Extending Knowledge. Extension Is Here To Help.

Resources and Upcoming Programs

Office update

Our Edwardsville office will be operating under irregular and limited hours until further notice. Our office will be open Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday from 8:00 am - 4:30 pm and Tuesday and Friday is by appointment only. For questions or to schedule an appointment, contact us at 618-344-4230 or uie-mms@illinois.edu. We apologize for any inconvenience and appreciate your patience.

Become a Master Gardener

Master Gardeners are trained volunteers who dedicate their time and skills to share reliable and research-based information with home landscapers and gardeners. Learn how to get involved.

Become a Master Naturalist

Volunteer as a Master Naturalist to educate others about natural resources.

Celebrate 50 Years of Master Gardener impact

Explore urban agriculture at the Jackie Joyner-Kersee Food, Agriculture, and Nutrition Innovation Center (JJK FAN) during the Golden Garden Days Southern Celebration, featuring hands-on workshops, expert guidance, and informative tours.Choose between two tracks: Track A focuses on Local Food, including aquaponics, solar greenhouses, and retrofitting shipping containers, while Track B explores Sustainable Landscaping, covering tree planting, stormwater management, and composting.Grow your gardening skills and make a lasting impact!

Strengthen management skills during spring planting

The series of webinars is another way to dig deeper, consider more plant options, strengthen management, and keep growing. Two new webinars explore the growing impact of invasive plants and how to get rid of them properly, and all about squash, pumpkin, and cucumber pests as garden visitors. The series focuses on home gardening, environmental stewardship, and backyard food production.

4-H Day with the Cardinals

Join us on Saturday, May 24, 2025, at Busch Stadium as the St. Louis Cardinals take on the Arizona Diamondbacks! Enjoy a day of baseball, fun, and 4-H spirit! Secure your tickets today for just $26, which includes a special edition t-shirt. Registration closes April 21—don’t miss out!

Now enrolling: Youth Cooking School

Calling all young chefs ages 9-14! Register now for a fun-filled culinary adventure packed with hands-on cooking, exciting activities, and delicious creations. Don’t miss out—spots are filling fast!

Wellness Wednesday Nature Walk

Discover the power of nature! Explore the positive effects of nature on both your physical and mental well-being. Engage all five senses to fully appreciate the beauty and stress-relieving qualities that nature has to offer. Take a break and reconnect with nature!

Eat well, stay active, and save money

Find tasty recipes, shopping tips, and activities to keep you and your family healthy.

Events

State 4-H Public Speaking Contest

April 26, 2025

Bonus: Gardening Q&A Session

April 29, 2025

Nature’s Uninvited Guests: The Impact of Invasive Plants

April 29, 2025

4-H State Robotics Competition

May 3, 2025

More Events

News Releases

A large agriculture-related dust cloud over a farm field

April 22, 2025

Dust storms in Illinois: Identifying farm solutions
URBANA, Ill. — Dust storms have become an increasing concern in Illinois, prompting investigations into their causes and potential solutions. These weather events have resulted in fatalities, including a 2023...

A tractor pulling equipment tilling across a farm field causing dust

April 16, 2025

Dust storms in Illinois: Examining roles of weather and farming practices
URBANA, Ill. — Recent dust storms in Illinois have raised the question of the cause of these events. In the last few years, these dust events have caused fatal accidents among traveling motorists. Another public concern is the drop in air quality during these storms.Some of the emerging...

View of a layered landscape all green in bloom with flowers, trees, and shrubs in the woods.

April 14, 2025

A layered landscape provides space for wildlife all year
URBANA, Ill. — There are many ways to support pollinators and other wildlife in home landscapes, such as providing floral resources throughout the season, planting host plants, and planting native plants. In addition, consider creating a space for them to live out their life cycles by creating...

a person gives a box of food items to another person

April 11, 2025

Illinois Extension 2024 metrics demonstrate the value of land-grant universities
URBANA, Ill. — Illinois residents, businesses, and communities are gaining transformational knowledge and experiencing quantifiable impact through the efforts of University of Illinois Extension, a unit of the ...

April 7, 2025

High schoolers invited to explore college life in ACES at Illini Summer Academies
High school students are invited to dive into hands-on discovery and explore future careers during Illini Summer Academies, hosted by...

More News Releases

Programs We Offer

4-H Youth Development