Vermillion County
Agriculture and Natural Resources
Phillip Cox is the Agriculture & Natural Resources Educator in Vermillion County. He is on the Indiana Small Farm Conference team and has served on the Trade Show subcommittee for the past several years. He also coordinates programming that includes such topics as pesticide safety, native plants, invasive species, gardening, natural resources, farming, wildlife management, and forestry.
Contact Us
Purdue Extension
Extension Educator - Vermillion County
cox119@purdue.edu
765-492-5330
SOIL TESTING AVAILABLE
Soil testing is recommended every 3 – 5 years. The Purdue Extension Vermillion County Office will take your garden soil samples (they must be dry) for nutrient & pH analysis and send them to a soils lab for fertilizer recommendations for $12. For $5 more an organic matter analysis will be completed. Soil sample bags, sample forms, and instructions can be picked up at the Office. For details, call 765-492-5330 or email cox119@purdue.edu .
Wednesdays in the Wild, July – Oct
FREE (mostly) See the attached flier for details.
October Big (Bird Count) Day @ Atherton Island Natural Area (& 16 other Indiana nature preserves), October 11, 9:00am – 11:00/Noon
$5 Be part of October Big Day, a global birding celebration that fuels migration research and conservation. Spend a fall morning exploring Atherton Island Natural Area and add your bird observations—counts, photos, or audio—to a worldwide effort in citizen science. OLC Board Members, Denise Marie Sobieski and Bill Mitchell will be leading the way!
$5 registration is required for this event at https://obd2025.eventbrite.com
Weed Wrangle @ St. Mary-of-the- Woods, St. Joseph’s Lake/Fuqua Park (north of the stables), October 11, 10:00am - Noon
VOLUNTEER Remove invasive shrubs with Vigo Invasives Management. For details see the attached flier and map or call 812-229-3539 or email vigoinvasivesmanagement@gmail.com .
A Fungus Amoung Us: How One Indiana Family Turned a Tote of Mushrooms into a Thriving Business @ Dobbs Park Nature Center, October 15, 6:30 – 7:30 pm
FREE The Wabash Valley Audubon Society will host Amy Rednour, owner of A Fungus Amoung Us, on Wednesday, October 15th at 6:30 pm in the Dobbs Park Nature Center, 5170 East Poplar St., Terre Haute. Amy will present, “A Fungus Amoung Us: How One Indiana Family Turned a Tote of Mushrooms into a Thriving Business”. Her first-generation mushroom farm based in Spencer, Indiana has blossomed from a home experiment into a thriving small business supplying mushrooms, seasoning blends, extracts, and even mushroom-infused coffee to local stores and restaurants.
All members and non-members are invited to this free program to learn all about the fascinating world of fungi! The Wabash Valley Audubon Society serves Clay, Parke, Sullivan, Vermillion, and Vigo counties. To learn more about the Wabash Valley Audubon Society like their Facebook page or visit their website at www.wabashvalleyaudubonsociety.org.
Weed Wrangle @ Smith Cemetery Nature Preserve, October 18, 9:00am – Noon
VOLUNTEER More details to come!
Fall Foliage Hike @ Whitaker Woods Nature Preserve, October 18, 10:00am - Noon
FREE For details see: https://ouabachelandconservancy.org/events
VIRTUAL Gardening in the Air! Virtual Gardening, October 18, 9:00am - 12:30 CST
FREE Gardening in the Air! will offer three different topics per hour for you to choose from:
Everlasting Flowers – Drying and Pressing Techniques
Good Bugs We Love to Hate
Value of Turf and Sports Turf Maintenance
Grasses and Sedges in the Home Landscape
Bulbs and Plant Storage Structures
Gardening in a Changing World
Growing Under Lights
Pet-Friendly Landscaping
Midwest Apple History and Orchard Management
- Time: 9:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Central Time.
- Cost: Free to attend.
- Format: The event is interactive and conducted via Zoom.
- Registration: Registration by October 15 is required to receive the Zoom links.
There is no cost to attend, but registration is required by Oct. 15 to receive link access. Select programs will be recorded and made available at a later date to registered participants. For details and to register visit:
Fall Prairie Seed Harvest @ Atherton Island Natural Area, October 25, 9:00am - Noon
VOLUNTEER For details see: https://ouabachelandconservancy.org/events
Halloween Night Hike & Campfire @ Whitaker Woods Nature Preserve, October 25, 7:00 – 9:00pm
FREE For details see: https://ouabachelandconservancy.org/events
Wabash Valley Audubon Society Free Movie Night @ The Historic Rockville Ritz Theater, October 28, 7:00pm
FREE In celebration of Halloween, the Wabash Valley Audubon Society is sponsoring a free screening of Alfred Hitchcock's classic 1963 natural horror-thriller The Birds (PG-13). Join us for a chilling evening at the historic Ritz Theater in downtown Rockville on Tuesday, October 28th at 7:00 pm. No reservations are required and concessions will be available for purchase at menu price.
The Wabash Valley Audubon Society serves Clay, Parke, Sullivan, Vermillion, and Vigo counties. To learn more about the Wabash Valley Audubon Society like their Facebook page or visit their website at www.wabashvalleyaudubonsociety.org.
Forestry Education Seminar @ Vermillion Co. Fairgrounds 4-H Community Bldg., October 29, 6:00pm
FREE Purdue Extension and the Vermillion County Soil & Water Conservation District invite woodland owners to a Forestry Education Seminar on Wednesday, October 29 at 6:00 pm in the 4-H Community Building at the Vermillion County Fairgrounds, Cayuga. Lenny Farlee, Purdue Extension Forester, and Mike Warner, ArborTerra Consulting LLC, will discuss Marketing Your Timber and Managing Your Woods for Recreation. No reservations are required for this free event. For more information contact the Purdue Extension Vermillion Co. Office at 765-492-5330 or cox119@purdue.edu .
Last Chance Fall Foliage Walk @ Cayuga Park, October 30, 5:30 – 7:00pm
FREE Everyone is invited to a free fall foliage walk at Cayuga Park, home of the Vermillion County Fairgrounds, on Thursday, October 30, 5:30 – 7:00 pm starting at the 4-H Community Bldg., Fairgrounds Rd., Cayuga, IN. Purdue Extension Educator, Phil Cox, will lead the walk while teaching participants how to identify the diverse species of trees in this beautiful park. In addition, up to 14 copies of the 2024 edition of “101 Trees of Indiana: A Field Guide” (by Dr. Marion Jackson) will be given away randomly to those who attend. Preregistration is not required. In case of rain, an alternative tree identification event will be held inside the 4-H Community Bldg. Anyone under 18 must be accompanied by a parent/guardian.
2025 Indiana Woodland Owner Conference @ Putnam Co. Forests (Oct. 31) & Turkey Run State Park Inn (Nov.1)
COST VARIES For detailed information visit https://www.ifwoa.org/resources/annual-woodland-owner-conference/
Fall Foliage Hike @ Jackson-Schnyder Nature Preserve, November 1, 1:00 – 2:30pm
FREE For details see: https://ouabachelandconservancy.org/events