Calendar: 4-H treated to Holidays Around the World

TOULON, Ill. — 4-H Holidays Around the World: Make-and-Take Celebration will be 5 to 7 p.m. Dec. 2 at Toulon Library, 617 E. Jefferson St., Toulon.

Participants ages 5 to 18 will rotate through interactive stations, each featuring a hands-on craft and a traditional treat from a different country.

Featured stations will include:

• Germany: Make traditional ornaments and taste Plätzchen (spiced gingerbread cookies).

• Mexico: Create poinsettia handprint art and sip Mexican hot chocolate.

• Africa: Craft Kwanzaa bracelets and enjoy Mbatata (sweet potato cookies).

• Asia: Make Chinese lanterns and blend an Indian spice mix.

• Australia: Build a holiday snow globe and try Tim Tams biscuits.

• USA: Decorate Santa ornaments and enjoy classic sugar cookies.

The program also will be offered 4:30 to 7 p.m. Dec. 5 at the Aledo Fire Station, 211 SE 3rd St., Aledo; and 9 a.m. to noon Dec. 6 at Rock Island County Extension, 321 2nd Ave. W, Milan.

Cost is $5. Register at https://tinyurl.com/2eda2p3n.

Sawfly Webinar

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — The webinar “I Know What You Did Last Summer: Spread, Impact, and Management of Elm Zigzag Sawfly” will be 9 to 10 a.m. ET Dec. 2. The webinar will feature Kelly Oten, North Carolina State assistant professor and Extension specialist.

The elm zigzag sawfly is an invasive pest that feeds on elm trees, causing defoliation and potentially weakening the trees over time.. It gets its name from the zigzag pattern its larvae create on the edges of leaves as they feed. The insect is native to Asia and has been spreading to North America and Europe.

For more information and to register, visit https://tinyurl.com/33u78fcm.

Barn Quilt Workshop

BREESE, Ill. — The Barn Quilt Workshop will be 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Dec. 2 at Clinton County Extension, 1163 N. 4th St., Breese.

The workshop is the first stop in the 4-H Project Road Show Series, offered across Bond, Clinton, Jefferson, Marion, and Washington counties. Each of the five counties will host one creative arts workshop as part of the Road Show Series. Prizes will be awarded to youths who attend three, four, or five workshops in the series.

Register by visiting https://tinyurl.com/fpptwn7v.

Holiday Charcuterie

OTTAWA, Ill. — Holiday Charcuterie with a Healthy Twist will be 6 to 7 p.m. Dec. 3 at Reddick Public Library, 1010 Canal St., Ottawa.

Make a delicious charcuterie board for one or many. Learn how to create a charcuterie map, swap the calories and fat but not the flavor. Enjoy a few tastes of charcuterie board foods. Take home recipes to make your own charcuterie board to celebrate the holidays.

Register at https://tinyurl.com/4bkthu2r.

Heart Smart Eating

CLINTON, Ill. — The online program Heart Smart Eating will be offered noon to 1 p.m., and 7 to 8 p.m. Dec.4.

Learn about four categories of nutrients — sodium, fat, added sugar, and fiber — and how each impacts heart health. Attendees will develop skills to support shopping and cooking heart-healthy meals.

Register for this free program by calling DeWitt County Extension at 217-935-5764 or visit https://tinyurl.com/4n2334t8.

Dinner and Data

BELLEVILLE, Ill. — Dinner and Data: Cover Crop System Results will be 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Dec. 4 at the St. Clair County Farm Bureau, 1478 E. State Route 15, Belleville.

The Illinois Soybean Association and Illinois Extension will present an informative evening focused on the latest updates in cover crop research, harvest data, and economics. This event brings together farmers, ag professionals, and anyone interested in improving soybean systems through practical, research-based insights.

Presentations will include:

• Cover Crop Economics in Soybean Systems, Abigail Peterson, Illinois Soybean Association.

• 2025 Cover Crop Research and Harvest Data, Nathan Johanning, Illinois Extension.

Register by visiting https://tinyurl.com/bdhhemc8.

Holiday Wreaths

JERSEYVILLE, Ill. — Youth Holiday Wreath Workshop will be 4:30 to 6 p.m. Dec. 5 at Jersey County Extension, 201 W. Exchange St., Suite A, Jerseyville.

Get into the holiday spirit and use nature’s bounty to build a beautiful wreath. Natural materials such as fresh evergreens, foliage, pinecones, berries and more will be provided and are included in the registration cost.

Cos is $15. Register at https://tinyurl.com/yc68phk2.

Forestry Field Day

BUTLERVILLE, Ind. — Forestry Demonstration Area Field Day will be 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. ET Dec. 6 at the Southeast Purdue Agricultural Center, 4425 East 350 N, Butlerville.

Don Carlson, Purdue Extension forester, will lead a driving and walking tour of the SEPAC Forestry Demonstration Area.

Topics to be discussed will include Objectives for the Demonstration Area; Management Practices Implemented; Prescribed Fire Use; and Creating Habitats for Birds and Wildlife.

Attendees will drive between tour stops. Walks will be over moderately rough terrain. Participants should come dressed for a December morning in the woods. Lunch, snacks, and water will be provided for attendees.

Register by contacting Judi Brown at 912-631-4904 or JBrown@abcbirds.org. For more information, visit https://tinyurl.com/y4epwb2u.

Wreath-Making Workshop

MAKANDA, Ill. — Wreath Making Workshop will be Dec. 6 at Giant City Park Visitor Center, 1-245 Giant City Road, Makanda.

Two sessions will be offered: a morning session from 10 to 11:30 a.m., and an afternoon session from 1 to 2:30 p.m.

Learn tips and tricks of how to use fresh-cut greenery to make a holiday wreath with Anne Townsend and Erin Garrett from Illinois Extension. Participants will create their own wreath to take home. All materials provided during this free program.

Register by calling 618-457-4836. For more information, visit https://tinyurl.com/mun6zpdk.

Social Media Workshop

FOWLER, Ind. — The Making Sense of Social Media workshop will be 1 to 4 p.m. ET Dec. 6 at RDM Shrimp, 101 N 850 E, Fowler.

This free workshop is for small businesses wanting to improve their social media marketing efforts.

Participants will:

• Hear research findings.

• Participate in an interactive workshop session.

•Tour a shrimp farm.

• Network at the after-hour social.

This program is supported by the North Central Regional Aquaculture Center and presented in partnership with the Indiana Aquaculture Association Inc, RDM Shrimp, and Ohio Sea Grant, The Ohio State University.

For more information and to register, visit https://tinyurl.com/46y5f4a6.

Cookies and Clovers

NEW CASTLE, Ind. — The 4-H holiday open house Cookies and Clovers will be 1 to 4 p.m. ET Dec. 6 at W.G. Smith Building, Memorial Park, 260 W CR 100 N, New Castle.

Participants will:

• Explore interactive stations highlighting the four pillars of 4-H — agriculture, STEM, healthy living, and civic engagement.

• Visit with Santa Claus for photos and holiday fun.

• Enjoy holiday snacks, treats, and warm cocoa in the Calm Cocoa Corner.

• Get help enrolling in 4-H for the upcoming year; staff and volunteers will be available to assist.

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

Christmas Wreaths

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — The 4-H Christmas Wreath-Making Workshop will be 4 to 5:30 p.m. Dec. 7 at Champaign County Extension Auditorium, 801 N. Country Fair Drive, Champaign.

Get into the holiday spirit with Champaign County 4-H. The registration fee is $5 per person and covers the cost of wreath-making supplies.

Register at https://tinyurl.com/468vvykk.

Holiday Ornaments

JERSEYVILLE, Ill. — The Cloverbud Holiday Ornament Workshop will be 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Dec. 9 at Jersey County Extension, 201 W. Exchange St., Suite A, Jerseyville.

This Cloverbud project is perfect for younger participants (ages 5-8) who want to explore creativity and learn basic crafting skills in a fun, low-pressure environment. Cloverbuds will create a set of three adorable ornaments to take home, a fun reminder of their crafting adventure.

All materials will be provided, and no prior crafting experience is needed. Register at https://tinyurl.com/yc7urryw.

Nonprofit Basics

URBANA, Ill. — The online program Nonprofit Business Structure Basics will be 6 to 7 p.m. Dec. 9.

Farmers don’t just grow food because they enjoy it; they farm to provide their community with good food and good jobs while stewarding the earth’s resources. Does that mean the nonprofit business structure is a good choice for a farm?

This webinar session tackles that question, while also addressing other business structures that incorporate social benefits, including benefit companies and social purpose entities. From wealth-building limitations to IRS criteria and the influence of a board of directors, the session breaks down the decision-making factors that farmers need to consider.

The program is part of the Legal Training for Illinois Small Farms Webinar Series. Extension is partnering with Farm Commons legal educators to host four live webinars specifically geared to Illinois farmers. Each webinar runs from 6 to 7 p.m. with 45 minutes for the presentation and 15 minutes reserved for question-and-answers led by Extension and Farm Commons staff. There is no cost to attend, but registration is required for all events.

For more information and to register, visit https://tinyurl.com/mvasyrs4.

Holiday Air Plant

PERU, Ill. — The Holiday Air Plant Ornament Workshop will be 6 to 7 p.m. Dec. 10 at Peru Public Library, 1409 11th St., Peru.

In this hands-on workshop, participants will create festive, holiday-themed ornaments featuring air plants. Learn the basics of air plant care, including how to keep them healthy and thriving year-round. All materials will be provided.

Register at https://tinyurl.com/2vrxxc67.

Cookie Decorating

MOUNT CARMEL, Ill. — Cookie Decorating Workshop for ages 8 to 18 will be 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Dec. 10 at Wabash County Extension, 738 N. Market St., Mount Carmel.

The workshop will be led by Kate Speir of Hilltop Bakery in Albion.

For questions, contact Wabash County Extension at 618-262-5725. For more information, visit https://tinyurl.com/5h4bp5nm.

Barn Quilt Workshop

MILAN, Ill. — Design, Paint, Create: Barn Quilt Workshop will be 1 to 4 p.m. Dec. 11 at Rock Island County Extension, 321 2nd Ave. W, Milan.

Each participant will paint their own 16-by-16-inch wooden barn quilt, choosing from four beautiful patterns.

Cost is $40. Register at https://tinyurl.com/22ahyxa9.

QPR Gatekeeper Training

FORT WAYNE, Ind. — QPR Gatekeeper Training will be 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. ET Dec. 12 at Johnnie Mae Farm, 2518 Winter St., Fort Wayne.

The QPR Institute’s mission is to save lives and reduce suicidal behaviors by providing innovative, practical, and proven suicide prevention training.

A gatekeeper is someone in a position to recognize a crisis and the warning signs that someone may be contemplating suicide.

Certified QPR Gatekeepers will learn to:

• Recognize the warning signs of suicide.

• Increase awareness of stigma and understand suicide as a public health issue.

• Know how to offer hope.

• Know how to access local and national referral resources.

• Know how to get help and save a life.

For more information and to register, visit https://tinyurl.com/5386bzep.

Charcuterie 101

ELKHART, Ind. — Charcuterie 101 will be 1 to 2 p.m. ET Dec. 16 at the Owls Club, 2715 E. Jackson Blvd., Elkhart.

Discover the secrets of crafting exquisite charcuterie boards that are as visually stunning as they are delicious.

Cost is $10. For more information, call 574-397-0275 or visit https://tinyurl.com/3rk6pwmp.