Sign up for 'Harvesting Our Native Prairie' by Oct. 19

If you are interested in starting your own native prairie garden, McHenry County Conservation District will show you how at "Harvesting Our Native Prairie" from 1 to 3 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 23, at Lake in the Hills Fen Conservation Area, 1500 Jefferson St. in Lake in the Hills.

Learn to identify, collect and process the seeds of prairie plants while getting an inside look at the conservation district's prairie restoration efforts.

Get hands-on experience as you help collect the seeds of native plants such as white prairie clover, purple prairie clover, prairie coreopsis, prairie dropseed grass, various blazing stars, and milkweeds for use in district restoration projects.

Then take home a small sample of the seeds collected to start creating your own prairie plot. Meet at the picnic shelter.

Registration and fee due by Wednesday, Oct. 19. Program for adults and families, age 10 and older, is free for county residents and $5 for nonresidents.

Registration is accepted online at mccdistrict.org, by phone for free programs only at (815) 479-5779, by mail-in and drop-off at Prairieview Education Center, 2112 Behan Road in Crystal Lake, or drop-off only at Lost Valley Visitor Center, Route 31 and Harts Road in Ringwood.