Local Foods and Small Farms Blogs

WeatherJune began with much-needed rainfall, with most areas receiving 1-3 inches over three days. Temperatures remained consistent at the start of the month, ranging from 70-80°F during the day and dropping to the 50s at night, accompanied by periodic showers and storms across the region. However...

Dr. James Santiago, assistant professor and Illinois Extension horticulture specialist, is seeking grower input with this organic production survey. This 10-item...

Tomato and pepper harvests began during the middle of June, but the last week of June really saw an increase in ripe tomatoes. Typically, with transplants set out the first week of April, tomato harvest begins in late June, but the first really big pick is around July 6 or 7. This year I think the...

Research update from Karuna Kafle, master's student working in the Specialty Crops Entomology Lab, University of Illinois Department of Crop SciencesPlum curculio continues to be a serious concern for most peach orchards in Illinois...

In addition to peach harvesting in the southern part of the region of cultivars like ‘Glenglo’, ‘PF 5D Big’, and ‘Sentry’, sweet corn harvesting started the last full week of June in the St Louis Metro east.  Comparatively, the northern part of the region is harvesting peaches in the ‘PF 8...

Muskmelons are considered a high value crop in Northern Illinois and continue to be a popular choice at farmers markets. Certain specialty melons like cantaloupe and honeydew are often too big to enjoy in one sitting, which can negatively affect fruit quality in just 1-2 days. However, muskmelons...

Animals of all kinds, whether they are wildlife, domesticated animals, work animals, pets, or pests, are all potential sources of contamination to fresh produce and water sources on the farm. Animals can track their feces containing harmful microorganisms from one place to another so their presence...

Peaches hanging in there - On Friday, May 16, tornadoes impacted several locations across Missouri, Illinois, and Kentucky.  Many in surrounding areas not directly affected by the...

Since 2016, the Rockford Illinois Extension office has been home to a small planting of honeyberry (also known as haskap) bushes. Originally supported by a Specialty Crops Block Grant, the project explored the potential of honeyberries—and goji berries—for Northern Illinois growers. (Spoiler: goji...

Mechanical termination of the annual ryegrass cover crop has continued to be a problem in the treatment tunnel. Some of the annual ryegrass plots have continued to regrow even after two cuttings. These last two cuttings were a challenge because the tomato transplants were already set and tied with...