Local Foods and Small Farms

In our current research project, “Strategies for Improving Biological Control of Insect Pests for Vegetable Growers Utilizing High Tunnels”, tomato harvest has slowed down significantly, due in part to a severe raccoon problem. We have trapped almost 20 raccoons in the past three...

Due to the adverse health effects associated with exposure to dimethyl tetrachloroterephthalate (DCPA), commonly known as Dacthal, the U.S. Environmental...

The level or tendency to form burr knots is usually a noted characteristic for each of the different apple rootstocks, but what is burr knot and why is it a concern?  Burr knot can be described as an apple disorder that results in adventitious (formed accidentally or in an unusual anatomical...

Out in the field everything is thriving with lots of moisture including the weeds! I think we had all forgotten how much rainfall drives weed pressure after two fairly droughty summers the past two years.  All summer vegetables are in harvest and doing well.  The rain has increased...

On July 16, we hosted the High Tunnel Production Field Day. This was the second year for this meeting and we plan to make it an annual event. Last year, USDA NRCS and FSA staff talked about programs that each agency offers to support high tunnel production and specialty crop growers. To build on...

During the weekend of July 12 to 14 and the week of July 15, we had some farms that received quite a lot of rain and severe winds. Some farms reported receiving 7-8 inches of rain while others, like in the Freeport area, had about 3-4 inches. This was combined with very warm temperatures (above 90...

June’s hot, dry conditions were conducive to spider mite flareups, particularly in tomatoes.  Ever wonder why? Spider mites are reported to be susceptible to a pathogenic fungus that, when present, is capable of controlling spider mite populations. But for the fungi to survive and do their...

Monthly report by Trent Ford, Illinois State ClimatologistIllinois experienced a top 20 warmest June on record statewide, but much of that heat came in the first two-thirds of...

In our current research project, “Strategies for Improving Biological Control of Insect Pests for Vegetable Growers Utilizing High Tunnels”, cut flower, pepper, and tomato harvest has started. The cut flowers have been harvested for the past three weeks, since the first of June, while...

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...