Blog Keywords

field of health dark green pumpkin plants

From Southwestern Illinois (Waterloo): Keep your guard up, crop scouting is important for fall crops too!

August 31, 2026

I had forgotten that it could actually rain in August! After the last few years of late summer droughts, the timely rainfall this year in our area has been much appreciated. It is nice to not have summer crops struggling for water and the soil being as hard as a brick. I have...

Finish this story

two rows of apple trees with red fruit hanging and the words illinois beginning orchard academy surrounded by a light yellow oval

Illinois Beginning Orchard Academy (IBOA)

August 31, 2026

Commercial Fruit and Vegetable Growers

I'm pleased to share that registration is now open for the Illinois Beginning Orchard Academy (IBOA), a six-week online course designed to help beginning fruit growers build a successful orchard from the ground up. Following a successful winter cohort, I'm...

Finish this story

a field with strawberry plants set out in rows of black plastic mulch

From Dixon Springs Ag Center: Summer harvest might be slowing but your irrigation needs to stay steady

August 31, 2026

The determinate tomato crop from the high tunnels at DSAC was picked out by the second week of August, which is a bit earlier than normal. A few late season fruits have set on the very tops of the plants, but I doubt they will amount to much of a harvest. The indeterminate tomato plants were...

Finish this story

close up of a person smiling with long brown hair, colorful necklace, and maroon jacket

Illinois Extension welcomes new Local Food Systems & Small Farms educator

August 31, 2026

Commercial Fruit and Vegetable Growers

The newest member of the Illinois Extension Local Food Systems & Small Farms team is Krista Howard. Krista officially started with Extension on August 24 and will be covering Clark, Edgar, and Crawford counties. The Local Foods team is excited to welcome Krista onboard! Any growers located in...

Finish this story

tiny yellowing shriveled up pumpkin fruit with brown flower still attached on pumpkin vine

Why are my pumpkin fruit dying after bloom?

August 31, 2026

Often, I get the question: “My pumpkins bloom, but then the female fruit just shrivel up and die. Why is this happening?”There is no one answer to this but here are some of the contributing factors to why the plant will abort fruit. Good news and bad news - it is nothing you did...

Finish this story

2026 Pumpkin Field Day

August 28, 2026

Commercial Fruit and Vegetable Growers

From seasoned commercial growers to those simply curious about Illinois' signature specialty crop, everyone can enjoy a day centered on pumpkins. Illinois Extension will kick off the fall season with Pumpkin Field Day on Thursday, Sept. 3, at...

Finish this story

Available and ready to help

July 28, 2026

Commercial Fruit and Vegetable Growers

I first want to thank all the growers that have reached out to share their support on my new role as Extension Specialist for specialty crops. I am honored and excited to take on this role! In recent years I have been focused more on row crops, so I am working on wrapping up projects...

Finish this story

black and yellow striped insect on a yellow cucumber flower

From Northern Illinois (Rockford): Progress of high tunnel research and apple season

July 28, 2026

Commercial Fruit and Vegetable Growers

Freeport High School High Tunnel Research, July 2026The cucumber and tomato high tunnel research project at the Freeport High School Student Garden continues to highlight both the benefits and challenges of protected vegetable production in Northern Illinois. Cucumbers have...

Finish this story

healthy apple tree with plenty of leaves but no fruit

No apple crop in 2026? Focus on finishing the season strong

July 28, 2026

Commercial Fruit and Vegetable Growers

As I've talked with apple growers across northern Illinois this June and July, I've heard many variations of the same question:"The crop is gone. What should I be doing now?"For some growers, spring freeze events resulted in complete crop losses. Others have orchards with highly variable...

Finish this story

From Southwestern Illinois (Waterloo): Summer annual vegetable crops in full swing

July 28, 2026

Commercial Fruit and Vegetable Growers

Summer is rolling on, about like a steamroller at the moment! We are in the midst of a summer wave of heat and humidity. Temperatures starting this last week of July are pushing 100 degrees with very high humidity. While we have not had a lot of rain in the past week, the last month has been pretty...

Finish this story

Blog Keywords

Local Foods and Small Farms Blogs