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clump of Tall Fescue
Identifying Tall Fescue
Last week while leading a guided hike through a prairie restoration, I was able to observe numerous species of grasses – both those that are...
Soybeans growing in a field
USDA’s FPAC conservation mission
Undersecretary for Farm Production and Conservation,...
a patch of Little Barley grass
Identifying Little Barley, a weedy spring annual
As someone who pays close attention to plants, weeding becomes an interesting chore. Instead of just looking for plants that are different than what...
clump of orchard grass in bloom
How to identify Orchard Grass
As we enter May, many cool-season grasses are beginning to flower, which makes them a bit easier to identify. One such grass is a European pasture...
Thunderstorm clouds with lightning strike over rural area with corn fields.
What does the startling, sharp cracking sound of thunder mean?
While I was home from college one summer, an early morning thunderstorm passed over our farmhouse. I was in my room, trying to sleep through the...
bunch of a sedge in bloom
Telling apart grasses, sedges, rushes
This time of year, I start getting emails with questions about how to identify grasses that people find growing in their yard. After reviewing...
Farmers talking
Illinois Farm Bureau Nutrient Stewardship Grant Program
The Illinois Farm Bureau (IFB)...
timothy in bloom with other plants in background
Identifying Timothy, a cool-season grass
When I was a kid, we had guinea pigs as pets, Hershey, Graham, and Tristan. One regular part of their diet was hay. Each pig absolutely loved eating...

News Releases

groups of people holding shovels and with a newly planted oak tree
4-H teams up with community to plant trees in Kendall County
OSWEGO, Ill. – Bluegrass Prairie Park in Kendall County is now home to 25 new oak trees thanks to local youth, community members, and organizations. The group of oak trees will help supplement oak-hickory forests currently under threat in Illinois. In light of this, Illinois 4-H...
groups of people in forested area
Organizations plant oak trees in tornado-damaged portion of DuPage County
WOODRIDGE, Ill. – Boundary Hills in DuPage County is now home to 25 new oak trees thanks to local 4-H youth, community members, and organizations. The group of oak trees, known as a savanna, will help restore this tornado-damaged area, as well as supplement oak-hickory forests currently under...
Invasive Maackii fruit plant with text overlay reading Illinois Invasive Species Symposium
Symposium offers 9 sessions on understanding and controlling invasive species
URBANA, Ill. — Illinois is home to beautiful wild spaces, but invasive species are a growing threat in our forests, lakes, backyards, and agricultural fields. Invasive species pose a serious threat to native species and natural ecosystems and cost the country billions of dollars to combat....

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