Milk is so synonymous with a grocery store visit; it is permanently printed on your shopping list notepad. With an entire industry supporting this staple item, there are tens of thousands of farms across the country that feed into it. However, few consumers rarely give credit to the work vested in...

Gardening enthusiasts on the lookout for unique garden additions should make space for red and white currant shrubs. Incorporation of perennial fruits in the garden is trendy and smart – they provide both ornamental value and food. With the addition of white currant (Ribes sativum) and red currant...

Imagine owning and running the business of your dreams, and not being in control of one of the most stressful aspects of a business: the cost of production. For many, this situation is not a fantasy, it is a reality. According to recent USDA data, farm sector production expenses for farmers both...

Imagine your last visit to a beloved family home, arriving as a freshly baked pumpkin pie was pulled from the oven. If you take a moment, I bet you can almost smell it.  Many people have this olfactory memory of the most well-known winter squash: the pie pumpkin. Others are also familiar with the...

Illinois vegetable growers are entering the toughest six weeks of the year. Despite the seasonal demands, soil health depends on timely planning of a fall cover crop. A fall cover crop is planted in August, grows in fall, and terminates after several hard frosts in winter. Why plant a fall cover...

In late May and early June, folks worry it is too late to plant warm-season crops like tomatoes and peppers. Plant now, the timing is perfect for rapid root establishment and healthy plant growth. With an average high of 76ºF and an average low of 55ºF, chilly nights (temperatures less than 50ºF)...

A full return to farmer's market season is upon us. Producers have faced many hurdles in the past few years; they are relying on your support to stay in business. This article is a refresher to local farmer’s markets in McLean county, in case you have fallen out of the loop in recent years. Here...

It’s almost gardening time! My family’s garden starts on April 1 with the planting of potatoes and onions. If you’ve never grown potatoes in your garden, try something different this year. Here are some helpful steps to achieve a successful crop of potatoes this year.  Seed Potatoes When you get...

I don’t know about others, but I myself am fighting a case of the winter blues. My happy place is in the garden, looking at my growing plants—not snow! As you daydream about your spring and summer garden, consider planting some unorthodox plants that are fueling a growing agricultural trend in the...

For those of us who are lucky enough to have access to fruit trees, fruit bushes, bramble fruits, or cane fruits during the year, we have a chore that needs doing this winter: pruning. Pruning out dead, dying or diseased wood from all those wonderful plants and trees is an absolutely essential part...

Here we are, knee-deep in the holidays, and our gardens have finally been tucked in for the long winter nap. It’s a time of year many growers look forward to, a time to finally put up their aching feet, assess how the growing season went, reflect on successes, failures and what to do better next...

Celebrating the year’s crops with a Thanksgiving feast has been a tradition for over 400 years. Likely in 1621, individuals fed their families and communities by growing vegetables in the field. This past summer, Illinois residents went to farmer's markets despite pandemic conditions as America...

It is hard to believe how quickly 2021 has gone by as we are just about a month or so away from Thanksgiving. As we find ourselves planning for our Thanksgiving meals, how to cook the turkey often comes into conversation. But before you can...

Do you struggle with weed control in the spring before planting your summer garden? Does your garden lose topsoil after a heavy rain due to slope? Would you like to improve soil structure and add organic matter to your garden? Backyard cover cropping is for you! At the time of...

With the end of winter near, it’s time to start planning for the garden season. At the outbreak of COVID-19 last year, many people attempted to grow some of their own food, re-popularizing the concept of WWII “victory gardens.” Increase your victory garden growing capacity by planting some black...

Being thankful for our families has a new meaning this year, and the feast should be spectacular. Let’s add a sometimes-missing ingredient this year: the love that a local grower, baker, or cook puts into their product. My role in the Thanksgiving meal is to procure ingredients and I...

He’s not just a restaurateur, nor just a farmer, nor just a chef, nor just an entrepreneur. He’s an influencer of sustainable eating. He wants to change the world, one delicious plate at a time. Ken Myszka, owner and operator of Epiphany Farms Hospitality Group, runs four celebrated restaurants in...