Connect. Learn. Grow.

combine in field spraying

Pesticide Applicator Testing and Training

The Pesticide Safety Education Program is offering in person and online training and certification now through March to help Applicators and Operators meet their goals.
closeup of evergreen bough

Winter Gardening Guide

When cold winds blow, it's time for gardeners to rest up and explore ways to save time and money with expert advice on everything from protecting trees from winter's wrath to gifting greenery for the holidays.
Everyday Environment webinar series

You can Help the Environment

Small changes in your personal life can have positive impacts on the environment. Explore how prescribed burns work, how to build better soils, and more.
Eat. Move. Save. text logo

Budget-Friendly Nutrition Tips

Make healthier choices for your family on any budget. Find your healthy lifestyle with Eat. Move. Save.
Illinois Master Gardener

Master Gardener Training

Gain practical experience and horticulture knowledge straight from Extension educators so you can positively impact your community.
Birds at edge of water

Advocate for the Environment

Love nature? The Master Naturalist program works with adult volunteers to support natural spaces and wildlife around Illinois as environmental stewards.

COMMUNITY RESOURCES

Find Food IL community food map

Find Local Food Resources

Find all food assistance sites closest to your Illinois zip code, including food pantries, school meal sites, and grocery stores and farmers markets that accept WIC/SNAP.
TEConomy report

Economic and Functional Value

A new report finds that Extension provides more than $600 million annual benefit to Illinois, ten times its budget. Read the report.
Hispanic Family

En Espanol

La Extensión de la Universidad de Illinois es el principal alcance emblemático de la Universidad de Illinois en Urbana-Champaign, que ofrece programas educativos a los residentes de los 102 condados de Illinois, y mucho más.
A young man uses a sprayer in a tree
Pest Success: 4-H member starts business, wins national award for bio-pesticide
After moving to the U.S. as a child, Matias Habib felt like an outsider. He struggled with language barriers and social anxiety and was diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Through the University of Illinois Extension 4-H science program, Habib found community and confidence and now has a growing ag business.
Rotting jack o' lantern
Don’t dump Halloween pumpkins, donate or compost them
Every year, come November billions of jack-o’-lanterns whose wilting faces are now past their prime need to find a new home. Instead of tossing them into the trash or dumping them in a natural area, compost them!
three monarch butterflies rest on a tree branch in the early morning light
The Hunt for Orange October: Master Naturalists track monarchs
On their annual 3,000 mile migration to Mexico, monarch butterflies rest in select trees. A group of Illinois Extension volunteers, The Secret Society of Monarch Roost Hunters, scout for these roosts and report their findings as part of a community science research project to help this at-risk species.
group of children gather around a raised bed garden listening to an older woman holding vegetables
Community gardens fight food insecurity close to home
Illinois is home to some of the most fertile soils in the world. No one should go hungry here. Every year, Illinois Extension staff and Master Gardener volunteers around the state fight food insecurity with fruits and vegetables fresh from the garden.
hand putting coins into a pink piggy bank
Find financial freedom, reach your money goals with guidance from Extension experts
Financial education and coaching can make a huge difference in people’s lives. That's why Illinois Extension consumer economic staff and volunteers make financial discussions easy to understand through workshops and webinars.
a young white girl and white boy hold baby chicks in front of a tub holding more chicks
Finding common ground: Extension connects public with agriculture

Whether large commercial agriculture operations, small farms, or community and backyard gardens, the future of our food supply relies on the use of practices that boost production and capacity.

Upcoming Events

  1. 4-H Master Brick Builders Workshop Series | DeWitt County
    Farmer City Public Library (DeWitt County)
  2. 4-H Shooting Sports: Archery Workshop | McLean (November 28)
    Interstate Center (McLean County)
  3. 4-H Cooking Club | Macon County
    Friend's Creek Community Building (Macon County)
  4. Fulton-Mason Master Gardener Meeting
    University of Illinois Extension, Fulton Branch Office (Fulton County), (Mason County), (Peoria County), (Tazewell County)
  5. I Made That! Winter Wellness and Holiday Treats
    DIY at home
More Events