Local event offers insight into fall’s most popular plant
EDDYVILLE, Ill. – Typing the address for Friendly Farms into a GPS may leave visitors wondering if they have arrived at the correct location. Yet just beyond the residence situated off a rural stretch of highway in Pope County lies an impressive operation: meticulously cultivated mums...
Learn the latest research during Orr Beef Research Center Field Day
BAYLIS, Ill. — Experts from the University of Illinois will lead discussions addressing research, current topics, and situations producers are facing on-farm during the annual Orr Beef Research Center Field Day. This year’s event will take place at 5 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 2, at the new Ag...
2026 4-H Superior Young Livestock Producer Contest winners announced
The 2026 Illinois 4-H Superior Young Livestock Producer Contest was held on Aug. 12 in conjunction with the Illinois State Fair. A record number of 35 4-H members from across Illinois competed in this year’s contest. Members tackle a three-phase competition including livestock...
Illinois 4-H announces winners of 2026 Hooks Us Together Fishing Tournament
URBANA, Ill. – Illinois 4-H is pleased to announce the winners of the 2026 4-H Hooks Us Together Fishing Tournament, a statewide virtual fishing competition that encouraged youth to explore the outdoors, develop fishing skills, and connect with nature.This virtual tournament attracted an...
4-H'ers and families show culinary creativity through Summer Healthy Living Challenge
URBANA, Ill.—4-H youth and their families were challenged to beat the heat this summer by creating their own healthy snacks. They could adapt an existing recipe or invent something completely new, using their creativity to prepare a cool and healthy summer treat that requires little or no baking...
Discovering Bats: Nighttime Superheroes program reaches youth across southern Illinois
SOUTHERN ILLINOIS – This summer, youth across southern Illinois explored the fascinating world of bats through the program, Discovering Bats: Nighttime Superheroes. Through interactive storytelling, hands-on activities, and educational games, participants learned about one...
Extension launches Health and Community Wellness, Center to strengthen Illinois communities
URBANA, Ill. — University of Illinois Extension is launching its new Health and Community Wellness (HCW) program area to better meet the needs of Illinois residents as communities and families face challenges related to health, food and nutrition, family relationships, and financial well-being....
Field day offers in-depth look at commercial pumpkin production
BELLEVILLE, Ill. — Pumpkins are big business in Illinois. In 2024, the state harvested more than twice the pumpkin acreage of the next five states combined, topping 485 million pounds. As Illinois...
Get ready for the autumn season by enjoying the Summer Twilight Series at Friendly Farms!
EDDYVILLE, Ill. – This summer has brought together people from all walks of life to explore and deepen their appreciation for the diverse agricultural landscape of southern Illinois through the Summer Twilight Series. Illinois Extension looks forward to the final installment of the series with a...
Envisioning the next 150 years of crop research with the Alma Mater Plots
URBANA, Ill. — A couple of miles south of the main quad at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, a remarkable agricultural experiment is taking shape. The so-called Alma Mater Plots are unique in their setup — with 64 one-acre plots, each...
Field Day offers an in-depth look at research at Dixon Springs Agricultural Center
SIMPSON, Ill. – Dixon Springs Agricultural Center is a University of Illinois research center dedicated to agricultural innovation, hands-on education, and rural development in the heart of southern Illinois. Since 1934, DSAC has supported farmers, landowners, and communities with practical,...
