New Cloverbud 4-H club starting in Pawnee
PAWNEE, Ill. – A new Cloverbud 4-H club, open to youth ages 5 to 7 (as of September 1, 2023), is starting in Pawnee. A kickoff meeting for interested families will be held Saturday, April 27, 10-11 AM, at the Pawnee Public Library.
Cloverbud 4-H clubs focus on having fun and making...
Spring brings opportunity to forage wild mushrooms
URBANA, Ill. — Spring is a time of change. Migrating birds return. Ephemeral wildflowers start popping up. And morel mushrooms start appearing prompting enthusiastic mushroom hunters to scour forests across Illinois in search of the elusive and delectable fungi.
Determined foragers...
Greenview School is home to an oak tree savanna
GREENVIEW, Ill. – Greenview School District #200 in Menard County is now home to an oak tree savanna thanks to local youth and community members. The group of 25 oak trees, called a savanna, will breathe new life into oak-hickory forests currently under threat in Illinois.
The 4-H Green...
4-H Public Speaking Contest results announced
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – Local 4-H members presented speeches and earned awards at this year’s Logan/Menard/Sangamon 4-H Public Speaking Contest, which was held March 19 at the Sangamon County Extension Office in Springfield.
Awards winners included:
Champion
Ellie...
Spring into composting by reviving a compost pile after winter
URBANA, Ill. — If you haven’t touched your compost bin or pile all winter, don’t worry, you are not alone. It could be filled with kitchen scraps to the top or left untouched since the fall. Getting a compost pile going again after the long, cold winter can be intimidating, but it is possible...
Abe Lincoln 4-H Shooters Hold Air Pistol Exhibition
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. - Abe Lincoln Shooters 4-H currently offers shooting disciplines of air pistol and archery. The Sangamon County program is guided by Certified 4-H Shooting Sports Coordinators. The Illinois 4-H Shooting Sports program is part of the National 4-H Shooting Sports Program which...
Spring back into nature with sustainability tips from Everyday Environment series
URBANA, Ill. — Every spring, nature reminds us of the beauty of the wild spaces that surround us. Wildflowers bloom in the forest understory. Mushrooms pop up overnight in your front yard. The sun sets slowly over a lake. Explore tips to manage the threat of invasive plants, explore the fungus...
Researcher calls on Illinois landowners to participate in historic soil analysis
Illinois landowners could be eligible for $5,000 in free soil analyses and consultation with a University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign research team in exchange for participating in a historic project seeking to learn how soils have changed over 120 years. ...
Root for your favorite native plant in Rain Garden Rumble playoff
URBANA, Ill. — It’s plant versus plant in the return of the Rain Garden Rumble that pits native flowers against each other in a friendly competition to take home the 2024 title. This March, get to know 28 plants native to Illinois by building a bracket and voting for your favorites in the annual...
New study finds Extension offices have vital role in fight against growing number of tick bites
URBANA, Ill. — A tick bite can happen anywhere: a park, your backyard, a farm field. The uncertainty can be scary. Do you pull it out? How? What do you do with the tick? What if you get sick?
A call, email, or visit to the local University of Illinois Extension office can help provide...
Illinois Extension welcomes new 4-H Educator
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – University of Illinois Extension is pleased to welcome Dr. Michelle Norberto-Whipple as the new 4-H Educator serving the Springfield metro area.
“We are very excited to welcome Dr. Norberto-Whipple to Extension. She brings with her over 20 years of classroom...
Illinois SNAP-Ed summits bring awareness to hunger, food insecurity
URBANA, Ill. — One in eleven people in Illinois struggle with food insecurity daily, including one in nine children, according to Feeding America. When families are hungry, making a healthy food choice is not always an easy...
Thriving Communities webinars offered for grant navigation, strategic planning
URBANA, Ill. — Sustainable development in Illinois encounters challenges in balancing resource demand with responsible management. Transitioning to sustainable infrastructure involves substantial investment and planning, including upgrading existing structures for energy efficiency and...
Register for a local 2024 Certified Livestock Manager Training session
URBANA, Ill. — Depending on an operation’s size, livestock manager training certification is required for many Illinois production livestock facilities. Having certified individuals on staff strengthens an operation through shared knowledge and building conversations with individuals responsible...
Shifting USDA plant hardiness map reflects changing climate, changes for plants
URBANA, Ill. — On a cold, blustery January day, it may be hard to remember that 2023 was the hottest year on record. But the newest update to the plant hardiness map, in which half the country shifted to warmer zones, is a stark reminder that the climate is changing and changing fast.
“...
Scaling up urban agriculture: Research team outlines roadmap
URBANA, Ill. — Urban agriculture has the potential to decentralize food supplies, provide environmental benefits like wildlife habitat, and mitigate environmental footprints, but researchers have identified knowledge gaps regarding both the benefits and risks of urban agriculture and the social...
Discuss beef cattle management at Dudley Smith Farm winter meeting
URBANA, Ill. — Discussions and decisions made during the winter months can impact managing a beef cattle operation all year. The Dudley Smith Winter Farm Meeting is a chance to come together to learn through the farm’s traditions, sustainable agriculture practices, and hands-on research...
