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Put research-based knowledge to work for you at home, at work, and in your community. Get inspired, build confidence, and trust Extension’s reliable and relatable information to help you navigate health and resilience in all areas of life.

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A Strategic Path for Extension Impact

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Throughout 2023 and early 2024, Illinois Extension, in partnership with Huron Consulting Group, engaged in a comprehensive planning process to refine and refresh its core priorities, goals, and paths to success through internal and external stakeholder surveys, focus groups, and listening sessions statewide. The research yielded vital findings around Extension’s engagement, services, partnerships, and impact and identified shifting trends, demographics, and needs that will impact Illinois residents. 

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Plan Your Garden

Growing your own produce brings many rewards. Plan your garden space and find out when to plant your favorite vegetables and fruit in each Illinois plant hardiness zone.

Explore Gardening Tips

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Grow Your Food Business

Learn about the laws, certifications, processes, and practices required to run a home-based cottage food operation safely and legally in Illinois.

Find Cottage Food Recources

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Spring Into Summer

Beat the heat this summer and learn how to help birds, plants, pollinators, trees, and gardens thrive with resources from our newest issue of Gardeners Corner.

Read Gardeners Corner

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Combat packing landfills by smashing pumpkins with Illinois Extension

URBANA, Ill. — Fall is the pumpkin’s time to shine, but what happens when it is time to say goodbye to the short-lived Jack-o-lanterns? 

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Consider plants with winter interest in landscapes

URBANA, Ill. — Sitting by the crackling fireplace, wrapped in a cozy blanket inside our homes this winter, the appreciation for the outdoors is limited to the scenes framed by a frosty windowpane. Consider incorporating some plants into the landscape that create dazzling winter interest with…

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Wesclin and Pontiac FFA youth crop teams advance to represent Illinois at regionals in Minnesota

URBANA, Ill. — Before heading back for the new school year, teams of high school students from across Illinois traveled to Champaign to put their crop scouting knowledge to the test. A lot of dedication to learning goes into knowing how to scout a farm field, and these youth teams proved they…

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