Blogs

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Consider adding fish to your diet

Fish is a great source of protein, omega-3 fatty acids, vitamins, and minerals that can promote health. Fish contain choline, which has been found beneficial in brain development and function. Consider adding more fish to your diet, not forgetting the food safety practices below. Reduce food safety risks associated with eating fishFish can be obtained all year round as raw (frozen or...

Embrace fall: Seasonal gardening tasks

As September ushers in the changing seasons and offers a period of rest for the garden, there are still a few essential tasks to complete this fall. Taking these steps will help ensure your garden thrives with health and beauty come spring.Cut back plants (or not!) Any diseased or insect-infested plants should be removed and destroyed (not composted) before winter to avoid spreading in the...
Recent Blog Articles

Antibiotic alternative aids immune response

Everyone knows that there is a huge debate about antibiotic resistance and the cause(s).  I will not even address that issue in this column - there's not enough space here, plus it is a multifaceted problem.  I read the following article in...
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Probably More Than You Wanted to Know!

My son Wilson researched and wrote this up. Thought it was interesting. Mike     "If life gives you cabbage, make sauerkraut." - Dale Carnegie German for 'sour cabbage', the art of making sauerkraut was probably first practiced in the Far East thousands of years ago. The builders of...
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Fruit Juice Not As Nutritious As Once Thought

Fruit juice may be part of your morning breakfast routine, but some argue that even the natural sugar found in 100 percent juice, is partially responsible for the obesity epidemic and the debilitating diseases that may follow. But does the fruits' healthy vitamins and antioxidants trump any...
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Don't Raise Mosquitoes in Your Yard

Written by Rhonda Ferree, retired horticulture educator Summertime brings family cookouts, swim parities, little league baseball, and the ever dreaded mosquito. Rhonda Ferree, Horticulture Educator with University of Illinois Extension, reminds us that the first step to fighting...
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Turn Off the Oven in the Summer Heat

Anyone else surprised by these high temperatures outside so early in summer? Phew, it's time to get into summer cooking mode. For me, that means using my oven less and adding in more cold temperature recipes. There are a variety of recipes you can make in summer to keep cool. I like these recipes...
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Spittlebugs galore!

Last weekend I visited a local county park. While walking through the nature trails, I came across large numbers of spittlebug masses on herbaceous plants. There were one or two masses per plant, and the plants were usually grouped together in the shade.   The reason for the name “spittlebug”...
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Kindergarten Readiness

One school year has ended, and I hate to tell you, but it is time to think about next school year!  For those of you with children entering school for the first time, here are some tips on what children should know as they enter kindergarten..... Naming & identifying letters, numbers,...
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Sharing Your Garden and a Little Bit of You!

If you are a seasoned gardener or are just starting out with a new hobby, one way to glean numerous new ideas in a short time is by talking to other gardeners. You can share ideas, talk about lessons they have learned – the good & the bad, and ask some of those questions you've been wondering...
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I Love Peas!

Written by Rhonda Ferree, retired horticulture educator While driving around Mason County recently I saw acres of acres of peas. Peas are one of my favorite vegetables so this really excited me! Mason County's irrigated sandy soil grows many different types of specialty crops. In...
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Plant of the Week: Catalpa

While on a walk around my neighborhood this past week, I noticed some lovely large Catalpa trees in bloom. Likely the trees growing in my neighborhood were the Northern Catalpa (Catalpa speciosa), but the other Catalpa species in Illinois is the Southern...
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We Have Blogs on Many Different Topics

Personal Finances

Illinois Extension can guide your family through all of life's stages.
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Great retirements don't happen by accident. Tips for saving and investing your money.

Plan Well. Retire Well.

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Money talk by college students, for college students.

Be Centsible

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Develop and maintain thoughtful and effective financial behaviors using these trusted methods.

Fearless Financial Future

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Find the financial balance that fits your personal budget and financial planning goals.

Finding Financial Balance

Family

In today's hectic lives, families find themselves raising children, caring for elders, and working.
family

Read these timely resources for wellness across the lifespan.

Family Files

Health

Living well means taking time for ourselves so we can be healthy for others who need us. 
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Take steps to living a healthier life.

To Your Health

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Genuine, sustained self-care is an art.

Refill Your Cup with Self-Care

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A journey of wellness dedicated to awareness and the power of knowledge to help you on your health and wellness journey.

Walking the Line to Wellness

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Empowering people to make healthy, respectful and responsible choices.

Community Health: Empowering People

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Working together to address social and structural health inequities

Health Insights Illinois

Nutrition and Wellness

Eating healthy shouldn't be this hard.
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Healthy information for better living

Live Well. Eat Well.

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Nutrition information you can use.

Be Smart, Eat Well, Get Healthy

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Highlighting food, recipes, and ideas for a healthy lifestyle.

Healthy Eats and Repeat

healthy food on table

Helpful tips to make meals easy, healthy and tasty!

Simply Nutritious, Quick and Delicious

Community and Economic Development

Illinois Extension helps communities develop strategies to thrive.
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Strategies for strengthening local economies.

Building Entrepreneurial Communities

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Participants in Illinois Extension Illini Science Scholars Program share their experiences in this unique opportunity. 

Scholars Speak

Natural Resources

We have one planet. Let's work together to ensure its future and ours.
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Dig deep into the types of grasses and their uses in our world.

Grasses at a Glance

Read the latest news in natural resources.

Everyday Environment

field buffer

The Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy guides efforts to improve water quality at home and downstream.

Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy

tornado

Weather impacts food production, transportation, homes, and lives.

All About Weather

Horticulture

From the flowers you enjoy to the produce you eat to the plants that add value to our life, we offer help for growing strong.
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Keeping you (and your garden) growing with good ideas.

Good Growing

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Gardening in Illinois including everything from vegetable gardening to native plants.

The Garden Scoop

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Where northern Illinois gardeners come to find out what's happening out in the yard.

Over the Garden Fence

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Local and statewide information on a variety of current topics for home gardeners and market growers.

Flowers, Fruits, and Frass

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Helping new and experienced gardeners develop their skills and knowledge while encouraging everyone to enjoy the outdoors.

Illinois River Horticulture

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Archive of the most popular blog articles from Illinois Extension

Our Greatest Horticulture Hit Blogs

Local Food Systems and Specialty Crops

Growers are diverse, from urban agriculture and beginning small farmers to farmers markets and organic agriculture.
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Learn new resources for urban growers.

Local Foods | Local Farms | Local People

strawberries

The "Jungle" refers to Elizabeth Wahle's personal St. Louis Metro East garden and it provides the backdrop for her writings about building and sustaining viable food webs and ecosystems within the home landscape.

Welcome to My Jungle

squash soup

A blog for growers, consumers, and backyard gardeners to grow, eat, and connect in the local food system.

Raise, Grow, Harvest, Eat, Repeat

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Connecting you with your food, farmers and community.

Know How. Know More. Connecting Food, Farmers, and Community

carrots in the ground

Ramping up local food production in the second-most populous county in the US.

Cultivate Cook County

vegetables in basket for sale

Conditions can change quickly. As a commercial fruit and vegetable grower, get the latest information as it is available.

Commercial Fruit and Vegetable Growers

 

Agriculture

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The cattlemen's connection to timely topics, current research, and profitable management strategies.

The Cattle Connection

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Whether you're a farmer or landowner, trust the advice from Extension's farm coach.

Farm Coach

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Emerging news and best practices for pesticide use and testing.

Pesticide News

corn

All issues concerning Small Farms, Agriculture, Local Food Systems, and the Natural Resources.

Acres of Knowledge

crops

Current topics about crop production in Western Illinois, including field crops research at the NWIARDC in Monmouth.

Hill and Furrow

Youth Development

We're the friend you've been looking for.
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4-H’s learning opportunities are intentionally designed around four essential concepts necessary for positive youth development: a sense of belonging with a positive group, independence and self-determination, a spirit of generosity toward others, and a wide variety of opportunities to master life challenges.

Our Stories from Illinois 4-H

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Timely information, activities, and resources to help you stay connected to loved ones, the world around you, and yourself.

Connection Corner: Activities for Families