Home and garden calendar

View more details and listings in our online calendar at www.illinoistimes.com

APRIL Recycling Event Apr 20, 9am-1:30pm, Computers, printers, TVs, cell phones, speakers, cords and cables and small electronics. Jacksonville High School, 1211 N. Diamond, Jacksonville.

Community Shred Event Apr 20, 10am-12pm, Donate case of non-perishable canned goods, get five boxes of records shred. Recycling cardboard, non-controlled prescription drugs in original vials and plug-in electronics. Salvation Army Parking Lot, Ninth and Washington. localfirstspringfield.com

NOAA Weather Alert Radio Distribution Apr 20, 10am-2pm, Must show Springfield Township residency, that you did not receive radio last year, and can phone Apr. 16-17 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. to reserve. 525-1464. $5. Pickup is Apr. 20. Springfield Township, 3298 Terminal Ave.

Prairie Restoration Planting Sign-up Apr 23, 11am-1pm, Help Lincoln Land Community College Environmental Club restore prairie native landscape on campus. A. Lincoln commons. 786-4616. Lincoln Land Community College, 5250 Shepherd Road.

High Tunnel Tour Apr 23, 2pm, Tour with Professor Bill Harmon and his students to explore season extension principles and vegetable growing practices. Free. Lincoln Land Community College, 5250 Shepherd Road, 786-4993.

Community Garden Kickoff Apr 24, 4:30pm, Learn the ropes from horticulturist Lawrence Strubhart, tour garden and sign up for raised bed plot. Workforce Careers Center. 786-4616. Lincoln Land Community College, 5250 Shepherd Road, 217- 786-2200.

Greenie Awards Ceremony Apr 25, 5:30pm, In conjunction with film Food Patriots, awards recognize LLCC student, staffer and faculty member. LLCC Trutter Center, 5250 Shepherd Road, 217-786- 2200.

Food Patriots Movie Showing Apr 25, 6pm, Real stories and conversation about changing the way America eats, buys and thinks about food. Free. LLCC Trutter Center, 5250 Shepherd Road, 786-4993.

Bottle Water vs. Tap Water Challenge and Seed Sprinkling Apr 26, 10-11:30am, Take the taste test. Can you tell the difference? Which is better for you? Participants get wildflower seeds. A. Lincoln Commons. 786-4616. Lincoln Land Community College, 5250 Shepherd Road.

Illinois Native Plant Society

Plant Sale Apr 27, 9am-2pm, Purchase native Illinois prairie and woodland plants grown by INPS members. Pavilion. 243-6055. Illinois State Fairgrounds, 801 Sangamon Ave.

Free Rain Garden Workshop Apr 29, 6-7:30pm, Stacy James, Ph.D., Prairie Rivers Networks. Register at springfield-rain-garden. eventbrite.com/#, Lincoln Library, 326 S. Seventh Street, 344-2371 x203.

MAY Springfield Civic Garden Plant Sale May 04, 8am-12pm, Member’s perennials, shrubs and houseplants. Tech Town. Illinois State Fairgrounds, 801 Sangamon Ave., 782- 8886.

Springfield Civic Garden Club Meeting May 06, 9:15-11:30am, Inside look and info from nationally accredited flower show judges. Westminster Presbyterian Church, 533 S. Walnut Street, 217-522- 4415.

Illinois Products Farmers Market May 09-Oct 19, 4-7pm, Every Thursday (except during the IL State Fair), Fresh local food and entertainment. Commodity Pavilion. 217-785-4873. Illinois State Fairgrounds, 801 Sangamon Ave.

Prairie Wildflower Sale May 11-12, 9am-4pm Sat, 1-4pm Sun, Over two dozen varieties of your favorite garden wildflowers. Lincoln Memorial Garden, 2301 E. Lake Shore Drive. 529-1111.

Old Capitol Farmers Market May 15-Oct 26, 8am- 12:30pm Wednesdays and Saturdays, Fresh fruits, vegetables and more. (Chef demonstrations, artisans, live music on Saturdays.) Adams St. at Fifth and Second. 217- 544-1723.

Curb Your Car During Bike to Work Week May 13-18, Springfield- Sangamon County Regional Planning Commission, Springfield Bicycle Advisory Council, area organizations and businesses are sponsoring an employer challenge to get employees to bike, walk, run or take the bus to work. Register to participate by May 10. sscrpc.com or 535-3110.

Land of Lincoln Water Gardening Society Sale May 18, 10:30am-12:30pm, Your chance to purchase water garden plants from local experts. www.llwgs.org. Washington Park Botantical Garden Exhibit Hall.

The Making of a Bike Friendly Town May 28, 6:30-8pm, Sustainable Springfield Inc. welcomes Ed Barsotti, League of Illinois Bicyclists. Lincoln Library, 326 S. Seventh Street, 220-6206.

JUNE

Illinois Herb Association SummerFest 2013 Jun 08, 9am-3:30pm, Come to a fun-filled day devoted to herbs. Washington Park Botanical Garden Exhibit Hall and Roman Cultural Garden. Registration begins at 8:30 a.m. Admission. For more information, phone 546-4116.

Earth Beneath Us: Local Geology Study Jun 29, 10-11:30am, Call to register. Input and field trip around the farm. $5, $3. (Also held on July 6.) Jubilee Farm, 6760 Old Jacksonville Road, 217-787-6927.

OTHER RELATED INFO

Oversized Items Disposal City homeowners can schedule a free home pickup of items such as mattresses, furniture or appliances. Call Allied Waste, 522-7797. Residents limited to one free pickup of up to three large items per 12-month period. Only one item may contain Freon. (Not available to apartment complexes or mobile home parks.) Other options (fees involved): Sangamon Valley Landfill, 2565 Sandhill Rd., 528-9256. F & W Resources, 3327 Terminal Ave., 525-1206. Waste Management of Illinois transfer station, 3000 E. Ash St. and Mervis Iron, 1100 S. Ninth St.

Electronics Recycling Registered IL-EPA residential e-waste collection sites: Computer Banc, 1023 E. Washington Street, 528-9606; Land of Lincoln Goodwill Industries, Inc. 2001 Wabash Avenue, 816 N. 11th Street, 2531 N. Dirksen Parkway, 789-0400; BLH Computers, 1832 Stevenson, 585- 1580; Midwest Computer Processing, 2158 S. Ninth Street. More info at www.epa. state.il.us.

Branch Collection May through November, Springfield residents can place fallen branches curbside in front of their homes. No need to phone. Residents can also drop off branches free of cost at the Public Works facility, 301 N. 17th Street, open 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday- Saturday.

Hazardous materials Used motor oil, paints, paint thinners, unwanted medications, insecticides, pool chemicals, cleaning products, household batteries, antifreeze, hobby chemicals and fluorescent lamp bulbs are recycled in the fall. See www.epa.state.il.us.

Tire Recycling Old tires can be brought to several service stations, including Johnson & Johnson Auto Service Center, 1325 Stevenson Drive and Midtown Tire and Auto Service, 2110 Clear Lake Ave. Each store charges between $2 and $5 to get rid of one standard-sized tire. 789- 2327. Call for details and requirements.

Springfield Curbside Recycling Springfield residents can sign up by calling their private waste haulers as recycling is included in your garbage pickup fee. Accepted are: clean and dry newspapers, junk mail and chip board; all plastic containers except for No. 6; food cans, aluminum beverage cans, pie tins, clean aluminum foil; glass bottles and jars that food and drink came in. Twenty-four hour drop-off recycling facility is Lake Area Recycling Services, 2742 S. Sixth Street. They do not accept glass, but do accept corrugated cardboard.

Join Project BudBurst Register to be a citizen scientist and collect important climate change data on the timing of leafing and flowering where you live, targeting native tree and flower species. www.neoninc. org/budburst.

The Great Sunflower Project/The Backyard Bee Count New in 2013, reports on any kind of pollinator friendly plants such as sunflowers (preferably, Lemon Queen), bee balm, cosmos, tickseed, phacelia or purple coneflower. For info visit greatsunflower. org.

Springfield in Bloom Community-wide beautification effort April through July to encourage street-side landscape improvements to residential, business, neighborhood associations or nonprofit organization property. Projects involve existing gardens, new gardens or makeover projects. www. springfieldinbloom.org.