair, 400 Division St., Hamlet, Ind.; starkeces@purdue.edu; 574-772-9141.

June 22-29 — Rush County Fair, 1299 N Sexton Road, Rushville, Ind.; www.rushcountyfairin.com; rushcountyfairin@yahoo.com; 765-932-3211.

June 22-29 — Wayne County 4-H Fair, 861 N. Salisbury Road, Richmond, Ind.; www.wayneco4hfair.com; sandyhouse1@yahoo.com; 765-489-5559.

June 23-29 – Ford County Fair, 329 E. Third St., Melvin, Ill.; www.fordcountyfair.org; fordcofair@hotmail.com; 217-388-2815.

June 23-29 — Jasper County Fair, 1300 Fairground Ave., Newton, Ill.; www.jaspercofairnewtonillinois.org; 618-783-3901.

June 23-29 — Harrison County 4-H Fair, 341 S. Capitol Ave., Corydon, Ind.; www.harrisoncountyfair.com; harrisoncofair@gmail.com; 812-267-7471.

June 23-29 — Miami County 4-H Fair, 1029 W 200 N, Peru, Ind.; www.miamicounty4hfair.com; info@miamicounty4hfair.com; 765-473-9656.

June 24-29 — Crawford County 4-H Fair, 1095 IN-66, Marengo, Ind.; https://tinyurl.com/dp39sane; info@crawfordcountyindiana.com; 812-338-3224.

June 26-30 — Vermilion County Fair & Expo, 17528 N. 1180 East Road, Oakwood, Ill.; vermilioncountyfair.org; 217-474-3706.

June 28-July 3 — Pulaski County 4-H Fair, Winamac Town Park, 262 E Old State Road 14, Winamac, Ind.; www.pulaskicountyfair.com; 574-946-3412.

June 28-July 4 — Schuyler County Fair, 200 E. Scripps St., Rushville, Ill.; www.schuylercountyfair.org; schuylercountyfair@gmail.com; 217-322-6182.

June 28-July 6 — St. Joseph County 4-H Fair, 5117 Ironwood Road, South Bend, Ind.; www.4hfair.com; manager@4hfair.com; 574-291-4870.

June 28-July 7— Marion County Fair, 7300 E. Troy Ave., Indianapolis; www.marioncountyfair.org; marioncountyfair@comcast.net; 317-353-2444.

June 29-July 6 — Switzerland County 4-H Fair, 507 Vineyard St., Vevay, Ind.; 812-427-4056.

Gardening Series

CRYSTAL LAKE, Ill. — The Demo Garden Sunday Series will be 1 to 2 p.m. Sundays, June 23-Sept. 22, at McHenry County College, Parking Lot C, 8900 US-14, Crystal Lake.

Topics will include:

• Composting, June 23, https://tinyurl.com/nhk8cwur

• Vegetable Selection, Maintenance and Harvest, July 28, https://tinyurl.com/4sb5zu3a

• Seed Saving, Aug. 25, https://tinyurl.com/3scrr3ty

• Herbs Selection, Maintenance and Harvest, Sept. 22, https://tinyurl.com/2wcky8z8

Cultivating Conversations

GALESBURG, Ill. — How and Why Illinois Farms Implement Edge-of-Field Practices will be the topic of the Cultivating Conversations program, 9 a..m. to 2:30 p.m.June 25 at the Knox County Farm Bureau, 180 S. Soangetaha Road, Galesburg.

Four local farmers will share their experiences and valuable lessons learned along the way before answering questions about their use of edge-of-field practices in this free event. Network with other producers, learn how practices work, explore cost-share opportunities, and discover local professionals installing practices such as buffer strips, constructed wetlands and bioreactors. The conversation also will include a discussion about the Illinois Nutrient Loss Strategy, and strategies producers can use when talking about conservation practices with others.

A light breakfast and lunch will be provided. Register by visiting https://tinyurl.com/yry3ey2m. For more information, contact Rachel Curry at 309-342-5108 or rccurry@illinois.edu.

Hellbender Webinar

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — The Help the Hellbender webinar will be noon ET June 25. The event will include the short film, “Hellbender in the Blue,” followed by an educational presentation from the Purdue Help the Hellbender laboratory.

Cost is $5. Register at https://tinyurl.com/3pjabvx4.

The Trees of Life

BEDFORD, Ind. — Oaks: The Trees of Life will be 6 to 7 p.m. ET June 25 at Hoosier National Forest, 811 Constitution Ave., Bedford.

Judi Brown of Let the Sun Shine in Indiana will talk about the importance of Indiana’s oak forests.

Let the Sun Shine In Indiana is a regional collaboration focused on recovering and maintaining oak-hickory ecosystems for the benefit of both wildlife and the people of southern Indiana.

RSVP by calling 812-275-5692.

Pollinator Garden

BENTON, Ill. — The June session of Rend Lake Pollinator Garden Stewardship Days will be 8:30 to 11 a.m. June 26 at Rend Lake Project Office and Visitor Center, 11981 Rend City Road, Benton.

Volunteers will receive training of how to care for pollinator gardens and assist with garden stewardship. Other dates are July 24, Aug. 28, Sept. 25 and Oct. 23. Register at https://tinyurl.com/vkmddn59.

Help Desk

TAYLORVILLE, Ill. — The Christian County Master Gardener Help Desk will be open 9 to 11 a.m. June 27 at the Christian County Extension office, 1120 N. Webster St., Taylorville.

Problems with your yard or garden? Are pests or weeds concerning you? Bring your questions, photos 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 when the help desk is not open, call 217-287-7246 and leave a message for the master gardeners; they will return your call as soon as possible.

Coffee Talk

MORRISON, Ill. — Edge-of-field and conservation practices will be discussed at the Coffee Talk: Conservation and Agronomy program, 9 to 11 a.m. June 27 at the Whiteside County Farm Bureau, 100 E. Knox St., Morrison.

Panelists from Extension, Natural Resources Conservation Service, Pheasants Forever and Merge Impact will provide insights on conservation practices and edge-of-field management. An interactive discussion will take place following the presentations.

For more information about this free program, visit https://tinyurl.com/2emhy8ey.

Seed Treatment

COLUMBIA CITY, Ind. — The Seed Treatment Workshop will be 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. ET June 27 at the Northeast Purdue Agricultural Center, 4821 East 400 South, Columbia City.

The workshop will include information on seed treatment use and application. Speakers will include Norm Wagoner, KALO Seed Care; Fred Whitford, clinical engagement professor, Purdue Pesticide Programs; Jessica McVay, seed program administrator, Office of the Indiana State Chemist; Christian Krupke, professor of entomology, Purdue University; and Darcy Telenko, field crop pathology specialist, Purdue University.

For more information and to register, visit https://tinyurl.com/5yssub54.

No Limits

SUMNER, Ill. — The No Limits Livestock Show will be 4:45 to 7 p.m. June 28 at the Lawrence County Fairgrounds, 11107 4H Road, Sumner.

Each participant will be paired with a youth mentor and a pig.

For more information, visit https://tinyurl.com/579vutcf.