For many young children, trying a new fruit or vegetable can feel intimidating. Research shows that repeated exposure to healthy foods during early childhood helps shape eating habits, food preferences, and nutrition knowledge that can last a lifetime. Through the Eatable Alphabet program, local...
Nature journaling is a way to slow down, pay attention, ask questions, and create a record of the natural world around us. A journal might include sketches, watercolor, written observations, measurements, maps, weather, sound maps, species lists, or questions to explore later. There is no wrong way...
Thanks to an extensive background in leadership development, event planning, and financial services, Kerry Keating was able to jump into her new role with a powerful start during the busiest time of the year in University of...
The University of Illinois Extension office in Mason County recently relocated to the new Farm Bureau building on Route 78 in Havana. As the staff packed up to move, they found written records going back to 1919. A century ago,...
A Fruit Tree Pruning Workshop hosted by University of Illinois Extension continues to produce results months after participants left Christ Orchard in Elmwood. Twenty-one people attended the February 2026 program to learn how proper pruning can improve tree health, structure, and fruit production....
Raising and showing livestock may seem like a niche skill set, but in reality it offers a long list of life skills, character development, and networking opportunities for local 4-H youth. This past March, University of Illinois Extension staff worked with local partners, 4-H alumni, and area ag...
Every tree has a story to tell, you just need the right tools to read it. Those stories are written in tree rings, hidden in their height, and tucked away in details most of us walk right past.During Forestry Skills 101: Using Forestry Tools, 13 participants plus four Extension staff got to step...
4-H meetings are more than just a regular monthly meeting. Just ask the members of the Tazewell Country 4-H club. Located primarily in Hopedale, members of this club are engaged with their local community and build unique connections each year. The club continues a long-standing tradition of...
Richard Proffer, Community & Economic Development educator serving Fulton, Mason, Peoria, and Tazewell counties, has recently received a new nationally recognized certification, Rural Grocery Transition Specialist, to add to his list of professional accomplishments and has been recertified as a...
