Find gourds absorbing? Try growing a loofah sponge
URBANA, Ill. – Gardens can grow a variety of surprising things, but one item you wouldn’t expect to find growing next to beans and tomatoes is a loofah sponge. Still, one member of the Cucurbitaceae family does just that.
While most people think a loofah sponge comes from the ocean or at...
4-H member's work on invasive pests wins National Youth in Action Award
CHEVY CHASE, MD – Matias Habib, 17, of Kendall County is the 2023 4-H Youth in Action Award for Agriculture sponsored by Bayer through the National 4-H Council. Habib will be recognized nationally for developing his own patent-pending bio-pesticide and...
Illinois 4-H’er selected as runner up for national 4-H award
LITCHFIELD, Ill. – Elaan Bader from Litchfield is a runner up for the 2023 4-H Youth in Action Award for Agriculture. Bader is recognized nationally for her dedication to pollinator education and environmental benefits.
Elaan attributes the spark she has for agriculture and the...
Explore agriculture technology to inform the future of digital ag
URBANA, Ill. – The agriculture industry is changing – driverless full-sized tractors can till fields and robots are milking cows and feeding calves. New digital farming technologies like robots and autonomous field equipment are coming out every day. But these labor-saving machines have also...
Give summer-blooming bulbs a second chance, store them over winter
URBANA, Ill – Plants, such as cannas, caladiums, dahlias, elephant ears, gladiolus, and tuberous begonia, can make a great addition to the landscape. These plants are commonly referred to as tender bulbs or summer-blooming bulbs. Not all of them actually grow from bulbs, but this is what...
Extension Master Gardener Conference reaffirms value of community horticulture
JOLIET, Ill. – Illinois volunteers were welcomed to Chicagoland for the Illinois Master Gardener State Conference in Tinley Park Sept. 9 as they returned to in-person training.
“We are excited to again gather over 280 volunteers from across the state for our annual conference,”...
As you hunt, look out for power lines and poles
Stay safe this hunting season in more ways than one
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — Now that hunting season is upon us, Safe Electricity reminds hunters to survey their surroundings before aiming at the next big prize. Take a moment to look up and out for...
Prepare your trees for severe weather
URBANA, Ill. – Spring showers, summer thunderstorms, a winter dusting of snow; these are familiar weather events for Midwesterners, but as climate changes so do weather events. Extreme weather is increasing in Illinois.
Over the past 120 years, significant changes have occurred that are...
Kane County Master Gardeners earn state honors
Elgin-based project and resident recognized for ‘Helping Others Learn to Grow’
ELGIN, Ill. –The Kane County Master Gardener team at Sherman Natural Prairie and Community Garden, and volunteer Marty Yochum of Elgin, earned honors for their outstanding leadership and service...
DuPage County Master Gardener earns state honors
Carol Stream resident recognized for ‘Helping Others Learn to Grow’
WHEATON, Ill. – University of Illinois Extension volunteer Gail Sanders of Carol Stream earned honors from the Illinois Master Gardener program for her outstanding leadership and service efforts in DuPage County....
4-H invites community to fall open house events
ST. CHARLES, Ill. – Each fall, Illinois 4-H kicks off a new year, and local 4-H programs host open house events to celebrate in DuPage, Kane, and Kendall counties.
4-H Youth Development programs focus on building leadership, citizenship, and life skills. In the coming weeks, join...
Outstanding volunteers honored at State Fair ceremony
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – Outstanding 4-H volunteers were celebrated as part of the 2022 class of the Illinois 4-H Hall of Fame at a ceremony held as part of the 4-H General Project Show at the Illinois State Fair...
Illinois 4-H invites alumni to join 4-H history project
URBANA, Ill. – Illinois 4-H is proud of the rich history of 4-H and the network of 4-H alums near and far. Alums of the Illinois 4-H program share a unique bond with over 25 million Americans across the country.
Illinois 4-H has launched a new initiative for the Illinois 4-H History...
Bats’ midnight snacks reveal clues for managing endangered species
URBANA, Ill. – How do we bring threatened and endangered animals back from the brink? The task is never easy or simple, but one thing is undeniably true: If we don’t understand these animals and what they need to survive, we have little chance of success.
Saving bats, then, is arguably a...
Stretch out the growing season with fall planted salad greens
URBANA, Ill. – When people think of fall, harvesting salad greens rarely comes to mind; however, late summer is a terrific time for gardeners to begin planting lettuce, arugula, endive, or other leafy greens for salads says Nancy Kreith...
Tri-County volunteers inducted into Illinois 4-H Hall of Fame
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – Outstanding 4-H volunteers Jim McGuire of DuPage County, Doris Braddock of Kane County, and Mary Schobert of Kendall County were celebrated as part of the 2022 class of the Illinois 4-H Hall of Fame at an in-person ceremony during the...
Extend the season with fall flowers for your beds, borders, and containers
URBANA, Ill. – Fall blooming plants extend the season of our gardens after many plants have dried up or are done blooming for the year. They are also a much-needed food source for pollinators who are still foraging and getting ready for winter.
Prolong the floral show in your yard with...
Build money management skills early for a solid financial future
URBANA, Ill. — Building positive money habits early in life paves the way for long-term financial stability, but navigating topics such as spending, saving, investing, and managing debt can feel overwhelming, especially for young adults who are tackling financial responsibilities for the first...
Soil forecasting project seeks survey input for app development
URBANA, Ill. – For farmers and agribusiness leaders, accessing reliable and timely soil condition data can drive important soil management decisions that affect both short- and long-term production success.
A research collaboration between University of Illinois and...
