Home cooking has taken on some new dimensions for many of us over the last year. Whether you live in the city, suburbs or country, hear from This Farm Girl Cooks food blogger Deanne Frieders, who has a husband, four children, substitute teaching, a crop plus cattle farm and cooking up a storm all on her life’s plate.

We have more options than ever, most which are grown, raised or made in Illinois. Mark Messina, Ph.D., Soy Nutrition Institute, Shalene McNeill, Ph.D., Myriah Johnson, Ph.D., both with the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, and Tasha Bunting, Illinois Farm Bureau, provide perspectives to help you make educated and tasty choices.

The federal government recently released figures on greenhouse gas emissions, while at nearly the same time, a coalition of food and farm sector groups and companies offered up some ideas on ways to spur further progress on climate-related issues by the U.S. agriculture sector. Erin Fitzgerald, CEO of U.S. Farmers & Ranchers in Action, and John Newton, Ph.D., chief economist with the American Farm Bureau Federation, sort out numbers and discuss possible ways ‘green’ options could take place in the future for additional progress.

Extreme weather can result in some long days and nights for farmers raising animals. Hear how evolving technology helps keep the animals they raise well and growing with pig farmer Thomas Titus, dairy farmer Sarah Lenkaitis, and sheep farmer Brad Temple.

These are busy days and weeks for flower farmers. They share how to keep your bouquets looking great longer, what to expect this year when it comes to floral prices, more on bouquet subscriptions, floral designer trends, what happened to flower fragrance, and how to get the best deal. Sharing their expertise is Candice Hart, owner of Pollen & Pastry and President of the Illinois State Florists’ Association, and Stacey Shanks, owner of Locust Creek Flower Farm.

Illinois communities and businesses such as restaurants have adopted innovative ways to connect with you, like as offering new ways to buy groceries, creating bonfire brunches and other outdoor eating events, even songwriting contests. It’s been a tough year for a sector that at one time, supplied half or more of our meals. Hudson Riehle with the National Restaurant Association and Neil Russell with Sysco share statistics on the impact the pandemic has had on restaurants. Nick Povalitis, with the Rockford Area Convention & Visitors Bureau, shares what’s taking place in this Illinois community and one of its restaurants, featured in a recent edition of Partners magazine.

Cure winter and quarantine boredom by planning your new vegetable and flower gardens. Partners gardening writer and Illinois Master Gardener Jan Phipps, University of Illinois Extension Horticulture Educator Kelly Allsup, and Extension Local Foods & Small Farms Educator Nicholas Frillman, fill you in on key things to get you off to a good start.

Hear from Partners magazine food writer, Jodie Shield, RD, and Jenny Yang, who owns and operates Phoenix Bean in Chicago, on all things you might want to know about tofu. Shield provides details on how to warm up with this tasty protein, and Yang shares specifics on where she sources her soybeans, how tofu is made, and where you can find it in Illinois.

Some farmers and groups that represent them welcomed the opportunity to host the creative forces behind a fast-food chain’s advertising campaign that questioned food production’s impact on climate change. Hear what transpired and resulted from Michelle Miller, known as the Farm Babe on social media, and Fernando Machado, chief marketing officer for Restaurant Brands International, which owns and operates Burger King.

Might you, your spouse or partner be looking to strengthen or maybe salvage your relationship? A program exists right here in Illinois, it’s free, and you can participate right in your own home. Find out about Illinois Strong Couples with Allen Barton, Ph.D., Assistant Professor and Extension Specialist, University of Illinois; Karla Belzer and Tessa Hobbs-Curley, University of Illinois Extension Family Life Educators. They help implement this new, statewide relationship education program.