To accomplish the Mission of “building with minds and hands and touching hearts”, the University of Illinois Master Gardner program is gearing up for another year to help others grow through the Master Gardener Training Program.

The Peoria County Extension is currently taking applications for the upcoming certification program that begins January 28 and runs through March 31, 2008. Locations of classes are in Peoria and Tazewell Counties, with the cost being $135.00. Some of the topics include, but are not limited to: Soils, Botany, Woody Ornamentals, Plant Pathology/Disease, and Vegetables. The Peoria County Master Gardener program is open to any adult interested in plants and has a desire to share that with others. Master Gardener is a prestigious designation given to individuals who have completed the training and a minimum of sixty volunteer hours, over two years, at their local University of Illinois Extension office. The diversity of The Peoria County University of Illinois Extension Master Gardener Program offers various ways to obtain the needed volunteer hours. Master Gardeners build across diverse generations, from projects at the Bel-Wood Nursing Home and the Apostolic Christian Skyline facility to the Raised Bed Garden Demonstration Plot and the new Youth Garden at Children’s Home Association in Peoria.

The Peoria County Master Gardeners bridge different generations to touch hearts and also build across diverse needs and venues. With projects at PARC (Peoria Association for Retarded Citizens) and helping the young men at the Youth Farm build their own gardens while they enjoy the fruit of their labor, there is no question why the Peoria County Master Gardeners have been recognized on the state level for “building with minds and hands and touching hearts. The deadline for application is December 1, 2007. If you would like to be part of the Master Gardener program or have any questions, call Roger A. Larson at the Peoria County Extension Office at 309-685-3140.

For other consumer-related questions, call the Peoria County Office at 309-685-3140 or visit us on the web at www.extension.uiuc.edu.

It is going to be several years before this author reaches retirement age. Yet, the gathering of information is necessary to assist me with proper planning. One of those subjects which needs to be considered is that of Social Security. Karen Chan CFP, Consumer and Family Economics Educator with University of Illinois Extension, provides some thoughts on Social Security mistakes to avoid.

“That magic age of 62! You’re counting the months or years until you can begin collecting Social Security. But you could wait until you are 65, 66, even 70. If you wait, you’ll get a larger monthly check. Making the wrong choice could cost you money.

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The past several weeks have proven to provide a great deal of stress for pets, humans and those tress in our yards. David Robson, Extension Horticulture Educator, provides some insight into treating leaf scorch which may develop.

“The hot, dry days of summer are more than a discomfort to many shade trees. Leaf scorch, a non-infectious disease, becomes more prevalent with each hot day.”

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Yes, learning can be fun. Just ask the young people who attended the 4-H Camp Clover and Chef School in Peoria Heights in June and July. Lessons were taught in food safety, nutrition, their community, and science.

Now, the fun part comes in. To learn these valuable lessons, these young people made puppets, wrote and performed in their own skits, followed a recipe and learned how to cook. These children’s parents attended the last day of Camp Clover as the “original productions” were performed.

Both Camp Clover and Chef School are programs of the Peoria County Office and are designed, for young people between the ages of 8 to 12, to provide life skills education with a fun learning environment. Each is taught by Peoria County Office Staff who have a concern and a heart for the young people they are instructing.

These two programs were made possible, in Peoria Heights, because of the vision of the Richwoods Township Board of Trustees who realized the need to provide fun, educational experiences for the children of Richwoods Township. As a result of their concern, Richwoods Township entered into a partnership with the Peoria County Office to provide financial support for both Camp Clover and Chef School. In addition to the partnership with Richwoods Township, additional support was provided by the Peoria Heights Kiwanis Club, Peoria Heights Elementary School and the Peoria Heights Library.

If you would like to see one of these youth programs in your community, contact the Peoria County Office, at 309-685-3140 or visit us at:

www.extension.uiuc.edu/peoria.

The Peoria Chapter of IDEA links potential markets with potential producers. This program has grown tremendously since its first inception, through the Peoria County Office, in 2005. On Monday, July 30 University of Illinois Extension is sponsoring a tour of Living Earth Farm, from 9 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. This tour will also include lunch featuring local and organic food.

“Living Earth Farm is committed to a system of agriculture which strives for a balance with nature, using methods and materials which are low impact to the environment,” said owner Anne Patterson. “We never use genetically engineered seed, or synthetic pesticides and herbicides. We use crop rotations, cover crops, companion plants and follow a soil building plan.” Read the rest of this entry »