Blog Posts

Thanksgiving meal
Read article: Feeding the family without overspending
Feeding the family without overspending
The Thanksgiving season is a time of year many people associate with eating food and spending time with others. Balancing your spending with...
Michael Howard and his wife Amelia Howard hold vegetables from their farm
Read article: Reclaiming the land: The story of Eden Place Farms
Reclaiming the land: The story of Eden Place Farms
How an urban farm is healing history and feeding ChicagoIn the heart of Chicago’s Fuller Park, a quiet revolution has taken root....
Tony Stirling holding a row of his hydroponic lettuce
Read article: More Than a Warehouse: Down at the Farms’ Satellite Hubs Fuel Food Access
More Than a Warehouse: Down at the Farms’ Satellite Hubs Fuel Food Access
Every Tuesday, Tony Stirling of Valley Fresh Harvest hauls 150 pounds of lettuce from his...
Two apples and two bananas on a wood table with a gray brick background. Sugar cubes sit in front of fruit
Read article: Fruit isn't too much sugar
Fruit isn't too much sugar
"Bananas are too high in sugar, right?" asked a class participant last week. A few years before, a class participant asked if her teenager could have...

News Releases

yellow and orange pumpkins with smiley faces
Coming together for a gourd time for five years
Lincoln Memorial Picnic Grounds was a busy spot this week as families attended Illinois Extension’s fifth annual Pumpkin Extravaganza event. Over 115 attendees came out to the park to learn about pumpkins, taste pumpkin treats, make pumpkin crafts, and play games.  Twelve different stations...

Videos

How an Urban Farm Turns Concrete into Community with IL-EATS

On an abandoned parking lot in Chicago, Urban Canopy is transforming concrete into community. With support from the IL-EATS program, the fresh food they grow stays right where it’s needed most – in their own neighborhood. For more information about Urban Canopy, visit:...

IL-EATS Delivers Dignity, Local Food, and an Applesauce Surprise

At the Collinsville food pantry, Director Stacy Jones makes sure every client is treated with dignity. With help from IL-EATS, they’re able to provide high-quality, locally sourced food that aligns with their mission. One client loved the applesauce—and received a heartwarming surprise when she...

Staff

Mark becker

Mark Becker

4-H Youth Development Extension Specialist, Food Systems
Makala Bach

Makala Bach

LFPA Family and Consumer Sciences Visiting Outreach Associate