Events in DuPage County Forest Preserves: Oct. 8-14

Monday, Oct. 8

Corn Harvest — Help to pick, shock, shuck, shell and store the corn that will feed the farm’s cows and sheep over winter. Activities ongoing. 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. at Kline Creek Farm, 1N600 County Farm Road in West Chicago. All ages. Free. Registration not required. Call 630-876-5900.

Forest Fitness Walk — Join a naturalist for a brisk weekly walk, and enjoy some healthy exercise as you take in the wonders of the woods. 8:30 – 10 a.m. at Greene Valley Forest Preserve in Naperville on
79th Street one-half mile west of Greene Road. Adults only. Free. To register, call 630-850-8110.

Spooks and Specters of the 1890s House Tours — Tour the farmhouse and discover what folks in the
1890s thought about ghosts, spirits and fortunetelling. Tours begin on the hour 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. at Kline Creek Farm, 1N600 County Farm Road in West Chicago. All ages. Free. Registration not required. Call 630-876-5900.

Tuesday, Oct. 9

Mayslake Lecture Series — Visit beautiful Mayslake Hall, and hear the lecture “The Nature of the Imagination” by Carl Strang as Aldo Leopold. 7 – 8 p.m. at Mayslake Peabody Estate, 1717 W. 31st St. in Oak Brook. Adults only. $3 per person. (A $5-per-person docent-led tour of Mayslake Hall will precede each lecture at 6 p.m.) To register, call 630-206-9566.

Volunteer Native-Plant-Nursery Workday — Help the District’s Habitat Improvement Program by lending a hand at the nursery. Weed and water plant beds, or collect and clean seed. 8 – 11 a.m. at the Grounds and Resources Complex at Blackwell Forest Preserve, 29W220 Mack Road in West Chicago. Ages 12 and up; under 16 with an adult. Free. To register, call 630-933-7681 at least five business days in advance; groups of five or more must call 10 business days in advance.

Wednesday, Oct. 10

Covered Wagon Tours — Enjoy a 30-minute guided covered wagon ride, and learn about the natural and cultural history of St. James Farm along the way. 11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m. at St. James Farm Forest Preserve in Warrenville at Madison Street and Hoy Avenue. $5 per person ages 13 – 54; $4 ages 55 and up; $2 ages 5 – 12; under 5 free. Registration not required. Call 630-933-7248.

Oak Meadows Master Plan Open House — Learn about preliminary plans for improvements within the 288-acre Oak Meadows Golf Preserve. At 6:45 p.m., hear a presentation on current site conditions and the goals for the master plan, which include creating a great public golf experience, creating habitat for native wildlife, and integrating the preserve with adjacent open spaces and trail systems. Then, ask questions about the plans. 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. at Maple Meadows Golf Course, 272 S. Addison Road in Wood Dale. Registration not required. Call 630-871-6404.

Thursday, Oct. 11

Archery for Active Adults — Try your hand at archery at one of DuPage County’s most scenic preserves. Equipment provided. 10 – 11:30 a.m. at Churchill Woods Forest Preserve in Glen Ellyn on
St. Charles Road one-quarter mile west of Route 53. Ages 50 and up. Free. To register, call 630-933-7248.

Spooks and Specters of the 1890s House Tours — Tour the farmhouse and discover what folks in the 1890s thought about ghosts, spirits and fortunetelling. Tours begin on the hour 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. at Kline Creek Farm, 1N600 County Farm Road in West Chicago. All ages. Free. Registration not required. Call 630-876-5900.

Friday, Oct. 12

FullersBird Fridays — Join these naturalist-led hikes, and see how the diversity of birds in a forest preserve changes during fall. 7:30 – 9:30 a.m. at Fullersburg Woods Nature Education Center,
3609 Spring Road in Oak Brook. Adults only. $6 per person per hike. To register, call 630-850-8110.

Spooks and Specters of the 1890s House Tours — Tour the farmhouse and discover what folks in the
1890s thought about ghosts, spirits and fortunetelling. Tours begin on the hour 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. at Kline Creek Farm, 1N600 County Farm Road in West Chicago. All ages. Free. Registration not required. Call 630-876-5900.

Saturday, Oct. 13

Blacksmithing Demonstrations — Stop by the wagon shed to see the blacksmith repair equipment and demonstrate the tools and techniques of the trade. Demonstrations ongoing. 1:30 – 3:30 p.m. at Kline Creek Farm, 1N600 County Farm Road in West Chicago. All ages. Free. Registration not required. Call 630-876-5900.

Covered Wagon Tours — Enjoy a 30-minute guided covered wagon ride, and learn about the natural and cultural history of St. James Farm along the way. 11 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. at St. James Farm Forest Preserve in Warrenville at Madison Street and Hoy Avenue. $5 per person ages 13 – 54; $4 ages 55 and up; $2 ages 5 – 12; under 5 free. Registration not required. Call 630-933-7248.

Geocaching — Try a popular treasure-hunting activity using a GPS device to discover hidden caches.  10 – 11:30 a.m. at Churchill Woods Forest Preserve in Glen Ellyn on St. Charles Road one-quarter mile west of Route 53. Ages 6 and up; under 16 with an adult. Free. Registration begins Oct. 1. Call
630-933-7248.

Rambo Scramble — In this 10th annual event, experience a championship golf course in its toughest form, including some pin placements you may never want to see again! Tournament begins at 8 a.m. at Maple Meadows Golf Course, 272 S. Addison Road in Wood Dale. All ages. $65 per person; $130 per two-person team. Register at dupagegolf.com or call 630-616-8424.

Spooks and Specters of the 1890s House Tours — Tour the farmhouse and discover what folks in the
1890s thought about ghosts, spirits and fortunetelling. Tours begin on the hour 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. at Kline Creek Farm, 1N600 County Farm Road in West Chicago. All ages. Free. Registration not required. Call 630-876-5900.

St. James Farm Caboose Tours — Take a 30- to 45-minute tour of the 1906 Chicago Burlington & Quincy caboose. Learn about the history of the CA&E Railroad, its connection to St. James Farm and the life of the conductor and brakeman. Tours begin on the hour 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. at St. James Farm Forest Preserve in Warrenville at Madison Street and Hoy Avenue. All ages; under 13 with an adult. $2 per person ages 13 and up; $1 ages 5 – 12; under 5 free. Registration not required. Call 630-933-7248.

Volunteer Restoration Workday — Help restore a natural area by removing nonnative vegetation or collecting seed. Two sessions: 9 a.m. – noon at Fullersburg Woods Forest Preserve, 3609 Spring Road in Oak Brook. 9 a.m. – noon at Springbrook Prairie Forest Preserve in Naperville on Plainfield-Naperville Road one-half mile south of 75th Street. All ages; under 14 with an adult. Free. To register, call 630-933-7681 at least five business days in advance; groups of five or more must call 10 business days in advance.

Writing Fiction for Children and Teens — Discover the building blocks of fiction for children, and learn how to keep them turning the pages in formats from picture books to teen novels. 1 – 5 p.m. at Mayslake Peabody Estate, 1717 W. 31st St. in Oak Brook. $50 per person. To register, call 630-206-9566.

Sunday, Oct. 14

Covered Wagon Tours — Enjoy a 30-minute guided covered wagon ride, and learn about the natural and cultural history of St. James Farm along the way. 11 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. at St. James Farm Forest Preserve in Warrenville at Madison Street and Hoy Avenue. $5 per person ages 13 – 54; $4 ages 55 and up; $2 ages 5 – 12; under 5 free. Registration not required. Call 630-933-7248.

Danada Fall Festival — Join this annual celebration of the horse and the autumn season, which includes a parade of breeds and numerous equestrian performances in the outdoor arena, hayrides, family activities, educational displays, food, and more. Activities ongoing. 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. at Danada Equestrian Center, 3S507 Naperville Road in Wheaton. All ages. Free admission and parking. Fees for some activities. Registration not required. Call 630-668-6012.

Meet the Beekeepers — Learn about beekeeping equipment and the important role that bees play in our food supply. Ask the beekeepers questions about honey and bees. Demonstrations ongoing.
1:30 – 3:30 p.m. at Kline Creek Farm, 1N600 County Farm Road in West Chicago. All ages. Free. Registration not required. Call 630-876-5900.

Spooks and Specters of the 1890s House Tours — Tour the farmhouse and discover what folks in the 1890s thought about ghosts, spirits and fortunetelling. Tours begin on the hour 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. at Kline Creek Farm, 1N600 County Farm Road in West Chicago. All ages. Free. Registration not required. Call 630-876-5900.

St. James Farm Caboose Tours — Take a 30- to 45-minute tour of the 1906 Chicago Burlington & Quincy caboose. Learn about the history of the CA&E Railroad, its connection to St. James Farm and the life of the conductor and brakeman. Tours begin on the hour 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. at St. James Farm Forest Preserve in Warrenville at Madison Street and Hoy Avenue. All ages; under 13 with an adult. $2 per person ages 13 and up; $1 ages 5 – 12; under 5 free. Registration not required. Call 630-933-7248.