ILLINOIS
April 17: A training program for those interested in becoming Pork Quality Assurance-Plus advisors will be offered April 17 in Springfield, Ill. at the IPPA office, 6411 S. 6th St. Applications for the session should be submitted either by Fax at 217-333-8286, or e-mail: rknox@uiuc.edu by April 14.

INDIANA
April 11: Operating an Efficient Farmers’ Market will help inform market operators and vendors about Indiana’s food handling regulations, alternative payment programs, and recent trends in Crown Point, Ind. at the Purdue Extension office in Lake County. For questions and more information, contact Dennis at 765-494-9812 or jhdennis@purdue.edu 

April 11-12: The Fiber Event will be at the Putnam County Fairgrounds in Greencastle, Ind. from 1-7 p.m. on Friday and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday. Visit TheFiberEvent.com for additional details.

April 12: A flea market will be at the 4-H Building on the Blackford County Fairgrounds in Hartford City, Ind. From 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Call to reserve a table at 765-330-2015.

April 12: 8th annual sheep shearing school will take place in conjunction with The Fiber Event at the Putnam County Fairgrounds in Greencastle, Ind. The school starts at 9 a.m. To RSVP, call 812-835-3171.

April 12: A swap meet will take place at the White River Valley Antique Assn. grounds in Elnora, Ind. from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Call John Dunning at 812-829-2595 or Ben Chestnut at 812-636-44209 for details.

April 12: A shrub, tree and plant sale will be at the 4-H Building on the Blackford County Fairgrounds in Hartford City, Ind. Sale begins at 11 a.m.. Call to reserve a table at 765-348-3213.

April 12-13: Purdue University’s Spring Fest will celebrate its 10th year with a handful of new stops in areas ranging from nanotechnology and nutrition to nursing and the environment in West Lafayette, Ind. For more information, call 888-EXT-INFO or go online to http://www.purdue.edu/springfest

April 17, 19: Natural Resources Management for the Landowner is a two-part workshop that will benefit owners of small acreages and large land parcels. The first session will be 6-9 p.m. April 17 at the Purdue University Whitley County, Ind. 4-H Center. The second part will be 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. April 19 at the Purdue Harrold Forest in Etna, Ind. Contact Contact Brian MacGowan, 765-647-3538, macgowan@purdue.edu

April 19: Learn from 2007 Indiana Ranch Horse Assn. High Point champion John Spencer of Logansport, Ind., at this day-long horsemanship clinic at Windmill Junction Farm in Claypool, Ind. Pre-registration is requested. Contact Candice Colbert at indianaranchhorse@earthlink.net or 260-437-5370.

April 19: A new and used tack sale will begin at 6 p.m. at the Blackford County 4-H Fairgrounds in Hartford City, Ind.  A chicken noodle dinner will be available at 5 p.m. Contact Debbie Black at 765-330-2015 or Al Kessler at 765-768-7490.

April 24: Operating an Efficient Farmers’ Market will help inform market operators and vendors about Indiana’s food handling regulations, alternative payment programs, and recent trends in Boonville, Ind. at the Warrick County Fairgrounds 4-H Center. For questions and more information, contact Dennis at 765-494-9812 or jhdennis@purdue.edu

Apr. 26: Benefit Trail Ride and Chili Supper at Tippecanoe River State Park, Winamac, Ind. Door prizes, etc. Sponsored by Battle Ground Saddle Club. For details, go to: http://www.bg
sc.com/ e-mail jirwin@bg-sc.com

April 26: A flea market will be at the 4-H Building on the Blackford County Fairgrounds in Hartford City, Ind. From 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Call to reserve a table at 765-330-2015.

April 26-27: 18th annual Redbud Trail Rendevous will be at the Fulton County Historical Society in Rochester, Ind. The event portrays frontier history with tepees and historic tents, camps and foods cooked over wood fires, music and dance. Call 574-223-4436 or visit www.icss.net/~fchs for more detailed information.

April 29: A pasture management workshop entitled, “Pasture Management after the Drought,” will be hosted by the Hancock County Purdue Cooperative Extension Office in Greenfield, Ind. Pre-register by calling 317-462-1113.

April 17: The Indiana Farm Sustainability Tour will make a stop in Tippecanoe County, Ind. and visit Cooley Family Farms, Juniper Spoon, Seldom Seen Farm and Two Cookin’ Sisters. To register for this event, visit http://www.agecon.purdue.edu/newventures/ or all 800-359-2968.

MICHIGAN
April 9: Michigan State University Extension (MSUE) is hosting a meeting for small- and medium-sized livestock producers interested in heightening their environmental awareness and compliance in Fremont, Mich. The meeting will focus on staying environmentally friendly while maintaining profitability.  For details, contact a local MSUE office.

OHIO
April 13: The 22nd annual Collector’s Toy Show will be at the Champaign County Fairgrounds in Urbana, Ohio from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Contact Lowell Morningstar at 937-826-4201.

April 22: Ohio State University will sponsor the first annual Scarlet, Gray and Green Fair on Earth Day in Wooster, Ohio. For details, contact Megan Shoenfelt at 330-202-3537 or download a registration form at www.wcsen.org/wcsggf

April 26: The 2008 Mid-Ohio Valley Agriculture Opportunities conference will take place at Washington State Community College in Marietta, Ohio. For more information on the conference, contact Eric Barrett at 740-376-7431 or e-mail barrett.90@osu.edu

Editor’s Note: Coming Events is a free listing. The material presented is a cross-section of activities about which we know. Placement in Coming Events is on a space available basis and is up to the discretion of the Farm World staff.