High temperatures and very high humidity are the current conditions in the St Louis Metro East. The entire region has received rain recently, just not all at the same time or the same amount. In general, soil conditions worsen as you move south, but are improved from the last reporting. Harvest in...

As with other locations across the state, the extremes in weather have been felt in far southern Illinois as well. From dangerously high temperatures and heat indexes and drought conditions of a couple of weeks ago to more tolerable summertime temperatures and significant rainfall events within the...

July has brought a little relief from the drought conditions, but for some that relief has been short-lived. Locally, most areas have received a cumulative total of an inch or more of rainfall this month. Some areas still have been missed for more soaking rains and the moisture has been a “band-aid...

As we get into the later part of July, now is the time to start scouting more closely for diseases and insects in pumpkins. Powdery mildew is by far the most prevalent and common pumpkin disease, but also bacterial spot. Some years, downy mildew can also blow into the area; however, I have not...

Phytophthora blight, caused by Phytophthora capsici, is the most important disease of cucurbits and peppers in Illinois. In wet conditions, the disease may cause 100% crop losses. Following the recent heavy rainfalls, the disease developed in our pumpkin plots near South Pekin in Tazewell...

As I write this, scattered showers are moving through much of southern Indiana. It is unclear yet how much moisture these showers will produce for any given area. What is clear is that May and June have been unusually dry for most of Indiana and Illinois. How will this dry spell affect overall...

Mild dryness in April and early May has quickly transitioned to a problem following a very dry end to May and first few weeks of June. Most of the state has had less than 50% of normal rainfall since mid-May, and parts of central and northern Illinois are operating with 50 to 60% of normal rainfall...

We were thankful for the small shot of rain we received over the weekend (0.5” total across two days). Some locally isolated areas received 1.5 to 2.0” while others barely saw 0.1”, but overall, our region is still very dry, like the rest of the state. Daytime temperatures have been staying in the...

It is still very dry overall across our area. We have had a few scattered rain chances that have brought most at least some rain; however, we are at such an overall deficit, that it just doesn’t feel that it goes very far. Last weekend was the most “widespread” rainfall we have had, but still, some...

Much of the St Louis Metro East received varying levels of rain on Father’s Day, with reports of rainfall from 0.2 to 2.5 inches. Many watched the doppler radar excitedly as rain appeared to be coming right at them, only to see the storm dissipate or skirt around them before finally getting any...

Our production and demonstration garden at the Unity Community Center in Normal received a nice infrastructure upgrade recently — a small high tunnel. Besides adding the capacity to grow protected culture crops over the cooler months for our free community food donation program, it is allowing me...

Illinois has $28M to support local farmers and fight hunger in Illinois through USDA’s Local Food Purchasing Assistance (LFPA) program. LFPA aims to strengthen the Illinois food system over the next two years by purchasing food at fair market value from socially disadvantaged growers and...

Be part of the largest food, farmers market, and specialty crop conference in Illinois. Share your knowledge, lessons learned, or research with industry leaders and growers across the state. Consider speaking at the From Food to Flowers: Everything Local Conference hosted by the Illinois Specialty...