Calendar: Money Smart program for small businesses

PEORIA, Ill. — Banking Services will be the topic of the first class in Money Smart for Small Business series, 6 to 9 p.m. Jan. 12 at Peoria County Extension, 4810 N. Sheridan Road, Peoria.

University of Illinois Extension is offering the 12-part Money Smart for Small Business series to help entrepreneurs become more aware of areas that can be instrumental in the long-term success of their business. The class was developed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation in collaboration with the Small Business Administration.

Other topics will include accounting, insurance, personal readiness, cash flow management, business structure, record-keeping, risk management, selling/succession planning, credit, and tax planning. Each topic will be covered by a guest speaker with expertise in their field. Additionally, participants will learn from the group discussions and leave with handouts for future reference.

Richard Proffer, Illinois Extension community and economic development educator, will be leading the discussions. He has experience in dealing with small businesses as he counsels entrepreneurs.

Blanket Workshop

BREESE, Ill. — The Chunky Knitted Blanket Workshop will be 9 to 11:30 a.m. Jan. 5 at Clinton County Extension, 1163 N. 4th St., Breese.

Participants will learn how to knit their very own snuggly blanket — perfect for chilly nights or as a heartfelt handmade gift.

Cost is $25. Register at https://tinyurl.com/fyx8durb.

Leather Crafting

WEST SALEM, Ill. — Learning Leather Crafting will be 2 to 4 p.m. Jan. 5 at First Christian Church, 209 W. Church St., West Salem.

Participants will make either a boot wallet or front pocket wallet while learning shaping techniques and how to stitch leather. Participants ages 8-18 are invited to attend and do not have to be a member of 4-H to participate.

Sewing Service Project

FORT WAYNE, Ind. — 4-H Sewing Service project will be 6 to 7:30 p.m. ET Jan. 5 and Jan. 8 at Johnnie Mae Farm, 2518 Winter St., Fort Wayne.

Participants will help create reading pillows that will be used at Johnnie Mae Farm. Participants will create and sew their own pillowcase to take home.

No sewing experience needed. This hands-on service project is a great way to learn new skills, meet new people, and make something that brings comfort to others.

Cost is $10. For more information and to register, visit https://tinyurl.com/26s34kcx.

Area 8 Beef Meeting

LOGANSPORT, Ind. — The Indiana Beef Cattle Association Area 8 Beef Meeting will be 6:30 to 9 p.m. ET Jan. 6 at Cass County Fairgrounds, 2281 E County Rd 125 N, Logansport.

This free event for beef producers will include door prizes and educational speakers.

RSVP by calling765-456-2313 or emailing howardces@purdue.edu. For more information, visit https://tinyurl.com/367ydsks.

Dementia Friends

CATLIN, Ill. — Join Family Life Educator Emily Harmon for Dementia Friends, 10 to 11 a.m. Jan. 7 at Catlin Public Library, 101 Mapleleaf Drive, Catlin.

Participants will learn about dementia and how to support those living with it in their community. They will learn how to engage with people living with dementia, take practical actions to foster inclusion, and help build a dementia-friendly community.

Winter Hike

PINCKNEYVILLE, Ill. — A winter hike and bird watch will be 3:30 to 6 p.m. Jan. 11 at Pyramid State Park, 1562 Pyramid Park Road, Pinckneyville.

Pyramid State Park is the largest state park in Illinois at almost 20,000 acres. The land was formerly strip-mined and reclaimed as forest, grassland, and ponds and is now home to a diversity of wildlife, from bobcats to owls.

Participants will hike to see some of the restoration forests and ponds, then drive to a more open area of park to watch for birds along the roadside. Meet at the Crystal Lake parking lot near the trailhead, just west of the park office.

This hike will be co-led by Kevin Rohling, Extension specialist, and Kim Rohling, Extension educator, and is a collaborative hike offered by the Shawnee Group of the Sierra Club and Illinois Extension.

Winter Sowing

STERLING, Ill. — Winter Sowing will be 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Jan. 12 at the Sterling Public Library, 102 W. 3rd St., Sterling.

Explore how to plant seeds in the middle of winter using recycled jugs, soil, and temperate climate seeds.

Also offered will be:

• Throw and Grows, 5:30 p.m. Feb. 9: Mix water, seed, clay, and soil together for a fun make-and-take to help pollinators.

• Seed Tape, 5:30 p.m. March 9: Planting small seeds becomes a breeze when you learn how to make seed tape during this workshop.

Each session has a $5 supply fee. Children 12 and under are free with an adult registration. Register at https://tinyurl.com/5bahhmux.

Fort Wayne Farm Show

FORT WAYNE, Ind. — The Fort Wayne Farm Show will be 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET Jan. 13, 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Jan. 14, and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Jan. 15 at the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum, 4000 Parnell Ave., Fort Wayne.

Attendees can expect to enjoy the innovations and wares of over 1,000 booths as well as ample opportunities to attend seminars to learn more about current topics in agriculture.

Highlights include the Pesticide Applicator Program on Jan. 13, the Farm Bureau Luncheon on Jan. 14, and Pesticide Application Core Test Training on Jan. 15.

All programs are free and no preregistration is required. For more information, visit https://tinyurl.com/y7aaat8j.

Soil Archive

GRANVILLE, Ill. — Illinois Centennial Soil Archive will be 6 to 7 p.m. Jan. 13 at Putnam County Library - Granville Branch, 214 S. Mccoy St., Granville.

Discover the story behind the University of Illinois Soil Lab’s Centennial Soil Archive Project. A key piece of Illinois’ agricultural heritage is a world-class, one-of-a-kind soil sample archive collected when local soils were first surveyed.

As early as 1899, soil types across the state were mapped by sampling fields to three-foot depth and characterizing the distinct soil layers. Predecessors had the foresight to keep records of sampling locations and to store these soil samples on the University of Illinois’ Urbana-Champaign campus.

Learn how this historical treasure helps us understand everything from the impact of farming practices to the effects of climate change. Participants will also learn about the resampling efforts going on across the state and how to get involved.

Tree Care

URBANA, Ill. — Trees for Pollinators and Evergreen ID will be the topics of the first webinar in the online Community Tree Care Series, 9 to 11 a.m. Jan. 13.

Other webinars in the series will be Forest Health Updates and Fungal Mutualists, Jan. 20; Construction and Urban Soils, Jan. 27; Chainsaw Safety and Pruning Young Trees, Feb. 3; Changing Climate and Historic Pests, Feb. 10; and After Planting and Tree Responses, Feb. 17.

Cost is $10. Register at https://tinyurl.com/yh5ssmet.

WinterFest 2026

GENOA, Ill. — WinterFest 2026 will be 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Jan. 17 at the Natural Resource Education Center, Russell Woods Forest Preserve, 11750 IL-72, Genoa.

Learn birding tips and tricks, explore the preserve with a guided forest hike, discover nature topics, test your knowledge during the nature trivia game, enjoy crafts and face-painting, and participate in the Un-natural Nature Trail and Scavenger Hunt.

See the complete schedule at https://tinyurl.com/43xtfb9f.

First Aid Training

FRANKFORT, Ind. — The Adult and Pediatric First Aid/CPR/AED training program will be 10 a.m. to noon ET Jan. 17 at Frankfort Community Public Library, 208 W. Clinton St., Frankfort.

Led by a certified Red Cross instructor, this program is being offered at no cost to childcare providers in Benton, Carroll, Clinton, Fountain, Tippecanoe, Warren and White counties.

For more information and to register, visit https://tinyurl.com/yeysmmz2.

Sourdough Bread

FORT WAYNE, Ind. — The Sourdough Bread class will be 1 to 2 p.m. ET Jan. 20 at Allen County Extension, 4001 Crescent Ave., Fort Wayne.

Learn about sourdough’s health and nutritional qualities, and how to get a starter.

Arborist Conference

NOBLESVILLE, Ind. — The Indiana Arborist Association Annual Conference will be 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET Jan. 20, 7 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Jan. 21, and 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Jan. 22 at Embassy Suites by Hilton Noblesville Indianapolis Conference Center, 13700 Conference Center Drive South, Noblesville.

The event features a trade show and over 25 educational sessions that include urban forestry, utility vegetation management, pest management and arboricultural practices.

For more information, visit https://tinyurl.com/268zzfy4.

Forest Management

DUBOIS, Ind. — Forest Management for the Private Woodland Owner will be 6 to 9 p.m. ET Mondays, Jan. 26 to March 16, at Southern Indiana Purdue Agricultural Center, 11371 E. Purdue Farm Road, Dubois.

Forest Management for the Private Woodland Owner is a Purdue University short course providing knowledge and resources to help landowners make informed decisions in the care and management of their forests.

For more information and to register, visit https://tinyurl.com/csdn6a8x.