Local Foods and Small Farms

Events

Blog Posts
four high tunnels in a row covered with white plastic on a Washington State Vegetable farm
What is a climate analog and what does that mean for specialty crops?
Early in October, I had the opportunity to travel to Mount Vernon, Washington to take part in a climate adaptation academy for Extension...
apples displayed in trays on a table for sale at a roadside market
Washington state study tour on commercial specialty crops
While in Mount Vernon, Washington attending a specialty crop academy with colleagues from other states, we had the opportunity to tour some...
a group of ginger rhizomes in a black tray
Harvest time for the Illinois Ginger Growers Collaborative team
In 2025 and 2026, a group of Extension field staff and small farmers have been working together to better understand best practices of production for...
tiny green seedlings growing in a raised bed with two black tubes running down the bed
From Dixon Springs Ag Center: Fall cover crops up and growing
October is nearly gone, and we have yet to experience a frost event in our area. Our lowest temperatures arrived in mid-October, bottomed out at 37 F...
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News Releases
Green grass with blue sky horizon chicken coup and chickens on grass
McHenry County Farm Stroll 2023
McHenry County Farm Stroll 2023 Offers Tours of 11 Family-Owned Small Farms and McHenry County College Student Farm Woodstock, Ill. – Come out for an autumn day in the country! On Sunday, Sept. 24, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., McHenry County will host its annual Farm Stroll, a free self-...
A group of participants walking in a pumpkin field.
Local growers get fresh research and production strategies at Pumpkin Field Day
BELLEVILLE, Ill. — Attendees from across the Midwest braved the triple-digit temperatures to attend Pumpkin Field Day. The biannual event welcomed growers, educators, and industry partners for a hands-on pumpkin field day that highlighted the latest research, production strategies, and on‑farm...
Carly Whorton presenting at 2025 grocer summit
Illinois Extension hosts second annual Independent Grocer Summit
CARTERVILLE, Ill. — The Southern Illinois Food Access Initiative, a program of Illinois Extension, is hosting the second annual Independent Grocer Summit at John A. Logan College on Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2026. This annual event pulls together independent grocery store owners...
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Videos
From Farm to Community: The Impact of IL-EATS.

Through IL-EATS, Illinois farmers and food access partners came together to strengthen local food systems while feeding their communities. This video shares their experiences and highlights how the program expanded markets, increased access to fresh, local food, and built a more resilient supply...
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Staff
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