Illinois Partners

These refreshing salad recipes are perfect for summer. 🥗

4 Cool Summer Salad Recipes Refreshing make-and-take summer salad recipes liven potlucks and picnics.

Throughout the state, cattle and hog farmers offer direct sales of beef and pork in bulk quantities that fit household needs and freezer availability.

Going Whole Hog (and Cow) with Local Meats (VIDEO) Local Illinois meat experts divulge their top tips and tricks for choosing the best cuts of meat in beef and pork and cooking them to perfection.

After working at her family’s dairy farm, Leanne Casner was prepared for army life and also to return her family roots.

Dairy Farming Prepared Veteran for Anything (VIDEO) After working at her family's farm, Clavin Dairy Farm, Leanne Casner was prepared for army life and also to return her family roots.

If you love pie, put Blue Springs Cafe in Highland at the top of your list of places to visit. 🥧

Have You Tried the Sky-High Pies at Blue Springs Cafe? Highland-based Blue Springs Cafe is a community staple, known for its "Foot-High Pies" that are topped with a mountain of meringue.

Sangalli’s Italian Steakhouse is known for its mellow yet dignified atmosphere, great food and outstanding service.

Sangalli’s Italian Steakhouse Focuses on Local, Fresh Ingredients Sangalli’s Italian Steakhouse uses fresh, local ingredients to create a delicious menu composed of mouthwatering steaks, pasta, house-made sauces and more.

As farmers are constantly working toward more sustainable and efficient methods of growing food, drones are becoming more popular than ever.

Why Farmers Use Drones

Home baking and food preservation have seen a resurgence in recent years as aspiring business owners research the steps for taking their hobby to the next level.

Home Kitchen and Cottage Food Businesses Flourish in Illinois Home kitchen businesses, including cottage foods, thrive in Illinois thanks to an array of resources, regulations and trainings.

Learn the difference between invasive and aggressive plants and how they can affect your garden.

Invasive or Aggressive? What Homeowners Need to Know About These Types of Plants Learn the difference between invasive and aggressive plants and how to avoid those that have an unwanted impact on the ecosystem around them.

Keep the kitchen cool this summer with these tasty no-cook recipes. 🥗

4 No-Cook Summer Recipes In the sunny days of summer, there's no time to cook! Enjoy the season with easy, delicious no-cook recipes.

Discover eight sensational summer stops for your Piatt County itinerary.

8 Sensational Summer Stops in Piatt County Summer in Piatt County's Monticello is full of fun activities and entertainment for the community and visitors to enjoy, including parks, museums and more.

Mark your calendars for these August events in Illinois! ☀️

August Events in Illinois See all the fun events happening in Illinois this August.

A trip to Heritage Canyon in Fulton includes a peek at 19th-century farm life, thanks in part to the efforts of a Whiteside County farm family.

Heritage Canyon Showcases Farming Heritage Teaching Lessons From the Past

Harvest your backyard bounty and enjoy these four easy recipes starring homegrown favorites. It doesn’t get more local than that!

4 Fresh Summer Recipes to Make with Your Backyard Harvest Turn your garden vegetables into delicious dishes this summer, with recipes like Summer Minestrone, Cucumber-Sweet Basil Sorbet and more.

We asked Christian County farmer Amy Heberling how she keeps her animals cool and comfortable during the hottest months of the year.

Ask a Farmer: How do you keep your animals from overheating in the summer? Learn how Illinois farmer Amy Heberling keeps the animals on her farm cool and comfortable throughout the summer months.

In 2004, century dairy farm owners near Belvidere partnered with their herd’s veterinarian to form Prairie Pure Cheese. The milk from their cows gets turned into exceptional cheese less than 24 hours after being harvested. 🧀

Made in Illinois: Prairie Pure Cheese Century dairy farm owners near Belvidere partnered with their herd’s veterinarian to form Prairie Pure Cheese.

In agriculture, drones are used to survey cattle, monitor plant health, locate damaged crops, define field boundaries and more.

Drones Take Off in Agriculture

DeGroot’s Vegetable Farms, based near St. Anne in Kankakee County, began in the early 1900s as a gladiolus flower farm and is now a group of integrated companies growing and selling fresh produce nationwide, managing logistics in the food and beverage industry, distributing fertilizer, and more.

Q&A with DeGroot’s Vegetable Farms Brothers Andrew, Adam and Aaron DeGroot represent the fourth generation of DeGroot’s Vegetable Farms, based near St. Anne in Kankakee County.

Learn the importance of truck drivers on the farm, helping bring the goods we need daily from field to table and beyond. 🚛

Farmers Need Licensed Truck Drivers Learn the importance of truck drivers on the farm, helping bring the goods we need daily from field to table and beyond.

A buttered ear of sweet corn is a sure sign of summer. Yet, corn endures as a staple in our diets and lives every season. That’s because we use corn in everything from snacks and cereals to toothpaste and shampoo, from crayons and glue to ethanol and diapers. 🌽

Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Illinois-Grown Corn With nearly 11 million acres dedicated to corn production, Illinois ranks as one of the nation’s top producers of corn.

Joe’s Italian Foods & Pizza has become a downtown staple in the small rural farming community of Newton. 🍕

Local Flavor: Joe's Italian Foods & Pizza Joe’s Italian Foods & Pizza in Newton offers a taste of authentic Italian in Illinois thanks to the Cucinellas.

Whether you’re enjoying grilling season, a tasty meal with friends or a delicious family dinner, options abound for enjoying meat raised on local farms in Illinois.

12 Recipes Featuring Local Meats and Seasonal Veggies After you’ve learned a little about the state’s livestock sector from our farm facts story, whip up some tasty recipes showcasing Illinois meat. Whether it is enjoying the kickoff to grilling season, a tasty meal with friends or a delicious family dinner, options abound for enjoying meat raised ...

Nestled on the western bank of the Embarras River, Jasper County features not one but two designated state fish and wildlife areas. Home to just under 10,000 people, the county draws visitors with its plentiful opportunities for fishing, hiking and horseback riding.

9 Things to Do in Jasper County, Illinois Check out these things to do in Jasper County for a fun spring getaway

Happy Fourth of July! 🇺🇸 These grilling recipes are the perfect way to celebrate.

4 Sizzling Recipes to Try During Grilling Season As backyard barbecue season begins, try out some of these delicious grilling recipes from grilled romaine to grilled banana splits.

Savor the summer with these sweet and savory berry recipes! 🫐

Savor Summer Memories With Berry Recipes and U-Pick Farms From picking the berries to whipping up a summer favorite, berries hold the key to savory summer memories.

For many Illinois farms, guestworkers from Mexico are an integral part of farm operations and essential to filling labor shortages.

International Farm Workers Play a Vital Role in Illinois Agriculture Legal international workers offset labor shortage and play an essential role in providing affordable food and other goods.

Discover 10 Illinois flower farms across the state, including a few that offer U-pick fields. 🌼

Find Beautiful Blooms This Summer at These 10 Illinois Flower Farms Discover 10 Illinois flower farms located across the state, including a few that offer pick-your-own fields of beautiful blooms.

Mark your calendars for these fun Illinois events happening across the state this July!

July Events in Illinois Check out this listing of July events in Illinois, including a rolle bolle tournament, bagel festival, thresherman show, sweet corn festival and much more.

Home baking and food preservation have seen a resurgence in recent years. Learn more about the rules and regulations behind certified home kitchens and cottage foods, and meet two Illinois entrepreneurs whose version of “working from home” involves cooking, preserving and baking.

Home Kitchen and Cottage Food Businesses Flourish in Illinois Home kitchen businesses, including cottage foods, thrive in Illinois thanks to an array of resources, regulations and trainings.

Make the most of tomato season this summer with these tasty recipes. 🍅

10 Tasty Tomato Recipes Our tomato recipes showcase the tangy flavor of a tasty favorite fruit so you can enjoy delicious seasonal flavors all summer long.