Growing degree days since April 1: 2264 GDD at Springfield (Average (11 year average 2203) (From the Illinois State Water Survey Degree-Day Calculator)
4 inch soil temp: 87.8°F (10 am 4-inch soil temperature under bare soil) (From the Illinois State Water Survey Illinois Climate Network)
Now is the time to be ready for planting fall and winter crops. For a good overview of this strategy, watch this You Tube video - Growing Vegetables Year Round, Fall and Winter Vegetable Production: Four Keys to Success from U of I Extension.
Check out SARE's (Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education) Season Extension Topic Room. Season extension--a web-based collection of guides, bulletins, and other materials that grew out of SARE-funded projects and research.
The 2014 Pumpkin Field Day will be held on Thursday, September 4, 2014, from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm, in Southern Illinois at the University of Illinois Extension, Ewing Demonstration Center 16132 N. Ewing Rd; Ewing, IL 62836, located about 20 minutes south of Mt. Vernon, IL.
It's Farmers Market Week. Make sure to celebrate by visiting you local farmers market. Click here for more information.
Source: University of Illinois