by Erin Harper, University of Illinois Extension Persimmon (Diospyros virginia) are Native to most of the eastern United States, from Connecticut south Florida and west to mid-Kansas. There is a non-native species (Diospyros kaki), native to Asia, which has been widely used in breeding and production in the United States. D. kaki has larger sweeter […]
News
Cherry Tomato Basil Bruschetta
Nothing says summer like fresh cherry tomatoes. With that in mind, for week two of our Kid’s Kits program at the Champaign Farmers Market, we’re bringing you a recipe and kit for seasonal Cherry Tomato Basil Bruschetta. Below you’ll find the recipe and video tutorial for preparing the dish. The program is funded by the […]
C-U Restaurants and COVID
by Terri Reifsteck, Visit Champaign County As COVID-19 began to spread in the United States, the local restaurants in the greater Champaign County area stepped up their already rigorous cleaning routines. Our inboxes and Facebook feeds were flooded with new procedures ensuring the safety of guests. But overnight, it all shut down. Illinois’ stay-at-home order […]
Baked Zucchini Fries with Sour Cream Ranch Dip
For week one of our Kid’s Kits program at the Champaign Farmers Market, we’re bringing you some delicious Baked Zucchini Fries with Sour Cream Ranch Dip. Below you’ll find the recipe and video tutorial for preparing the dish. The program is funded by the Nutrition Incentive Hub as part of a mini-grant to support our […]
Tomato Care Basics
by Ryan Pankau, University of Illinois Extension Nothing beats a homegrown tomato! Even when in season, the store-bought varieties just cannot compare to a fully ripe tomato harvested at its peak from your own garden. So many gardeners across American choose tomato plants for their vegetable patch each year for this reason, making it the […]
Sustaining a Pivot in Real Time: Imagining Resilient Local Food Systems
by Carol Hays, The Strategic Collaboration Group, LLC As we all are acutely aware, the COVID-19 pandemic has laid bare the frayed fabric of our nation’s food system. Since the outbreak, news of system breakdown seems to be everywhere we look. Over-reliance on repeated monocropping of largely non-food crops is leaving farmers financially underwater while […]