ILLINOIS
Sept. 9: The University of Illinois’s Energy Biosciences Institute is hosting a tour of a 320-acre Energy farm from 9:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. at 4301 South Philo Road, Urbana, Ill. To learn more, visit energyfarm@igb.illinois.edu or contact Debra Levey Larson at 217-244-2880

Sept. 15: Agritourism will be the focus of a farm tour at the Country Corner in Henry County, Ill. Cost is $20 per person, which includes lunch. Register one week in advance. Visit http://web.extension.illinois.edu/smallfarm/ag_tours.cfm for details or call 217-968-5512.

Sept. 16: The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency wants to discuss the proposal of regulating coal ash from coal-fired power plants. A public hearing is taking place at Hilton Chicago, 720 South Michigan Avenue, Chicago, Ill. from 10 a.m. – 9 p.m. Pre-register at least three business days before the event if a guaranteed time-slot to speak is desired; although walk-ins and written responses are welcomed. To register for a speaking opportunity, call 703-308-8429

INDIANA
Sept. 2: Farm equipment demonstrations will take place at the annual Forage Day near West Lafayette, Ind. with registration beginning at 8:30 a.m. and the event ending at 4 p.m. at the Agronomy Center for Research and Education. Admission is free, and attendees can purchase an optional lunch for $5 and pesticide applicator recertification credits for $10. Farmers can bring an unbroken bale of hay if they would like to compete in the hay quality contest. To learn more, visit www.agry.pur  due.edu/forageday

Sept. 2: The Soils Quality Conference is a free event taking place rain or shine from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Wabash Co. REMC, Wedcor Ave. in the morning and the Wabash Co. Farm on the corner of U.S. 24 and St. Road 13 in Wabash, Ind. A lawn chair is recommended for the afternoon session. Call the Miami Co. SWCD at 765-473-6753, extension 3 or Wabash Co. SWCD at 260-563-7486, extension 3 to learn more.

Sept. 4-5: Historic Prophetstown and Purdue Extension are hosting Draft Horse Clinics at the RX Acres Belgians breeding farm at Brookston, Ind. A registration form can be found online at www.propehtstown.org/registration %20form.pdf or completed by calling Melissa Brown at 765-576-4700. Register at least two weeks prior to event.

Sept. 6: The 23rd annual Labor Day Toy Show, which features over 200 tables of farm toys, trucks, cars and construction for sale and on display, is sponsored by the Michiana Farm Toy Collector’s Club and at the Elkhart County 4-H Fairgrounds in Goshen, Ind. from 9 a.m.-3 p.m.

Sept. 9: Purdue extension will offer a risk management course to farm women in Franklin, Kosciusko, Wayne/Union and Perry counties. Franklin, Kosciusko and Wayne/Union counties will offer their courses from 1-4 p.m., and Perry County from 6:30-9:30 p.m. Project locations are decided by each county Extension office.
For more information, visit the Purdue University Women in Agriculture website www.extension.purdue.edu/wia/ anniesproject.htm

Sept. 10-12: The Country Lifestyle Experience will take place at the Indiana State Fairgrounds in Indianapolis, Ind. This event targeting the rural person with 100 or less acres looking to farm for pleasure to profit. For details, call 765- 655-2107 or info@equinepromotions.net or go online to www.equinepromotions.net/cle

Sept. 11: The U.S. Department of Agriculture Risk Management Agency, Indiana Soybean Alliance and Purdue Extension is hosting the last Advancing Indiana Aquaculture Indoor System workshop at Aquamanna Inc., 7442 S. 750 East, Ladoga, Ind. from 8:30 a.m. – 3 p.m. Cost is $50 to attend, which includes lunch, the on-farm workshop and Sept. 30 follow-up classroom workshop with a limit of 15 participants. To learn more or to register, visit www.indianafishfarming.com or call Robert Rode at 765-583-035.1

OHIO
Sept. 2: Organic Food and Farming Education and Research Program Field Day will take place at the OARDC’s West Badger Farm on Apple Creek Road east of Wooster, Ohio at 1 p.m. The event is free and open to the public. Call 330-202-3528 for further details.

Sept. 16: Ribes 101 Workshop will take place at OSU South Centers in Piketon, Ohio from 6-8 p.m. Production details on currants and gooseberries for current and prospective growers will be discussed. $5 per person. Call 740-289-2071, ext. 223, or e-mail strawser.35@cfaes.osu.edu for information.

MICHIGAN
Sept. 7-10; 13-16: Swine Jobs School will help train members of Michigan’s rural communities to work in highly-skilled positions on hog operations. The first session will take place at the Schoolcraft Township Building in Vicksburg, Mich. Swine Jobs School applications, a class syllabus and expectations for the on-farm training are available at http://bit.ly/swinejobs

Sept. 8-9: The National Mastitis Council will host a regional meeting at the Crown Plaza Hotel in Grand Rapids, Mich. More details can be found online at http://nmconline.org/ or contact Rochelle Ripp at 608-310-5335, ext. 29.

(Please refer to the newspaper for the remaining portion.)