Partners

Many Illinois farms and orchards welcome you, and in Part I of a II-part series on places to visit, come with us to a farm that grows pumpkins and another with apples. Carolyn Brummel with The Pumpkin Wagon, and Tammy Camp with Camp's Orchard share what you might expect on your visit.

Some Illinois farmers grow mums and know how you can keep them looking great now and maybe have them return for an encore performance next year too. Jenny Matheny, who farms with her family in Fayette County, and Carl Smits, who farms with his family in Cook County, provide all the mumbo-jumbo and more on Illinois-grown mums.

Twice a year and sometimes more, you'll likely encounter big farm machinery on our roads. Two Illinois farmers, Renee Deterding, who farms on the Metro East side of St. Louis, and Andy Yarc, who farms in Chicagoland, share what they encounter. Rodney Knittel, Associate Director of Transportation & Infrastructure, Illinois Farm Bureau, provides additional perspective and tips when you might encounter farmers on the road.

Keep those grills going, especially during tailgate season. A pig farmer and grill master, Eric Bradshaw, shares some of his magic with the grill along with Brandon Klehm, University of Illinois meat expert and instructor of it's two-credit "Grilling & BBQ Science" course.

Tips and tricks on end of summer meals, things to try in fall along with handy garden tools to use, ways to divide plants and conquer costs. Jodie Shield, registered dietitian and Partners food and recipe writer, along with Jan Phipps, Master Gardener and Partners gardening writer dish with the details.

Only 8% of U.S. farmers fall in the age 35 and under category. Meet two from Illinois, Katie King, who farms near New Berlin in Sangamon County, and Joseph Ring, who farms near Oregon in Ogle County.

What are the prospects for food supplies here in the U.S. and around the world and what might they cost in the near and distant future? Dive deeper into what we might expect with Brian Duncan, farmer and Vice President of Illinois Farm Bureau, veteran farmers Harry and Dennis Alten, and Mike Doherty, Sr. Economist with Illinois Farm Bureau.

Fairs celebrate the bounty from our fields and gardens. The mother of all fairs in Illinois, the state fair, has some new things planned for this year in addition to traditions. Listen in as Rebecca Clark, Manager of the Illinois State Fair, and Raghela Scavuzzo, Executive Director of the Illinois Specialty Growers Association provide all the details for the fair that takes place August 11-21 in Springfield.

Anything eating away at your garden, yard or field? Conventionally grown or organic, pesticides remain a reality in modern food production to control pests, diseases and weeds. Take in this thorough discussion on the issue and what you can do to continue to grow yet stay safe. We tap into expertise provided by Zachary Grant, Local Food Systems & Small Farms Educator, University of Illinois Extension, Chris Novak, President & CEO, CropLife America, and Maria Turner, Integrated Pest Management Specialist, University of Illinois Extension.

Who loves corn? Hear from a sweet corn farmer about the crop, what you might pay and best ways to prepare sweet corn, and from another farmer who grows it but also the 99% of the other corn in Illinois farmers grow and where all that goes. Norm Diehl farms in Sangamon County, and Marty Marr farms in Logan, Morgan and Sangamon Counties and serves as president of the Illinois Corn Growers Association.