“From head to hoof and tail to mane and back again, I love the horse,” so said J. W. Riley. And we whole-heartedly agree.

Have an itchy equine (hey, humans aren't the only ones who need help for their hides in winter)? Tufts University is having an informative seminar about how to help your four-legged friends through the cold weather/dry skin season and beyond. Visit Horses & Life to learn more.

“January is named after the Etruscan word janua which means door.”

“Farming at Metro's Edge” will convene on Jan. 11 and Jan. 12 at the Universities at Shady Grove, in Maryland. Co-sponsored by a coalition of farming, community, environmental, and government organizations, this conference will develop ideas for advancing productive and profitable agriculture and strong farm communities – especially for those located near densely populated areas. Learn more at www.farmingatmetrosedge.com.

The next fossil identification day is Saturday, Jan. 12, 10 a.m. to noon, at Paleontological Research Institution's Museum of the Earth, 1259 Trumansburg Rd., Ithaca, New York. Staff paleontologists will help visitors identify the most puzzling finds from brachipods to trilobites and funny-looking rocks. Included with museum admission, $8. (Be sure to ask to see the mastodon skeleton.)

If chemicals and sprays kill or delay growth of insects (and have an impact on honeybees), what exactly do these compounds do to long-term health of children and pets? Registration is open for NOFA's “Organic Lawn and Turf Day” workshop on Jan. 11, 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at Tower Hill Botanic Garden. For information, contact Caro Roszell, organic land care coordinator, at caro@nofamass.org or call (508) 360-0874. By the way, organic lawn care is the fastest-growing sector of the green industry.

“All About Seeds” with John Carlson, advanced master gardener, about how to harvest and save seeds from your garden, Tuesday, Jan. 15 at Middletown High Vo-Ag School. You can't beat this – the basic materials to tie your first few flies are provided at “Fly Tying 101” with Bruce Tubby of the Hammonasset Chapter of Trout Unlimited, Monday, Jan. 28, another one of the vo-ag offerings that are free and open to the public (you just have to register).

NOFA-VT's Annual Direct Marketing Conference is Sunday, Jan. 13 at Vermont Law School with networking and educational opportunities for farmers’ market managers and vendors. Five speakers will present “ideas worth spreading” and there are 20 workshops for farmers, marketers, and farmers' market managers. For information, check out the NOFA-VT site. Remember, NOFA members can provide ideas, resources and contacts to plug in no matter where you live.

An annual knitting weekend at Slater Mill Museum in Rhode Island kicks off Friday, Jan. 25, with a lecture given by Ragnheiður Eiríksdóttir, knitting designer and instructor, as well as CEO of Knitting Iceland. A wine and cheese reception will follow. Saturday and Sunday, choose from the list of class offerings or browse the fiber arts marketplace in Slater Mill Museum, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Register online or call (401) 725-8638.

A FOH stargazing night hike is set for Wednesday, Feb. 9, 7:30 p.m. at Hammonasset Beach State Park with special guests from local astronomy clubs if the sky is clear. If cloudy, it'll be a night hike and owl prowl instead.