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It has been a tough weather year for farmers, including those who grow pumpkins, mums and other specialty crops. Still, pumpkin growers such as Gail Sasse with Gail's Pumpkin Patch near Beason, and John Ackerman with Ackerman Family Farms near Morton share what you might expect from a visit. And, Ashley Buzan, perennial expert with Woldhuis Farms, Sunrise Greenhouse near Grant Park, shares how this year's crop of mums have fared and offers some tips on where to plant and help keep them looking good.

Some school districts in Illinois have started to source food for breakfast and lunch meals from local farmers and have resurrected scratch cooking. Connie Crawley, Food Service Director for Lincoln School District 27, shares details on how and why her kitchens have made the transition. Chef Greg Christian, who owns and operates Beyond Green Partners in Chicago, provides details on how he and his company make it happen every day and how they help districts and schools use more locally grown food and reduce waste.

The federally-funded program Eat. Move. Save. provides food aid recipients in Illinois with community-based nutrition education. Individuals and families eligible for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits to purchase food have access to information and activities to prevent obesity and reduce the risk of chronic disease. In recent years, the Illinois-based program underwent an evaluation. Hear what's taking place with Trinity Allison, the Senior Program Lead, SNAP Education, University of Illinois Extension, and Daylan Dufelmeier, Director of the Chicago Partnership for Health Promotion, who help carry out the program.

You'll discover four dozen or so things to see and do this fall on this Illinois farm northwest of Chicago. Stade's (pronounced STAH-dees) Farm & Market near McHenry is a family affair with you-pick opportunities throughout the growing season and its "Farmtractions" park where you can have even more fun. In this episode, Vern Stade shares what the farm is all about and how you can make the most out of this and other visits to some Illinois farms that welcome visitors.

In the fourth of a series on farm-, family- and food-related places and events to discover, how about a Garage Band Night where you can bounce from garage-to-garage for great music and fun, or a fun run or walk right plus more on the historic, Route 66? Hear from Gina Willenborg and Carrie Copple with Teutopolis for Tomorrow about their town and event, along with Katie Funk and Jeff Hake with CORE McLean who share what's happening there too. Similar to several of the other communities featured in the series, these communities have participated in strategic planning with the Illinois Institute for Rural Affairs at Western Illinois University.

On a busy block on North Broadway in Chicago, this growing company takes Illinois soybeans and makes them into a product that has been growing double digits annually for more than a decade. In a follow-up to a Partners podcast and Partners magazine and website stories two years ago, Jenny Yang, owner and operator of Phoenix Bean, which makes tofu and food products that use tofu, discusses her expansion and how she works with Illinois farmers to supply what she needs. Harold Wilken, who farms and operates Janie's Mill an hour-and-a-half south of Chicago, discusses the soybeans he grows for Phoenix Bean and why it's important he knows his customers.

Have you been to your local farmers market lately? Despite some challenges this year posed to farmers, most markets have started to burst with a bevy of fresh, Illinois-grown fruits, vegetables, flowers and more. Hear from some of the farmers who sell at markets, such as Quen Von Bergen, Jennifer Kinney and Joe Wanda in northern Illinois. Janie Maxwell, executive director of the Illinois Farmers Market Association, shares what's new and more too.

In the third of a series on farm- family- and food-related places and events to discover, come with us to the only Illinois county that's a peninsula known for growing peaches and other fruits, vegetables and crops. Debbie Kamp, Calhoun County farmer and owner of Hagen Family Orchard shares peach facts, figures and more. Cory Jobe, president and CEO of Great Rivers and Routes Tourism Bureau, describes what else you can discover in this scenic and bountiful part of Illinois.

Summer weather extremes can be tough on gardens and yards. Might yours be in need of a rescue? Victoria Thomas, a farmer and horticulturist from southwest Illinois, shares her expertise on a unique set of plants you might want to consider for your garden and/or yard rescue. Jan Phipps, Partners website and magazine gardening writer, also provides some guidance. From her gardens, yard and farm in east-central Illinois, she discusses drought recovery, eco-dormancy, wildlife damage and some of the bizarre things that can happen to gardens and yards during extreme weather.

A survey to gauge the cost of a classic cookout showed slight relief in 2023. Yet some on the front lines of helping to ensure food security say food pantries remain busy. Hear details on the survey from Roger Cryan, Ph.D., Chief Economist, American Farm Bureau. Discover a creative program known as Partners in Produce, that provides fresh fruits and vegetables to several food pantries in Illinois, from MaryBeth Massey, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Education (SNAP-Ed) Program Coordinator in east central Illinois.

In the second part of a series on opportunities for farm- family- and food-related places and events to discover, consider these activities and destinations to put on your travel calendars. Sheila Hoffman, mayor of Durand, Faith Ackerman, president of Durand Charm, LeAnn Clark, president of Durand Area Retailers, Trades and Services (DARTS), and Kelly Giovanine, executive director of Durand Charm, share why their community is special with an event that might be worthy of checking out. Michelle Misfeldt, board secretary of Revitalize Erie, and Danae Wunderlich, events chair of Revitalize Erie, share what’s taking place there and efforts to keep their small Illinois community viable. Both of these communities have been helped by the Western Illinois University-based Illinois Institute for Rural Affairs, which strives to breathe new life into small and medium-sized towns, villages and cities across the state.

This dairy power couple answers the question, "What do farmers do in summer?" and a whole lot more. Meet Joshua and Emily Reinhardt, who share everything from late night and early morning trips to the barn, robots, milk nutrition, working with family, juggling haying, chopping, mental health and more right from the barn office on their Randolph County, Ill. farm.