Calendar: Hoosier Hardwood Festival at Boone County Fairgrounds

LEBANON, Ind. — The Hoosier Hardwood Festival will be Aug. 25-27 at the Boone County Fairgrounds, 1300 E 100 S, Lebanon.

This unique celebration of Indiana’s largest agricultural industry will feature something for everyone, including state-of-the-art heavy machinery, sawmill equipment, chainsaw artists, woodworkers, live lumberjack competitions and equipment demonstrations.

Complementary educational sessions also will be offered, targeted to forest landowners, hobbyists, nature lovers, and woodworkers. There also will be food, refreshments and live entertainment.

Show hours are 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Aug. 25, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Aug. 26, and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Aug. 27.

For more information, visit https://tinyurl.com/38c7b5w4.

Crafting with Nature

SYCAMORE, Ill. — Crafting with Nature will be 10 to 11 a.m. Aug. 19 at the Mayfield Monarch Waystation, 28405 Church Road, Sycamore.

Sue Goudy will demonstrate how to make a vine wreath using materials found in nature.

Pumpkin Production

MARION, Ill. — Pumpkin Production and Fall Agritourism will be the topic of the Summer Twilight Series, 6 to 8 p.m. Aug. 21 at The Patch, 14656 Pittsburg Road, Marion.

Samantha and Adam Dahmer, owners of The Patch, will discuss their management of a 10-acre pumpkin field. Adam grew up on a farm that has been 100% no-till since the early ‘80s, and he has incorporated those practices into growing pumpkins no-till with cover crops. Along with the fall season, Samantha also offers pop-up vendor fairs throughout the year at The Patch, including mum day and fern day.

Yield Survey

HILLSBORO, Ill. — Montgomery County Extension will conduct the yearly yield survey of the area corn crop at 8 a.m. Aug. 21. Volunteers will break into groups and survey crops across the county to estimate yields. They will meet back at the Extension office, 1 Industrial Park Drive, Hillsboro, to share results and enjoy a free lunch at noon provided by Montgomery County Farm Bureau.

Extension will sample fields in each of the 19 townships in Montgomery County and will publish the results after they are compiled.

Meals for the Field

JERSEYVILLE, Ill. — The program Meals for the Field will be 6 to 8 p.m. Aug. 21 at the Jersey County Farm Bureau, 402 S. Jefferson St., Jerseyville.

Get ideas on making nutritious meals and snacks for the field before harvest kicks off. Participants will practice making easy meals and do some taste testing. Recipes will be provided.

Art of Fermentation

ELIZABETH, Ill. — The workshop Yes, You Can: Preserve It Safely: The Art of Fermentation: Lacto-Fermentation will be 6 to 8 p.m. Aug. 22 at the Jo Daviess County Extension office. 204 N. Vine St., Elizabeth. Participants will learn about the importance of salt, water, temperature, the types of vessels used, and basic food-safety practices for fermenting vegetables.

According to workshop organizers, fermentation, like drying, is one of the oldest methods of preserving food for later use. It is also used in creating other foods, like cheese, yogurt, alcohol, and sourdough bread. Fermentation is a natural process in which microorganisms, such as bacteria or yeast, convert carbohydrates into alcohol or organic acids under ideal conditions.

There are several different methods used in fermentation, and they can be classified into four types, based on the end product formed. They include lactic acid fermentation, alcohol fermentation, acetic acid fermentation, and butyric acid fermentation. Lactic acid fermentation, or lacto-fermentation, uses lactic-acid-producing bacteria and some yeasts to break down the sugars in food to form lactic acid and sometimes alcohol or carbon dioxide. Fermenting vegetables in this manner can extend the shelf life and break down some vegetables’ components, making them easier to digest and absorb.

Summer Salsa

JERSEYVILLE, Ill. — The program Let’s Make Summer Salsa! will be 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Aug. 22 at the Jerseyville Public Library, 105 N. Liberty St., Jerseyville.

Learn how to make the most out of your summer produce by making fresh salsa. This class is open to all ages and will involve hands-on practice making a variety of different salsas.

Backyard Greenhouses

URBANA, Ill. — The Four Seasons Gardening Webinar Series program Before the Build: Considerations for Backyard Greenhouses will be 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. Aug. 22.

Explore a variety of budget-friendly backyard greenhouses, what can be grown in them, and how to extend a growing season.

Fall Gardening

MURPHYSBORO, Ill. — The program Fall Gardening will be 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Aug. 22 at the Jackson County Extension office, 402 Ava Road, Murphysboro,

The season doesn’t have to end when the frost hits. Program topics will include an overview of fall gardening, low tunnels and high tunnels, seed starting for cool-season crops, and cold-tolerant crops.

Vineyard Tour

COBDEN, Ill. — A vineyard tour for master naturalists and master gardeners will be 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Aug 22 at Wichmann Vineyard, 2655 Water Valley Road, Cobden.

Owner Hannah Wichmann will lead the tour around the vineyard followed by a picnic lunch.

Bounty of Summer

PRINCETON, Ill. — Learn how to make salads and dressings, side dishes, and even beverages with local foods to offer a new level of freshness at the program Bounty of Summer, 5:30 to 7 p.m. Aug. 22 at the Bureau County Farm Bureau, 1407 N. Main St., Princeton.

Illinois Extension Nutrition and Wellness Educator Susan Glassman will offer a cooking demonstration on how to make delicious recipes using fresh produce. Take home recipes and resources from Illinois Extension. Register by calling 815-875-6468.

The class will be repeated Aug. 23 at the Marshall-Putnam Farm Bureau, 509 Front St. Henry, call 309-364-2501; and Aug. 24 at the La Salle County Farm Bureau, 4201 N. Columbus St., Ottawa, call 815-433-0371.

Dining with Diabetes

ROACHDALE, Ind. — Dining with Diabetes will be at 2 p.m. ET Aug. 23, Aug. 30, Sept. 6 and Sept. 13 at the Roachdale Community Center, 204 N. Indiana St., Roachdale.

Each week, participants will learn about living with diabetes, cooking healthy meals and snacks, and sample new recipes.

Tree Care

CARLINVILLE, Ill. — Tree Selection and Care will be 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Aug. 23 at the Macoupin County Extension office, 60 Carlinville Plaza, Carlinville.

Selecting trees for your home can be stressful, and you might need advice on the best tree for your landscape and how to care for a tree. Horticulture Educator Andrew Holsinger will discuss tree care, selection, planting, and more.

The program also will be available online. Register at https://tinyurl.com/2zab7yev.

Landscape Design

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — The virtual Lunch & Learn program Landscape Design with Indiana Native Plants will be noon to 1 p.m. ET Aug. 24.

Garden Produce

AMBOY, Ill. — Using Garden Produce will be the topic of the Growing Horticulture in Northwest Illinois Series, 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. Aug. 24 at the Lee County Extension office, 280 W. Wasson Road, Amboy.

You have grown fresh produce all summer; what do you do with the excess produce like onions, cucumbers, tomatoes, and more? Learn some simple ways of storing produce for longer shelf life and some easy recipes like refrigerator pickles to make your produce go further.

Make Jam

PANA, Ill. — Home Canning 101: Let’s Make Jam will be 10 a.m. to noon Aug. 24 at Pana Community Hospital, 101 E. 9th St., Pana.

Learn all about boiling water bath canning and pressure canning, and practice making a blueberry spice and peach jam.

Fairs

• Aug. 18-27 — Union County Fair: 185 Herman Wright Drive, Anna, Ill.; www.unioncountyfair.net; unioncofair@frontier.com; 618-833-8923.

• Aug. 23-27 — Bureau County Fair: 811 W. Peru St., Princeton, Ill.; www.bureaucountyfair.com; info@bureaucountyfair.com; 815-875-2905.

• Aug. 23-27 — Will County Fair: 710 S. West St., Peotone, Ill.; www.willcountyfair.org; willcountyfair@sbcglobal.net; 708-258-9359.

• Aug. 25-Sept. 4 — Du Quoin State Fair: 655 Executive Drive, Du Quoin, Ill.; dsf.illinois.gov; 618-542-1515.