Local Foods and Small Farms Blogs

This month's weather information from Trent Ford, Illinois State Climatologist, 217-244-1330,  twford@illinois.edu.A mild May wrapped up the 4th warmest spring on record in Illinois and the warmest since 2012. The warm spring added to a very mild winter...

I stopped by a large produce grower in my area, Maddox Sweet Corn Farm, and Ted showed me their grafted versus non-grafted heirloom tomato trial. In the photo (photo credit: D. Gucker Illinois Extension 2024), the row of tomatoes on the left and the row on the right are the same tomato variety. The...

Spring cover crops are mainly now reaching their end.  Many have been incorporated or terminated and either planted into or getting ready too. This is year 2 of my no-till/cover crop tomatoes and peppers in a small garden type area.  This is an extension of a research project from...

Out in the field, most crops have been off to a good start. There was a week or two of some downtime on planting due to the wet weather, but some of that is starting to resume. Harvest of peas, greens, and other spring vegetables is underway. Asparagus harvest is nearing the end with an early start...

In our current research project, “Strategies for Improving Biological Control of Insect Pests for Vegetable Growers Utilizing High Tunnels”, the second treatment or strategy besides establishing and overwintering cover crops is growing a row of cut flowers within the same high tunnel as...

Out in the field, spring plantings have been off to a good start.  Cool season crops have been very happy.  I have early planted radishes and spring greens approaching harvest.  Potatoes are planted and I set out some spring cauliflower and broccoli the first of the month and it is...

Throughout the St Louis Metro East, the season is running roughly three weeks ahead of schedule, with asparagus in its third week of harvest and plasticulture strawberries in their first week of harvest. Apples are up to 5mm fruit size and thinning of fruitlets is in progress. Prior to “traditional...

Based on observations and considering results from peach brown rot research in the past three years, the following information is in regards to a spray schedule for peach trees without fruit: The important diseases: Leaf curl: A serious leaf disease, regardless of fruit crop....

Cover crops are always on the move in April.  I said “explosion” because for many overwintering cover crops it is almost that.  Some can grow over 1” or more per day this time of year! Fall Cover Crop Mixtures Here is a quick update on some early fall planted spring...

Crops are responding to warm spring temperatures and increased daylength. The crimson clover cover crop began flowering on March 29 and by April 3 was in full flower and ready to be terminated. In our current research project, “Strategies for Improving Biological Control of Insect Pests for...