by Erin Harper, University of Illinois Extension Strawberries can make an excellent groundcover for your planting beds. The plants get 8 to 10 inches tall and are just a beautiful shade of green which is lighter than most plants used as a ground cover. There are two types, Junebearing and everbearing. Junebearing plants typically produce […]
Illinois Specialty Crop
Edible (Native) Landscaping – American Hazelnut
by Erin Harper, University of Illinois Extension American Hazelnut (Corylus americana) are native eastern United States and Canada, from Manitoba south to Oklahoma and east to the coast (excluding only Florida). Corylus Americana prefers well-drained loam soils in full sun. However, like many of the native trees and shrubs, are tolerant of a wide range […]
Eggwardo Doesn’t Eat Eggplant, but You Should
Since the mascot for the Champaign Farmers Market is Eggwardo the Eggplant, eggplant holds a special place in my heart. This is partially due to the fact that I am the one who dresses up as Eggwardo. That is right, we have a giant eggplant costume that I wear for special events. Maybe, if you […]
Freshen Your Breath with Fennel
Fennel is another example of an herb or vegetable that I think gets overlooked quite often. Not only can you use pretty much every part of the plant, but it’s great for dogs and cats and their digestion. In fact, although I have no research or scientific evidence for this, whenever I give my dogs […]
I’m Adam, and These Are My Tomatoes
While working at the Urbana Farmers Market for BlueMoon Farm, I oftentimes find myself stocking and helping customers in the area we affectionately refer to as “Tomatoland”. If you’re ever at Urbana’s Market at the Square on Saturday’s you might know the area I’m referring to. It’s the corner of the market that is closest […]
Okra, Not Just For Gumbo
Okra is another one of those poor, misunderstood vegetables that gets a really bad rap. Between people thinking that okra is always slimy, even when raw (it’s not btw), to people dismissing it because they don’t know what to do with it, okra doesn’t get much love. Well, I love okra. I love munching on […]
