AGvocating for Agriculture

02/25/2024

10/21/2022

Just in time for Halloween!! 🎃

From Pumpkin Spice Lattes to the Jack-O'-Lanterns 🎃 on your front step, Illinois pumpkin producers like Leon Adams are working hard to deliver the sights —and tastes — of the season to consumers in the #1 pumpkin producing state. Illinois Specialty Growers Association

Here's a few fun facts about Illinois pumpkin production! Which one is your favorite?? 🍁🍂

Read more about Southern Illinois farmer Leon Adams and his experiences growing pumpkins for Frey Farms. 🎃 https://www.farmprogress.com/crops/pumpkins-not-faint-heart

08/30/2022

Whether you eat animals or not, animal agriculture is important for restoring environmental and soil health.

The soil on the left is the result of regenerative agricultural practices being implemented and holds significantly more organic and Carbon matter. Sheep and cattle were carefully managed and rotated on the land. They ate the grass, deposited their urine and dung and were then moved away to let the grass grow back quickly.

The cycle is then repeated at a later date depending on season variability and vegetation recovery. This allows the pulling of carbon into the soil. It is darker because carbon from the atmosphere is now in the soil making it more nutrient rich and dense.

The soil on the right is from a commercial farm that grows grain and uses no animals on the land.

The soil with more carbon holds a lot more water (roughly 150,000 liters of water per hectare for every 1% of carbon that’s added) and is full of microbes.

Animals play a crucial role in regenerating the land and getting carbon into the soil when properly managed.

These ‘regenerative’ practices also can be applied to crop management through the careful integration of livestock.

08/02/2022

Cleared some velvetleaf (A LOT 😬) out of my pollinator patch over the weekend (got behind due to a ton of pet sitting in July).

You can actually see some pretty flowers now! 🌸🌼🌺🌻 Enjoy the Zinnias and other cute flowers!

07/07/2022

Tomorrow morning at 7:15 ET, 99% of the world's population will have something in common:

We'll all be on the side of the 🌎 facing the ☀️, meaning all of us will be experiencing some degree of sunlight at the same time!

07/04/2022

Happy 4th of July!! I hope everyone has a fun and safe holiday! 🇺🇸

06/22/2022

Happy 1st day of Summer!! 🌸

•The summer solstice occurs when the sun is at the highest point in the sky, making today the longest day of daylight hours.🌞

•During the summer solstice, the Arctic Circle experiences 24 hours of sunlight. ☀️

•During the summer solstice, the sun is directly over the Tropic of Cancer.

•The summer solstice usually occurs around June 21st and the winter solstice usually occurs around December 21st. ☀️❄️

Happy Summer!! 🌤

06/22/2022

Happy Pollinator Week! 🐝🦋🦇

Happy ! 🎉🐝🦋🦇 This week marks our sixteenth consecutive year of bringing greater awareness to the critically important issue of pollinator conservation since we founded the initiative in 2007.
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“We are proud that Pollinator Week is recognized by proclamations in nearly every US state and top government agencies. Pollinator Week focuses on expanding the conversation about the health and importance of pollinators, helping people everywhere and of every political stripe increase supportive action for pollinators,” said Pollinator Partnership’s Executive Director, Kelly Rourke. “We rely on pollinators to bring us 1 in every 3 bites of food. The vital role they play in biodiversity and healthy ecosystems cannot be understated.”
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One of the most anticipated events will be the Pollinator Power Party co-hosted with the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI). The virtual party will include talks by international experts on pollinator-friendly gardens, honey production, moths and butterflies, and an exploration of Pollinator Myths! Register for the party at https://www.eprievents.com/event/18dc6807-0d1c-410f-8502-55c5e9146529/summary.
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The world will be buzzing with events that will be happening throughout the week across North America. We can take heart in the worldwide response to Pollinator Week and join with one another to celebrate and protect pollinators! More information can be found at http://www.pollinator.org/pollinatorweek.
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