The “Good Alarm Sweet and Spicy Forbidden” (vegan) chili featured smoked jalapenos, five kinds of beans, garden tomatoes and carrots, spices and rice. There was “white” chili made with shredded chicken, and on the side, roasted potatoes, cornbread, crumbles of cheese, plus grilled hot dogs, hot coffee, popcorn. It was the annual chili cook-off at Shagbark Lumber in East Haddam, a community picnic of sorts, a slice of life. People sampled tastes of six types of chili and voted for their favorite. A gleaming chromed out canary-yellow Chevy pick-up pulled in and popped the hood as people gathered 'round to admire the finer points of the restored truck. People bustled in on their way to pick up hay, check out adoptable guinea pigs, mull over hardware needs, tote lumber, or haul feed.

First place went to Bob Siekierski, who won for his chili made with bear meat. Second place, Alicia Carlson.

Chilly weather and hot chili go together, especially this time of year, like chopping wood, work gloves, and raking leaves.

Halloween punctuates the end of October on Sunday. A noteworthy local event is the “Caring for Carrie” truck pull benefit on Saturday, Oct. 30 at the Haddam Neck Fairgrounds. Pulling starts at 9 a.m. with trophies for wackiest/best decorated truck. Parking is $5. All proceeds go to help Carrie Ness, 28, an H-K graduate diagnosed with cancer in 2009. For information call (860) 301-0121. (Rain date, Oct. 31.)

To see thousands of artfully carved jack-o-lanterns lighting up the night, make tracks to the Jack-O-Lantern Spectacular at Roger Williams Park Zoo in Rhode Island through Oct. 31. Open nightly, rain or shine, 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. (trail closes by 11 p.m.), and proceeds support zoo education and conservation efforts. Admission from $13 to $9 (children younger than 3, free). An all-you-can-eat barbecue buffet and admission combination ticket costs $31.95 (peak time; less for seniors and youth). For the Halloween party finale, call (401) 785-3510.

Right around the corner, on Nov. 2 and Nov. 3 is the Women in Sustainable Agriculture Conference in Vermont, a gathering that happens once every 5 years. Presented by the Women's Agricultural Network, featured speaker Nicolette Hahn Niman, attorney, activist and California livestock rancher opens the conference on Tuesday morning. Jill Shore Auburn, a senior sustainability advisor to USDA and member of the USDA “Know Your Farmer” initiative, kicks off the Wednesday session. Conference charges range from $70 to $150, including meals. A limited number of reduced-cost passes are available.

Workshops include “Human Resources on Small Farms,” with Meredith Martin Davis, general manager of High Mowing Seeds as lead instructor. Davis has worked with small businesses in Vermont using the Micro Business Development program, the Women's Small Business program, and in her own business consulting practice. Becky Maden, assistant farm manager at the Intervale Community Farm in Burlington, Vermont, will co-instruct, providing the perspective of managing and educating workers, apprentices and volunteers on a vegetable growing operation. “Savvy Marketing in the Era of Facebook and Twitter”offers practical tips for selecting web marketing strategies, presented by Kamigo Marketing's Charlene Andersen. The clinic includes a session on how to create appealing images for marketing venues ranging from print to social media with Bryan Pfeiffer, a photographer, author, essayist and blogger.

Tours of sustainable farms and agricultural businesses in Vermont and New Hampshire will provide the inside scoop on how these entrepreneurs approach production, marketing, business management and more. Except where special supplies are needed (such as for hands-on poultry processing farm visit), farm tour fees are included in the conference registration and include lunch. Space is limited.

On Nov. 3, a diverse array of workshops and round table sessions offer participants opportunities for small-group, facilitated discussion. Topics include CSA issues and innovations; farmers' market; livestock health and management; promoting your farm; creating and sustaining farmer networks; and a wool summit presentation and discussion.

For complete schedule, fees and hotel discounts for participants staying over, see www.uvm.edu/wagn or call (802) 223-2389.