Blog Archive

New homeowners should take time to learn their yard

August 4, 2026

By Deborah Lane, Extension Master Gardener, Serving Fulton, Mason, Peoria, and Tazewell CountiesAs a Master Gardener volunteer, I have learned that many new homeowners arrive with the same concern: they have inherited a yard, but they are not sure what they have. Moving day may bring boxes...

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Nipper Wildlife Sanctuary: A local nature classroom

August 4, 2026

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By Roberta Clifton, Extension Master Naturalist, serving Fulton, Mason, Peoria, and TazewellOff the beaten path, but only 30 minutes from our capital city of Springfield, in Loami, Illinois, is a wonderful place I found in 2015. Nipper Wildlife Sanctuary is a nature stop that offers everything from...

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Supporting pollinators around the clock with native plants

June 25, 2026

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Most people think of bees and butterflies when they think of pollinators. However, many plants receive visits from pollinators in the evening and after sunset. Moths, beetles, flies, and even a few bee species remain active in the evening and overnight hours. They help move pollen through gardens...

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Conservation@Home Member Spotlight: Meg Ray

May 29, 2026

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By Sarah Smith, Illinois Extension Master Gardener and Master NaturalistUtilizing the 2025 Conservation@Home Kickoff event at Pleasant Prairie Nursery as a catalyst, Meg Ray has quickly gained momentum in her C@H journey. Almost immediately following the event, she had her yard certified,...

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orange ditch lilies spreading through dense green foliage

Landscapes that support life: Replacing invasives with natives

May 14, 2026

Many people recognize bush honeysuckles (Lonicera maackii, L. tatarica, etc.) and autumn olive (Elaeagnus umbellata) as invasive species. Still, some lesser‑known plants are also on Illinois’ invasive species list. invasive plants in are the ones hiding in plain sight, including...

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Welcoming spring ephemerals to your garden

March 30, 2026

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By Bob Streitmatter, Botanical Garden Manager at Peoria Park DistrictSpring is a wonderful time to be in a garden, as it comes to life…bright foliage and flowers seem to be everywhere. Walking through the garden almost becomes a celebration, as you spot Spring Beauty, Dutchman’s...

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Top reasons it is important to plant natives

March 30, 2026

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By Gayle Blodgett, Extension Master Gardener and Master Naturalist serving Fulton, Mason, Peoria, and Tazewell counties Native plants are essential to healthy ecosystems because they support biodiversity, conserve resources, stabilize soils and waterways, sequester carbon,...

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Conservation@Home Member Spotlight: Joyce and Gordon Wassell

February 18, 2026

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By Megan Todd, Extension Master Gardener, Serving Fulton, Mason, Peoria, and Tazewell countiesDriving up the street in a Morton subdivision searching for the home of new Conservation@Home members Gordon and Joyce Wassell, one needs no house number to know which place is theirs. All...

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Elwood Wildlife Preserve creates a long-lasting ecosystem for wildlife

February 18, 2026

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By Ed Coleman, Extension Master Naturalist, serving Fulton, Mason, Peoria, and Tazewell countiesIn 2020, the family members of the John Elwood and Mary Elwood Trust donated a 75.5 acre tract of land in Peoria County to the Prairie Land Conservancy, a land trust. Five acres of this was...

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Conservation@Home Member Spotlight: Lynda Sharp-Lower

February 18, 2026

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By Sarah Smith, Master Gardener and Naturalist, serving Fulton, Mason, Peoria, and Tazewell countiesIn 2018, Lynda and her husband Jeff moved into their current home and set to work on taking care of their almost 2-acre property that sits on a small lake, surrounded by other homes. Encouraged by...

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Spring Creek Preserve: Dealing with the invasive plant problem

February 18, 2026

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By Mike McGraw, Extension Master Naturalist serving Fulton, Mason, Peoria and Tazewell countiesSpring Creek Preserve, located in Tazewell County, is a park of the East Peoria Fondulac Park District. Of its 344 acres, 236 have been designated as an Illinois Land and Water Preserve....

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a bird getting ready to eat from a frozen bird seed wreathe

Choose the right feeder and seed for birds in the winter

February 2, 2026

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By Jennifer Bass, Extension Master Gardener, Master Naturalist, and Conservation@Home member serving Fulton, Mason, Peoria, and Tazewell countiesOn Sundays, when the grand kids arrive, they often check whether the bird feeders are full and hurry to fill them with seed for our feathered...

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Celebrating Hot Chocolate Day

January 28, 2026

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Hot Chocolate Day is January 31, inviting us to appreciate the plants and traditions that make this beverage possible. While hot chocolate feels like a simple winter comfort, its story includes an array of flavorful plants starting with chocolate and adding herbs and spices.Hot cocoa and hot...

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Celebrate National Popcorn Day with locally grown Illinois popcorn

January 16, 2026

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Popcorn is one of those simple joys that connects agriculture with snacking. In honor of National Popcorn Day on January 19, it's the perfect time to celebrate one of Illinois' tastiest agricultural products.Illinois: Home of the Nation's Top Popcorn CountyMason County, Illinois, has long been...

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