U of I Extension-Livingston, McLean, Woodford Counties

🌳🌱 Get Outside and Grow with Us at the Refuge Food Forest! 🌱🌳

Join Nick Frillman, Local Food Systems & Small Farms Educator with Illinois Extension, for a guided tour and volunteer workday at the Refuge Food Forest in Normal, Illinois!

📅 Wednesday, July 8 | 5:30–7:30 PM
📅 Wednesday, July 22 | 5:30–7:30 PM
📍 Refuge Food Forest, 701 E. Lincoln St., Normal, IL

Discover an 11-year-old community food forest featuring more than 15 varieties of fruit- and nut-producing trees, shrubs, vines, and perennial plants. Each event begins with a tour of the site, followed by a hands-on opportunity to help care for this unique edible landscape through activities like weeding, mulching, and watering.

Why attend?
✅ Learn about food forests and edible landscaping
✅ Gain hands-on experience with fruit and nut crops
✅ Support a valuable community resource
✅ Enjoy a fun evening outdoors with fellow community members
✅ Potential opportunity to harvest ripe fruits or nuts available that day!

This event is free and open to all. Please bring gloves, water, sun protection, and any tools you'd like to use (wheelbarrows, shovels, pruners, buckets, etc.). A limited number of tools will be available on-site.

Register for one event or both: https://go.illinois.edu/RFFToursandWorkdays

Come learn, volunteer, and help the Refuge Food Forest continue to thrive for years to come! 🌿🍎

Important Event Update! The Wits Fitness program scheduled for today, June 17th, from 1:00-2:00pm at Eureka Public Library District - Eureka, IL has been canceled due to severe weather forecast. Stay safe and keep an eye out for future program offerings!
🧠Find more upcoming Wits Fitness classes by visiting go.illinois.edu/LMWevents

Important Event Update! Due to weather conditions, the Herbal Tea Workshop planned for this evening has been rescheduled. From Garden to Teacup: An Herbal Tea Workshop will now occur on June 23rd at 6 pm. Spots are still available, so don’t wait to register!

Join Master Gardeners for a fun evening out at the Herb Garden to learn how you can grow herbs in your garden to make the perfect cup of tea. The $25 registration fee includes materials for an herbal tea mini garden and tea blends to take home! Register here: https://go.illinois.edu/HerbalTeaWorkshop

How will you grow?

Enhance your gardening expertise with the Livingston, McLean, and Woodford Master Gardeners! Our Fall 2025 Hybrid Training program offers a blend of online learning and hands-on practice, with in-person sessions held at the McLean Extension office. In-person meetings will take place weekly every Tuesday, from September 8 to December 1.

Applications are still open! Visit go.illinois.edu/MGTraining25 for more details!

OFFICE HOURS UPDATE 🌩️

Our offices will be closed on Wednesday (6/17) at 11:30 AM due to predicted inclement weather. During this time, staff will be working remotely. We expect to return to normal office hours on Thursday (6/18).

To contact a staff member, please visit our staff directory available online 🔗 https://extension.illinois.edu/lmw/staff

For resources to help you stay safe during severe weather, visit: go.illinois.edu/after-the-storm

🌿🦋 Ready for a Nature Adventure?

Discover the wonders of the outdoors with the University of Illinois Extension Master Naturalists at Lexington Preserve on Saturday, June 27, from 9:00 AM–Noon at B in Nature!

Whether you're fascinated by butterflies, curious about beavers, interested in identifying native plants and trees, or eager to spot dragonflies, damselflies, and praying mantises, there's something for every nature enthusiast to enjoy.

📍 Location: Lexington Preserve

Along the scenic 1-mile trail, you'll find interactive learning stations hosted by Master Naturalists and opportunities to participate in the Nature Quest Challenge. Use the iNaturalist app to photograph wildlife and record your discoveries. Participants ages 13 and older can compete for a prize basket by documenting the greatest variety of insect species!

⏰ Plan to arrive by 10:00 AM to ensure you have time to experience all activity stations.

✅ Register today: https://go.illinois.edu/BinNature

Bring your curiosity, your camera, and your love of nature for a morning of exploration, learning, and fun. We look forward to seeing you on the trail!

🌱📸

Come join the exciting new 4-H Coding Summer Camp happening July 13–16! Dive into the world of coding as you learn the basics of HTML/CSS and design your own website all by yourself. By the end of camp, you’ll have a unique website to share with friends and family!

This is the perfect opportunity for 12-14-year-olds to explore what coding is all about, meet other youth who share an interest in technology, and express their creativity in a fun way.

Register now at https://go.illinois.edu/4-HCodingCamp

Attendees are asked to bring their own laptops, but families are encouraged to call the Extension Office if they need to borrow a computer for the duration of camp.

Dial pressure canner gauges need to be tested once a year. Over time, a dial gauge’s calibration can become inaccurate and show an incorrect pressure, which can cause harmful toxins to build up when used. University of Illinois Extension offers pressure canner dial testing at no cost to the community to make sure you're canning safely!

Livingston County Pressure Canner Testing Day will take place on June 18 from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at the Livingston County Extension Office (1412 S Locust, Pontiac, IL 61764). You can:
1️⃣Drop off your pressure canner lid at the Livingston County Extension Office anytime before June 18, or
2️⃣Bring it in on June 18 during testing hours.

After your lid is tested, we'll contact you with the results and pickup information!
If you're not sure whether your pressure canner needs testing, please call (309)663-8306 or email Sky Holland at [email protected].

Our Livingston County 4-H and Woodford County 4-H Youth Development Educator, Alcha Corban, recently brought hands-on agricultural learning to local youth during All Things Dairy Day at the El Paso District Library in El Paso, Illinois

Participants explored the science and importance of dairy production while discovering where many everyday foods come from. The highlight of the program was a hands-on butter-making activity, where youth experienced firsthand how cream transforms into butter through simple agitation. The youth made some yummy treats and had some fun along the way!

Activities and programs like this help youth build connections to agriculture, develop curiosity through experiential learning, and gain a greater appreciation for the farmers and dairy producers who help feed our communities.