When Spring Has Sprung in Illinois
How Illinois residents celebrate the arrival of springtime.
Recreational Bikers Enjoy Illinois Trail Mix
Illinois cyclists can cruise dozen of trail options throughout the state.
Grow a Green Thumb with The Garden Journal: The Essentials
Take the guesswork out of gardening with Liane Doxey’s helpful book, The Garden Journal: The Essentials.
Young Farmer Builds Toy Hobby Into a Business
Sixth-generation farmer Alan Chesnut founded Top Shelf Replicas, an independent manufacturer of die-cast collectibles.
1,000 Tree Project Plants Seeds, Good Deeds
The 1,000 Tree Planting Project is an all-volunteer effort to plant 1,000 trees on one day every fall in the village of Riverside.
Chicago Neighborhood Gardens Grow Veggies, Community Spirit
More than 600 community gardens across Chicago have sprouted green space in urban areas to grow fresh produce in the city.
Board Game Fever
The boxed entertainment of board games brings laughter and family together on cold winter nights.
Homemade Pine Cone Bird Feeders
Recent research has shown that providing garden birds extra food during cold months helps ensure a more successful breeding season in the springtime.
Eagle Eyes on Southwestern Illinois
Visitors to Southwestern Illinois look toward the skies each winter to spot bald eagles.
Chainsaw Artist Carves ‘Designer’ Firewood
Chainsaw artist Brian Willis transforms tree stumps, logs and firewood into artwork for homes and yards.
Baker’s Memorial Fun Fly
Watch the weekend fly by at Baker’s Memorial Fun Fly, during which the Freeport Radio Control Modelers Club pilot radio-controlled model airplanes all day.
Illinois Photographer Michael Zecher Pictures Farms in the Best Light
Agriculture inspired Mercer County farmer and photographer Michael Zecher to go into professional photography – and it also cultivated his career.
Murals Add Color and Character to Cities Across Illinois
If a picture is worth a thousand words, then Illinois is like an open book just waiting to be read.
Wool Comes From Many Animal Breeds
Sheep are the most prevalent producers of wool, though it also comes from rabbits, goats and alpacas.
Weaving Farm Upbringing and Love of Fiber Arts at Esther’s Place
Natasha Lehrer, a 22-year-old from Big Rock, Illinois in Kane County is the owner of Esther’s Place Fiber Arts Studio, a business she started in a restored Victorian home when she was 18.
Cubs Groundskeeper Plays Key Position
Roger Baird, the groundskeeper for the Chicago Cubs, takes his lawn care seriously. He knows he has a team depending on lush, green grass not to trip them up on the way to making a tough catch.
Children’s Book: Our Generous Garden
Children’s book teaches kids where their food really comes from.
Lipizzans Have an Air About Them
High-jumping Lipizzan stallions date back to royal beginnings. Tempel Farms in Wadsworth, a northwest suburb of Chicago, is the only place in the United States where the rare, white Lipizzan stallions are bred and trained, then perform.
Cozy Up to a Good Book From an Illinois Author
When the weather turns frigid, warm up with an Illinois title.
