University of Illinois Extension

Blog Posts (16)

CSA: What is it, and why should I care?

Black currant: growing favor for a blast of flavor.

black currants

Winter Care for Backyard Chickens

Local foods offer a cornucopia of fresh Thanksgiving options

Beets, parsnip, squash and apples

Growing and Harvesting Okra

The okra plant produces cream colored flowers. Once pollinated, these will produce the okra pods to harvest and cook.

Creating a vision for your urban agriculture project

Path through prairie grass

Farmers are my kinda people

Photo of Michelle Sirles with farmer t-shirt

Cleaning, Sanitization, and Disinfection on the Produce Farm: What’s the Difference and Why Does It Matter?

Washing sinks

Sub-Freezing Spring Temperatures and Crops

How cold is too cold for my crop?

How to Plant a Fruit Tree

Planting a fruit tree requires digging a hole the size of the roots.

Home Cook to Small Business: Start your Side Hustle as a Cottage Food Operator

Frost Seeding Pastures and Hay Fields

cattle in a pasture

The Reality of Growing Plants for a Living

The Reality of Growing Plants for a Living

Ephiphany Farms brings 'farm to fork' to backyard gardeners

Epiphany farms owner Ken Myszka speaks into microphone

Farmers, have you checked your stored grain lately?

$Pile of stored grain corn$

Parsnips – An Underrated Vegetable

Parsnips

News Releases (44)

Communities searching for answers to food system gaps

Dream big with expert updates for northern fruit, vegetable farmers

Southern Illinois growers rely on Extension's sound production advice

Illinois Extension grows local foods team with new educator in Central Illinois

Stateline Fruit & Vegetable Conference: Pumpkin Varieties & Hard Cider Production

Improve profitability, sustainability of local food, small farm specialty operation

Annual Conservation Cropping Seminars now available online

Learn how to start a community garden on January 20

CropFlix takes annual crop management conference online with binge-worthy content

Attend every session of 2021 Illinois Specialty Crop Conference

Be creative with your Thanksgiving meal

Local foods offer a cornucopia of fresh Thanksgiving options

Farmdoc Illinois Economic Summit: Farm management guide in difficult times

Healthy Meals in the Field for Farm Families

Have You Inspected Your Well?

Extension initiative supports urban ag programs, career paths for youth

Make hitting the hay a priority during harvest

Take time for electrical safety during fall harvest

Farmdoc expands field crop resources with launch of new website

Funding increases fresh produce availability to local residents in need

New educators and specialists join Illinois Extension team

Learn to extend your gardening season at free Extension webinar

Raise chickens in your own backyard

Enjoy home-grown asparagus with backyard gardening webinar

Follow safe food production practices: COVID-19 facts for farms, markets, and gardens

Time to Prune Your Raspberry and Blackberry Plants

Over 50 Fruit and Vegetable Growers Attend University of Illinois Extension’s Stateline Fruit and Vegetable Conference

Local Foods and Small Farms Educator Joins Extension

Produce Safety Alliance Grower Training

FSPCA Preventive Controls for Human Food Certification Training

Farm Life is Uncontrollable, Know the Warning Signs of Stress

Small Farmers Invited to Free Extension Webinars

Extension to Host Industrial Hemp Workshops throughout Southern Illinois

Extension staff honored for ag literacy programming

Produce Safety Alliance Grower Training Course

Produce Safety Alliance - Grower Training Course

Extension Highlights Research at Jackson County

Extension Hosts Ewing Agronomy Field Day

Jackson County Extension Office to Host Twilight Meeting

Dixon Springs Ag Center to Host Twilight Meeting

Mileur Orchard to Host Upcoming Twilight Meeting

Twilight Meeting Provides information on High Tunnels to Local Residents

Residents Learn about Production and Marketing of Fruit

Ewing Agronomy Field Day

Staff (8)

Sara Farley

Sarah Farley

Extension Educator, Local Food Systems and Small Farms

Nick Frillman

Nick Frillman

Extension Educator, Local Food Systems & Small Farms

Doug Gucker staff photo

Douglas B. Gucker

Local Food Systems and Small Farms Educator

Erin Harper Image

Erin Harper

Local Food Systems and Small Farms Educator

Dena Hyde

Dena Hyde

Agriculture Program Coordinator

Grace Margherio

Grace Margherio

Local Foods and Small Farms Educator

Kathryn Pereira

Extension Educator, Local Food Systems and Small Farms

James Theuri

James Theuri

Extension Educator, Local Food Systems and Small Farms