Calendar: Blueberries topic at NRCS Field Day

LYNWOOD, Ill. — Natural Resources Conservation Service Field Day will be 6 to 8 p.m. May 20 at Willowthorne, 2701 Glenwood Dyer Road, Lynwood.

Extension educators and Willowthorne farmers will discuss the conservation practices implemented on Willowthorne’s u-pick blueberry farm.

Joseph Bridges and Alicia Lozano, the USDA NRCS soil conservationists for Cook County, will be on site to answer questions about applying for reimbursable conservation practices programs.

Register at https://tinyurl.com/bdff49as.

Garden Series

DECATUR, Ill. — The program Let’s Talk about the Birds, the Bees, the Rabbits and the Groundhogs will be the topic of the Crossing Garden Education Series, 10 to 11 a.m. May 13 at the Crossing Healthcare Garden, 320 Central Ave., Decatur.

The Crossing Garden Education Series is a free monthly program focusing on a variety of topics during the 2025 growing season. Join the master gardeners for the May 13 session for a discussion on the importance of wildlife in the garden, how to make your yard welcoming to beneficial animals, and what can be done if less desirable animals appear.

Dates and topics for future sessions include:

• June 10, What do you do with your herbs?

• July 8, What do I do with all these zucchini?

• Aug. 12, Spiders, drought, and weeds.

• Sept. 9, Let’s put the garden to bed.

• Oct. 14, How did your garden grow?

The deadline to register is the day before the program. Sessions will take place rain or shine. In the event of weather, program will move to a classroom on Crossing Healthcare’s campus.

For more information and to register, visit https://tinyurl.com/2yzv4u69.

Be Heart Smart

MERRILLVILLE, Ind. — The Be Heart Smart program will be 10 a.m. to noon CT Wednesdays, May 14 to June 4 at the Lake County Public Library, 1919 81st Ave., Merrillville.

The free classes will include a Be Heart Smart program manual, a heart-healthy cookbook, food demonstrations and tastings, and educational instruction focused on the benefits of following a heart-healthy lifestyle.

Leading the four-session program will be Linda Curley, Purdue Extension health and human sciences educator.

To register, call 219-769-3541. For more information, visit https://tinyurl.com/yvjjybp3.

Homesteading Conference

EVANSVILLE, Ind. — The Southwest Indiana Homesteading Conference will be noon to 4 p.m. CT May 16 and 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. May 17 at the Daughters of Charity St. Vincent Conference Center, 9200 New Harmony Road, Evansville.

Friday’s sessions explore food preservation, focusing on pressure canning subjects with hands-on demonstrations in the conference center kitchen.

Saturday morning sessions involve an array of small farm presentations, with topics including beginning poultry production, mushroom cultivation, soil health and nutrient management, foraging and edible landscaping, seed saving, proper pesticide use, sheep and goat and production, and pruning fruit trees. Afternoon sessions will center on straw bale gardening, open fire cooking, hydroponics, small engines, poultry processing, and beekeeping.

Register at https://tinyurl.com/bdh64p7d.

Plant Sale

YORKVILLE, Ill. — The Master Gardener Plant Sale will be 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. May 17 at the Kendall County Extension office, 7775B IL Route 47, Yorkville.

The sale will feature several varieties of tomatoes and peppers, native plants, and nursery-stock perennials. Master gardeners on-hand to answer gardening questions.

For more information, visit https://tinyurl.com/y27a3tt6.

Pollinators Program

The Spring Break Gardening Series program Pollinators will be 1:30 to 3 p.m. May 20 at the Jo Daviess County Extension office, 204 N. Vine St., Elizabeth.

This presentation will discuss different native pollinators and how to make your landscape attractive to them.

Cost is $5. Register at https://tinyurl.com/4es3wh84.

Strawberry Planters

BREESE, Ill. — Strawberry Planters will be 6 to 8 p.m. May 20 at the Clinton County Extension office, 1163 N. 4th St., Breese.

Are you interested in growing plump, juicy and delicious strawberries? University of Illinois Extension Educator Chris Lueking will discuss planting and care techniques for creating your own strawberry planter to enjoy throughout the growing season.

Register at https://tinyurl.com/ycncsdrm.

The Meaning of Flowers

BELVIDERE, Ill. — The Meaning of Flowers will be 6 to 7 p.m. May 20 at the Ida Public Library, 320 N. State St., Belvidere.

Did you know that pink carnations mean gratitude and red roses mean love? Various flowers and floral arrangements have taken on subtle and secret messages that allow us to express our unspoken feelings.

Boone County Master Gardener intern Brianne Ambrose will discuss how to send your friends and family the most appropriate floral message.

Register at https://tinyurl.com/22629hb6 or call the library at 815-544-3838.

Agribusiness 101

URBANA, Ill. — Agribusiness 101 will be the topic IL-EATS Farmer Network May meeting, noon to 1 p.m. May 21.

The online program will feature John Bannon, local food coordinator for the Illinois Institute of Rural Affairs at Western Illinois University. His previous agribusiness workshops have covered small farm bookkeeping basics, business planning for local food producers/small meat processors, considerations when scaling to wholesale markets, marketing, and risk management in food production.

For more information and to register, visit https://tinyurl.com/66kcc6z5.

Fort Wayne’s Rivers

FORT WAYNE, Ind. — The program Fort Wayne’s Rivers will be 6 to 7 p.m. ET May 21 at the Allen County Extension office, 4001 Crescent Ave., Fort Wayne.

Riverfront Riparian Management Supervisor Dan Wire will discuss riverfront restoration.

Register by calling 260-481-6826. For more information, visit https://tinyurl.com/3ayxy4w2.

Grow It, Cook It

OGLESBY, Ill. — The program Grow It, Cook It, Eat It will be 5:30 to 7 p.m. May 22 at Illinois Valley Community College, 815 N. Orlando Smith St., Oglesby.

The program will explore vegetables commonly grown in the Mediterranean regions. Learn tips on how to grow these vegetables and discover the benefits of a Mediterranean diet, ending with a cooking demonstration. During the second session, which takes place in August, participants will prepare a one-pot Mediterranean meal using home-grown vegetables.

Register at https://tinyurl.com/y4n7a4e3.

Plant Sale

The Master Gardener Plant Sale will be 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. May 24 at the Macoupin County Historical Society, 920 W. Breckenridge St., Carlinville.

There will be many top quality, locally raised plants to choose from, including perennials, herbs and natives.

For more information, visit https://tinyurl.com/t4tbrtjx.

Tree Health

ELIZABETH, Ill. — Spring Break Gardening Series program Tree Health will be 1:30 to 3 p.m. May 27 at the Jo Daviess County Extension office, 204 N. Vine St., Elizabeth.

Tree health can be difficult to determine, but routinely checking your tree may help you notice problems as they appear. Participants will learn common mistakes homeowners make when planting and maintaining their trees, as well as the most common issues that cause tree decline in the landscape and how to identify them.

Cost is $5. Register at https://tinyurl.com/yv6y75df.

Backyard Poultry

GOSHEN, Ind. — The program Backyard Poultry will be 6:30 to 8 p.m. ET May 27 at the Elkhart County Extension office, 17746 County Road 34, Goshen.

This free introductory program will cover poultry selection, housing, care, nutrition and biosecurity.

Register at https://tinyurl.com/5n8fd5eb or contact Kathryn Jennings at 574-533-0554 or jennin30@purdue.edu.

Garden Stewardship

BENTON, Ill. — Rend Lake Garden Stewardship Days will be 8:30 to 11 a.m. May 28 at the Rend Lake Project Office and Visitor Center, 11981 Rend City Road, Benton.

During this session, participants will check for weeds and native plants in the garden, and learn about tree identification at Rend Lake. The session will include two hours of garden stewardship tasks and a 30-minute educational program.

Participants should bring their own knee pads or gardening pads and a refillable water bottle to stay hydrated. Wide-brimmed hats, sunglasses, gardening gloves, and sturdy walking shoes are recommended.

Register at https://tinyurl.com/4mkhuyxy.

Invasive Species

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — The Illinois Invasive Species Symposium will be 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. May 28 at the Champaign County Extension Auditorium, 801 N. Country Fair Drive, Champaign.

Invasive insects, plants, and animals are a serious and expensive threat to Illinois waterways, natural areas, and farm fields. These non-native species spread quickly, and once they take hold are hard to remove.

Get the latest research updates, learn about management recommendations, celebrate invasive removal success stories, network with colleagues, and ask questions about managing invasive species effectively at the 10th annual Invasive Species Symposium. University of Illinois researchers, students, and industry professionals will present on emerging invasive species threats, Asian carp, tick population response to invasive plants, science communication techniques, effective restoration projects, a Q&A panel discussion on the state of invasive species in Illinois, and more.

The event is open to industry professionals, students, landowners and managers, farmers, foresters, volunteers, and environmental stewards.

Cost is $20 and lunch is included. Register at https://tinyurl.com/yt9sn6j7. For questions, contact Karla Griesbaum, 217-333-7672 or kherzma2@illinois.edu.

Native Plants

HENRY, Ill. — Easy Care Native Plants will be 4 to 5 p.m. May 28 at the Henry Public Library, 702 Front St., Henry.

Many home gardeners would like to add native plants to their garden, but are unsure how to start. This program takes a look at the native plants that are low maintenance and grow in a wide range of conditions. Native grasses, wildflowers, trees and shrubs will be covered.

Register at https://tinyurl.com/ypwnr7hm.

Breadmaking 101

RANTOUL, Ill. — Breadmaking 101 will be 1 to 2 p.m. May 30 at Rantoul Public Library, 106 W. Flessner Ave., Rantoul.

Curious about baking your own bread? Extension Nutrition and Wellness Educator Rachel Mannen will cover essential techniques and tips to help you bake delicious homemade bread.

Register at https://tinyurl.com/se9wbdeh.

Education Day

DECATUR, Ill. — Carolyn Mason Education Day will be 7 a.m. to noon May 31 at Rock Springs Nature Center, 3939 Nearing Lane, Decatur.

The day begins with a birding hike, followed by registration and a continental breakfast. MJ Oviatt from the Savanna Institute we will speaking about bringing the oak savannah biome back to the Illinois landscape along with many other fun facts about oaks and acorns. Next, Melody Arnold from Macon County Conservation District will lead a Tree ID Walk, followed by participants making nature-themed stationery.

Cost is $25. Register at https://tinyurl.com/2vyjbkjf.

Rooted in Nature

PONTIAC, Ill. — Rooted in Nature: Incorporating Natives Into Your Container Gardens will be 9 to 10:30 a.m. May 31 at the Livingston County Extension office, 1412 S. Locust St., Pontiac.

Learn about incorporating native plants into your container gardens. Discover everything from choosing the right plants and pots to soil mix, watering techniques, and seasonal care. Participants will leave with practical tips, inspiration, and a container garden filled with Illinois natives and pollinator-friendly annual plants.

Cost is $30. Register at https://tinyurl.com/4fcjrxfp.