Urban beekeeper's planned expansion pays off during pandemic
Approaching the hives along the Metra tracks on Chicago’s south side the smell of grass smoke intensifies as Oscar Villa, beekeeper and owner of...
News Releases
Cook County invests in the future of urban agriculture
URBANA, Ill. – From helping backyard gardeners provide locally grown foods to supporting the growing urban agriculture system, new University of Illinois Extension staff are dedicated to meeting the needs of diverse communities.
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Cook County grows horticulture team with new bilingual educator
URBANA, Ill. – Whether you’re growing backyard fruits and vegetables, tending a few well-loved houseplants, or responsible for landscaping, gardening is a challenge. The University of Illinois Extension team of horticulture experts connects...
Mercer County Ag Literacy Program Helps Youth Celebrate Agriculture
(VIOLA, Ill.) This spring, first graders at Winola, Apollo, Sherrard, and New Boston elementary schools took part in a “Celebrate Ag” poster coloring contest, and second graders at all Mercer County schools participated in a placemat coloring contest with the winning placemats to be used at...
Map reveals widespread lead pollution in Chicago backyards, parkways
URBANA, Ill. – In backyards and community gardens across Chicago, growers tend fruit and vegetable crops as diverse as the city they live in. Most have one thing in common – lead lurking in the soil.
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