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Refresh your grass identification skills

Spring is here and plants are greening up and leafing out almost 3 weeks ahead of schedule! My neighbors and I have already been out and about doing yard work and getting ready for the new season.  As we shake off the winter doldrums and welcome new spring life, it’s time to refresh your plant identification skills! I’ve already seen grasses in bloom (yes, you read that correctly!) so let’s go...
Periodical cicadas in Illinois in 2024. A black cicada with orange wings and red eyes rests on a green leaf

The cicadas are coming! Periodical cicadas in Illinois in 2024

Can you hear them? Probably not yet, but soon, Illinois will be awash in the songs of periodical cicadas. This year (2024) is a big year for periodical cicadas in Illinois, where Broods XIII and XIX will be emerging throughout much of the state at the same time. This is the first time this has happened since 1803, and it won’t happen again until 2245! Despite some talk of an impending insect...
Recent Blog Articles

POTW: Tiger Lilies

Plant of the Week! This week the Tiger Lilies (Lilium lancifolium) are blooming beautifully in my garden. Tiger lilies are actually a bulb, similar to how all other true lilies grow. This lily in particular grows to about 4 ft in height and has formed a...
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Green Roofs Becoming More Popular

Written by Rhonda Ferree, retired horticulture educator Recently I toured the Illinois Department of Agriculture's green roof on their administration building at the State Fairgrounds in Springfield. It is an impressive sea of green sedum growing atop a structure of concrete and steel....
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Frozen Pops, Too Good to Stop!

A hot summer day often calls for an icy cold treat. While ice cream and popsicles are both adult and kid favorites, they're typically loaded with added sugars and sometimes fat. Luckily, there are numerous frozen snacks that are kid-friendly, healthy, and so simple to make! Stock your fridge and...
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Vine Crops – Bugs and Disease

Down the Garden Path Richard Hentschel, Extension Educator Cucumbers, Squash, Zucchini, Pumpkins and Melons are all considered vine crops out there in the garden. Cucumbers are known for attracting cucumber beetles and a disease called cucumber wilt. Squash attract the squash bug and squash vine...
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variety of herbs hanging

7 reasons to grow & use fresh herbs

These are my top 7 reasons why you should grow and use fresh herbs more often They are always available- herbs are easy to grow year round. I am in constant need of herbs whether I'm cooking breakfast, lunch or dinner and it would be a major pain if I had to keep running back to...
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Scouting in 2014 can inform decisions for 2015 and beyond

Although 2014 variety and hybrid selections were made long ago and foliar fungicide decisions are likely already made because of scouting that took place before tasseling, additional scouting throughout the 2014 growing season can continue to provide important information needed for future growing...
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Sensory Bins

Science proves that at a very young age children begin to touch things to learn about them.  Sensory bins are a great way for toddlers and some older children to learn more about the world around them through the use of their senses.  The bins can provide tactile interaction, visual stimulation and...
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Aster Yellow on Purple Coneflowers

If you're a lover of coneflowers (Echinacea sp.), then this is your time of year. The coneflowers are blooming beautifully in many gardens across Northern Illinois. Some gardeners have made note though, that their purple coneflowers in particular are looking a little peculiar this season...
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Recipe Rescue: Mozzarella Sticks

Mozzarella sticks are always a crowd pleaser, but with that fried cheesy goodness comes a lot of fat and calories. Here's a healthier version that's a delicious option to serve at parties or just make when you need a fix. (Scroll to the bottom of the post for a printable PDF version of...
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Youth Cattle Shows Help Build Future Leaders

County fair season is in full swing. It is easy to get bogged down in the frantic preparation and certainly the competition. However, taking a deep breath and looking at the big picture can bring realization of the true purpose of youth livestock exposition. Youth livestock shows are projects that...
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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.
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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

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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

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Read the latest news in natural resources.

Naturalist News

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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

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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

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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

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

Cultivate Cook County

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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

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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