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Composting

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close up of old jack o'lanterns in a pile
Read article: Don’t trash pumpkins this Halloween: Smash them!
Don’t trash pumpkins this Halloween: Smash them!
Apple cider and crisp fall air call for Halloween festivities and of course, you can’t forget about pumpkins! It would not be an Illinois Halloween...
carved jack-o-lantern pumpkins with scary faces
Read article: U of I Extension, Rader Family Farms to host 2nd McLean Co. Pumpkin Smash to combat climate change
U of I Extension, Rader Family Farms to host 2nd McLean Co. Pumpkin Smash to combat climate change
U of I Extension, Rader Family Farms to host 2nd McLean Co. Pumpkin Smash to combat climate changeHalloween night may be filled with...
Read article: Reduce methane generation with composting
Reduce methane generation with composting
The problem with food scraps in landfillsIn the U.S., food waste is a big problem. Nationally, landfills and trash incinerators receive 167 million...
daffodils
Read article: Spring Gardening: When is the best time to get started
Spring Gardening: When is the best time to get started
By Ella Maxwell, Extension Master Gardener serving Fulton, Mason, Peoria and Tazewell counties The temperatures this spring have been up...

News Releases

Smash, Don’t Trash, Pumpkins this Season
Fall is the pumpkin’s time to shine, but what happens when it is time to say goodbye to the short-lived jack-o-lanterns? Green your Halloween by recycling pumpkins into compost at a free, outdoor Pumpkin Smash offered by the University of Illinois Extension and Sauk Valley...
An adult assists a young child with smashing a pumpkin at a composting event.
Combat packing landfills by smashing pumpkins with Illinois Extension
URBANA, Ill. — Fall is the pumpkin’s time to shine, but what happens when it is time to say goodbye to the short-lived jack-o'-lanterns?With Illinois consistently being the top producer of pumpkins across the country, there are a lot of pumpkins piling up and filling up landfills across...
Overhead view of compost filled bin during winter.
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...

Videos

Vermicomposting - Turning Leftovers into Soil

When we are asked to describe an ocean, forest, desert, or even our backyard we can give a pretty clear description about what one might find there. When asked what is under the ground, we tend to be unsure and it becomes clear how little we know about what is below our own backyards. Worms come...

Getting Started with Composting

Composting food scraps and yard waste is a positive alternative to sending the waste to the landfill or down your garbage disposal, and the results of composting provides a nutrient rich material that can be added to our gardens. Learn more about how to get started with composting by joining...

Staff