Growing degree days since April 1: 496 GDD at Springfield (Average (11 year average 477) (From the Illinois State Water Survey Degree-Day Calculator)
4 inch soil temp: 56.8°F (10 am 4-inch soil temperature under bare soil) (From the Illinois State Water Survey Illinois Climate Network)
Spotted Wing Drosophila Update. Everyone growing blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries should be monitoring in 2014 for spotted wing Drosophila, an invasive pest that infests thin-skinned fruits as they ripen. This insect is known to be present in much of Illinois and will damage these crops severely, making the fruits unmarketable. Peaches, tomatoes, and grapes also are suitable host plants. There is lots of useful information on this insect on a Michigan State University web site devoted to it ... http://www.ipm.msu.edu/invasive_species/spotted_wing_drosophila. A section on monitoring includes instructions on how to make and use traps to detect this insect's presence. (Dr. Rick Weinzierl, UofI)
"Urban Farms: Commercial Farms or Socially Minded Operations" featuring Carolyn Dimitri at NYU Steinhardt and Andy Pressman of the National Center for Appropriate Technology is available on the ATTRA website at https://attra.ncat.org/video/
It's Farmers Market Season Again! There are currently over 375 farmers markets in Illinois with over 1,000 farmers and vendors. For a listing of farmers markets (registered), click here.
The Illinois Farmers Market Association provides educational support for farmers market organizers, farmers, vendors and other community food and nutrition organizations through partnerships, resource-sharing, and training on best management practices, operating procedures, and state regulations through workshops, webinars, and various social marketing venues.
Source: University of Illinois at Urbana