Calendar: Vincennes University hosts Sprayer School

VINCENNES, Ind. — Southwest Indiana Sprayer School will be 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. ET Jan. 30 at the Vincennes University Agricultural Center, 4207 Purdue Road, Vincennes.

Topics will include sprayer safety, sprayer drones, weed identification, Office of Indiana State Chemist updates, environmental concerns, troubleshooting, and tank compatibility and mixing. Private and commercial applicator credits and Certified Crop Advisor credits will be available. Lunch will be provided.

Aquaculture Business

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — The online Aquaculture Business Short Course: The Three Pillars of Financial Management will be noon ET Jan. 6.

Topics will include business profitability, sustainability, and building equity. Register at https://tinyurl.com/5y4fpxt9.

The Aquaculture Business Short Course: Practical Skills for Managing Farm Finances will be noon ET Jan. 12. Register at https://tinyurl.com/5n94n79w.

The Aquaculture Business Short Course programs are supported by the North Central Regional Aquaculture Center and are hosted in partnership between Ohio Sea Grant, The Ohio State University and Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant, Purdue University.

The North Central Regional Aquaculture Center is one of the five Regional Aquaculture Centers established by Congress that are administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture. NCRAC is an administrative unit that serves the 12 states in the North Central Region: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin.

Diet Trends 101

HILLSBORO, Ill. — Diet Trends 101 will be 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. Jan. 15 at Hillsboro Area Public Library, 420 S. Main St., Hillsboro.

This session will guide participants through popular eating styles, including keto, intermittent fasting, Mediterranean, MIND, paleo, and Whole30. Discussed will be the pros and cons of each approach and simple habits that support long-term health. Participants will receive Mediterranean-inspired recipes that can be used at home.

Register by calling the library at 217-532-3055 or sign up at the library’s front desk. Visit https://tinyurl.com/37b4n8sk.

Shifting Habits

ELKHART, Ind. — The program Transforming Mindsets Through Habit Shifting will be 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. ET Jan. 15 at the Elkhart Public Library, 300 S. Second St., Elkhart.

Do you ever find yourself going back to your old habits? Want to change a habit but don’t know how to create a successful one? Learn why we create habits, revert back to old habits, and how to adjust seamlessly.

To register for this free program, call 574-533-0554 or email fink24@purdue.edu.

For more information, visit https://tinyurl.com/y5d2a9vz.

Bridges Out of Poverty

FORT WAYNE, Ind. — Bridges Out of Poverty: Strategies for Professionals and Communities will be 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET Jan. 16 at Johnnie Mae Farm, 2518 Winter St., Fort Wayne.

Bridges Out of Poverty is a nationally recognized model for economic and social change. This training helps professionals in education, social services, health care, legal fields, and community organizations better understand and address the impacts of poverty.

The Strategies for Professionals and Communities session builds awareness of economic diversity and explores the interconnected challenges faced by individuals in poverty and the broader community. Attendees will leave with practical tools to foster stronger partnerships across economic lines.

For more information, visit https://tinyurl.com/5yp8cj9r.

Gardening Conference

COVINGTON, Ind. — The Bi-State Gardening Conference will be 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. CT Jan. 16 at The Beef House Restaurant, 16501 IN-63, Covington.

Speaker topics will include:

• From the Ground Up: Better Turf through Soil Science — Purdue Extension Ag & Natural Resources Educator Justin Curley.

• Native Alternatives for the Home Landscape — Purdue Extension Consumer Horticulture Extension Specialist Karen Mitchell.

• Creating Resilient Landscapes: Rain Gardens — Illinois Extension and Illinois Indiana Sea Grant Outreach Associate Maddy Craft.

Cost is $35. Cash or check taken at the door on the day of the event covers the full day of meetings and meal. For questions, contact Summer Brinkman at brow1744@purdue.edu. Visit https://tinyurl.com/2k2ue5rn.

Take Charge of Your Health

URBANA, Ill. — The virtual program Take Charge of Your Health: Chronic Disease Self-Management will be 9 to 11:30 a.m. Jan. 16.

Learn to thrive, not just survive, with ongoing health conditions. Discover healthy ways to live with chronic conditions such as arthritis, diabetes, heart disease, and others. Find practical ways to deal with pain and fatigue, discover better nutrition and exercise choices, understand treatment choices, and learn better ways to talk with your doctors and family about your health.

This six-week Take Charge of Your Health virtual series will take place each Friday from 9 to 11:30 a.m. through Feb. 20.

Winter Nature Walk

OTTAWA, Ill. — Winter Nature Walk will be 11 a.m. to noon Jan. 17 at Nell’s Woodland, 2000 Alexis Ave., Ottawa.

Join master naturalist volunteers for a peaceful winter walk. Discover what’s happening in the forest during the colder months and learn how to identify trees without their leaves.

This guided hike is a great opportunity to connect with nature, ask questions, and enjoy the quiet beauty of winter.

Winter Sowing

MORRISON, Ill. — Seeds in the Snow: Winter Sowing will be 1 to 2 p.m. Jan. 17 at the Odell Public Library, 307 S. Madison St., Morrison.

Get a head start on spring by planting your seeds in the middle of winter using recycled jugs, soil, and temperate climate seeds.

Other programs in the series are Throw and Grows at 1 p.m. Feb. 14, and Seed Tape at 1 p.m. March 14.

Cost is $5. Register at https://tinyurl.com/y3sr6ma7.

4-H Federation Fun Day

QUINCY, Ill. — The Winter Federation Fun Day will be 1 to 3 p.m. Jan. 18 at The Range At KC, 830 S. 36th St., Quincy.

4-H Federation members in Adams, Brown, Hancock, Pike and Schuyler counties will spend time golfing, networking, and sharing ideas for activities in their counties. Lunch will be provided.

Forest Pest Update

URBANA, Ill. — Online Community Tree Care Series programs will be 9 to 11 a.m. Jan. 20.

Topics will include Forest Pest Update: Who’s Here, Who’s Coming, and What You Can Do; and Fungal Mutualists: The Good Guys of Fungal Infections.

Cost is $10. Register at https://tinyurl.com/5frfdkw2.

Other programs in the series will include 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.

Our Changing Palate

BRIGHTON, Ill. — A program about our changing palates will be 2 to 3 p.m. Jan. 20 at Brighton Memorial Library, 110 N. Main St., Brighton.

Ever wonder why the taste of favorite foods change as we get older? Explore the five basic tastes — sweet, salty, sour, bitter, and umami — and learn how the palate evolves throughout life.

Discussed will be how smell and taste work together, why aging affects flavor, and the psychology behind what we like to eat. Plus, get tips on making food taste better using color and spices.

Register for this free class by calling the library at 618-372-8450. For more information, visit https://tinyurl.com/3y3p8544.

Animal Tracks

MONTICELLO, Ill. — Basic Animal Track Identification will be noon to 1 p.m. Jan. 20 at Piatt County Extension, 210 S. Market St., Monticello.

Learn how to identify animal tracks from wildlife in Piatt County.

Annie’s Project

QUINCY, Ill. — Annie’s Project will be 5 to 8:30 p.m. Wednesdays, Jan. 21 to March 4, at Adams County Extension, 330 S. 36th St., Quincy.

Connect, grow, and network with other women in agriculture during Annie’s Project. This six-week discussion-based workshop brings women together to learn from experts in production, financial management, marketing, and the legal field.

Participants will enjoy supper, speakers, and fellowship as they dive into each week’s topics.

Farmers’ Market Meeting

SALEM, Ind. — The Washington County Farmers’ Market Board of Directors Annual Meeting will be 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. ET Jan. 22 at the Washington County Farm Bureau, 813 S. Jackson St., Salem.

Topics will include the 2026 vendor contract, market updates, election of directors, and vendor questions.

For questions, call 812-883-4601 or email Danielle Walker at dhowellw@purdue.edu. Visit https://tinyurl.com/5h95kn7e.

Ag Outlook Breakfast

CAMPBELLSBURG, Ind. — The 2026 Washington County Ag Outlook Breakfast will be 8:30 to 10:30 a.m. ET Jan. 23 at Premier Ag, 3418 N. Saltillo Road, Campbellsburg.

The free program is designed to help farmers, landowners, and agribusiness managers make better business decisions in the coming year. Purdue University’s Michael Langemeier, director, Center for Commercial Agriculture, and professor, Department of Agricultural Economics, will discuss grain and livestock market outlooks for the year ahead and factors impacting market trends. A Premier Ag representative will discuss the supply/demand relationship to input availability.

Breakfast is provided through generous sponsorship from Premier Ag.

RSVP by contacting Purdue Extension at dhowellw@purdue.edu or 812-883-4601. For more information, visit https://tinyurl.com/2mzek9ts.

Blood Drive

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — The Purdue Extension Monroe County Blood Drive will be 1 to 6 p.m. ET Jan. 28 at the Monroe County Fairgrounds, 5700 W. Airport Road, Bloomington.

For more information, visit https://tinyurl.com/bdd6xm9y.