The statewide reorganization of University of Illinois Extension continued this month, with the appointments of 118 Educators who will serve in the 26 new multi-county Extension Units across Illinois. Only Cook County remains as a single-county Extension operation.

Although the reorganization was prompted by a shortfall in state funding, staffing decisions have been made on the basis of local program needs, according to Robert Hoeft, Interim Associate Dean for Extension and Outreach on the Urbana campus.

"We've come to realize that we can no longer afford to offer every program in every county," Hoeft said. "Our Unit Council volunteers worked with staff to prioritize Educator needs, and the new organization demonstrates our commitment to meeting the most critical needs at the local level," Hoeft said.

Maintaining and strengthening the 4-H Youth Development program was a high priority in most counties, and the new hires reflect that, Hoeft said. "Our 4-H members and volunteers in every Unit of the state will be served by a 4-H Youth Development Educator who focuses on the needs of those particular counties.

"With the reorganization, most of our Educators will serve a more limited geographic area than they did in the past. They will be able to focus on local needs, without spending so much time on the road," Hoeft said.

Under the old organization, locally funded Educators served just one or a few counties, while many State-funded Educators were responsible for providing programming in dozens of counties. Under the new system, most Educators will serve from three to seven counties.

Money saved by eliminating rent expenses at regional Extension Centers and other administrative overhead will be redirected to support local Educators, Hoeft said. Reallocated State and Federal dollars will provide about one-third of the funding needed to support the new Unit-based Educators, in addition to available matching money from the State of Illinois.

Still, he said, local support from County Boards and other funders is as important as ever.

"State and Federal dollars are allocated on the basis of local support, so maintaining the local funding is absolutely crucial to the survival of Extension programs at the Unit level," Hoeft said. For every dollar invested at the county level, local Extension programs are supported by at least $3 in additional state and federal funding.

The official start date of the new Educators will be July 1, 2011, the beginning of a new fiscal year for the State of Illinois and the U of I.

"In some cases, they may be able to start meeting people and planning programs in their new Units before July 1," Hoeft said. "For example, some of our Youth Development Educators may be involved in planning some summer 4-H activities. In many other cases, Educators already were on staff in at least one of the counties they will now serve, so some of those transitions may begin more quickly, too."

The official July 1 start date will allow Educators who have previous programming commitments to see those through to completion in the next few months, before they move on to their new responsibilities in another location, Hoeft said.

Extension staff members with Master's degrees were eligible to apply for Educator and County Director positions, which were filled on a competitive basis. Statewide, about two-dozen Educator positions were not filled during the internal hiring process. Those positions will be advertised nationally, and searches will be conducted in the coming months.

Extension County Directors for the new multi-county Units were named in October, and they started in their new roles on November 1. Local Civil Service staffing will be addressed in early 2011, Hoeft said.

A complete listing of the new multi-county Extension Units, their County Directors, and Educators follows:

University of Illinois Extension Educators

Effective July 1, 2011

Listed by Extension Unit

(OPEN indicates that the position is unfilled at this time, and an external search will be conducted. Some Educators' appointments will be shared by adjacent Units, as indicated by percent-time figures.)

Jo Daviess/Stephenson/Winnebago - Margaret Larson, County Director

Kim Christman: 4-H Youth

Sandra Stiles: 4-H Youth Metro

Jay Solomon: Environmental and Energy Stewardship

Maurice Ogutu: Local Food Systems and Small Farms

OPEN: Horticulture – 50 percent time

OPEN: Nutrition and Wellness

Boone/DeKalb/Ogle – Vicky Broos, County Director

Johnna Jennings: 4-H Youth

Peggy Doty: Environmental and Energy Stewardship

Ellen Phillips: Local Food Systems and Small Farms

OPEN: Horticulture – 50 perfect time

OPEN: Nutrition and Wellness

Lake/McHenry – James Reeves, County Director

Karen Chan: Consumer Economics

OPEN: 4-H Youth and 4-H for children of military families

OPEN: Horticulture

Carroll/Lee/Whiteside – Joe Schwamberger, County Director

Janice McCoy: Family Life – 50 percent time

Terry Feinberg: Economic and Small Business Development

Diane Baker: 4-H Youth

Peter Chege: Horticulture

Bill Lindenmier: Local Food Systems and Small Farms

DuPage/Kane/Kendall – Sandra Davis, County Director

Laura Barr: Nutrition and Wellness

Deanna Roby: 4-H Youth

Richard Hentschel: Horticulture

Cook – Willene Buffet, County Director

Molly Hofer: Family Life

Rhonda Hardy: Community Development

Rosalind Dale: Leadership and Local Government

Leonard Parker: 4-H Youth and Youth Metro

Marilu Andon: 4-H Youth Metro

Nancy Pollard: Horticulture

Greg Stack: Horticulture

Ron Wolford: Horticulture

Jennifer McCaffrey: Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program*

Jacqueline Wilson: Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program*

Henry/Mercer/Rock Island/Stark – Tony Franklin, County Director

Jennifer Garner: Community Development

Cheryl Geitner: 4-H Youth and 4-H for children of military families

Martha Smith: Horticulture

Janice McCoy: Family Life – 50 percent time

OPEN: Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program*

Bureau/LaSalle/Marshall/Putnam – Jill Guynn, County Director

Rachel Schwarzendruber: Family Life

Ancilla Parducci: 4-H Youth and 4-H Youth Metro

OPEN: Horticulture

Grundy/Kankakee/Will – Beth LaPlante, County Director

Chelsey Byers: Family Life

Drusilla Banks: Nutrition and Wellness

John Davis: 4-H Youth

James Theuri: Local Food Systems and Small Farms

Henderson/Knox/McDonough/Warren – Lisa Fulkerson, County Director

Carrie McKillip: Community Development

Tessa Hobbs-Curley: 4-H Youth

Kyle Cecil: Local Food Systems and Small Farms

OPEN: Horticulture

Fulton/Mason/Peoria/Tazewell – Earl Allen, County Director

Kathleen Brown: Leadership and Local Government

Judy Schmidt: 4-H Youth and 4-H Youth Metro

Rhonda Ferree: Horticulture – 50 percent time

Matt Montgomery: Local Food Systems and Small Farms

Margaret Cover: Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program*

OPEN: Nutrition & Wellness – 50 percent time

Livingston/McLean/Woodford – Cynthia Baer, County Director

Kathy Sweedler: Consumer Economics – 50 percent time

Cheri Burcham: Family Life –33 percent time

Jenna Hogan: Nutrition and Wellness

Cathy Blunier: 4-H Youth

Sandy McGhee: 4-H Youth Metro

Paul Mariman: Local Food Systems and Small Farms – 20 percent time

OPEN: Community Development

OPEN: Horticulture

Champaign/Ford/Iroquois/Vermilion – Ginger Boas, County Director

Kathryn Sweedler: Consumer Economics – 50 percent time

Cheri Burcham: Family Life – 34 percent time

Jamie Kleiss: 4-H Youth

Sandy Mason: Horticulture

Steve Ayers: Local Food Systems and Small Farms

Zachary Kennedy: Community Development

OPEN: Nutrition and Wellness

Adams/Brown/Hancock/Pike/Schuyler – OPEN: County Director

Brenda Derrick: Nutrition and Wellness

Shelby Crow: Community Development

Earl Bricker: Leadership and Local Government

Sheri Merry: 4-H Youth

Mike Roegge: Local Food Systems and Small Farms

Calhoun/Cass/Greene/Morgan/Scott – Aaron Dufelmeier, County Director

April Littig: 4-H Youth

Rhonda Ferree: Horticulture – 50 percent time

Duane Friend: Environmental and Energy Stewardship

OPEN: Community Development

Logan/Menard/Sangamon – John Fulton, County Director

Virginia Kuo: 4-H Youth and 4-H Youth Metro

Jennifer Fishburn: Horticulture

Deborah Cavanaugh-Grant: Local Food Systems and Small Farms

OPEN: Nutrition & Wellness – 50 percent time

DeWitt/Macon/Piatt – Doug Harlan, County Director

Lynnette Mensah: Nutrition and Wellness – 50 percent time

Sherry Fulton: 4-H Youth

Amy Leman: 4-H Youth Metro

Jennifer Nelson: Horticulture

Paul Mariman: Local Food Systems and Small Farms – 80 percent time

Phyllis Herring: Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program*

Christian/Jersey/Macoupin/Montgomery – Denise Kistner, County Director

Amanda Cole: Community Development

Peggy Hampton: 4-H Youth

Gary Letterly: Environmental and Energy Stewardship

Stephanie Porter: Local Food Systems and Small Farms

OPEN: Nutrition & Wellness – 50 percent time

Coles/Cumberland/Douglas/Moultrie/Shelby – Jim Looft, County Director

Cheri Burcham: Family Life 33 percent time

Lynnette Mensah: Nutrition and Wellness – 50 percent time

Dana Homann: 4-H Youth

David Shiley: Local Foods and Small Farms

Clark/Crawford/Edgar – Stacy Larson, County Director

Mary Liz Wright: Nutrition and Wellness

Tiffany Macke: Community Development

Jessie Crews: 4-H Youth

OPEN: Horticulture – 50 percent time

Clay/Effingham/Fayette/Jasper – Rachelle Hollinshead, County Director

Ken Larimore: Economic and Small Business Development

Judy Bingman: 4-H Youth

OPEN: Environmental and Energy Stewardship – 50 percent time

OPEN: Nutrition and Wellness – 50 percent time

Madison/Monroe/St. Clair – Pam Jacobs, County Director

Nora Feuquay: Community Development

Susan Hayden: 4-H Youth and 4-H for children of military families

Steve Wagoner: 4-H Youth Metro

Elizabeth Wahle: Horticulture – 50 percent time

Linda Crawl Jackson: Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program*

OPEN: Environmental and Energy Stewardship

Bond/Clinton/Marion/Jefferson/Washington – OPEN: County Director

Peter Morhardt: 4-H Youth

Elizabeth Wahle: Horticulture – 50 percent time

OPEN: Local Foods and Small Farms

OPEN: Family Life – 50 percent time

Gallatin/Hamilton/Hardin/Pope/Saline/Wayne/White – OPEN: County Director

Susan Odum: Community Development – 33 percent time

OPEN: 4-H Youth

OPEN: Horticulture – 50 percent time

OPEN: Nutrition and Wellness – 50 percent time

Edwards/Lawrence/Richland/Wabash – Joel Brumley, County Director

Ann Emken: Economic and Small Business Development

Leah Miller: 4-H Youth

OPEN: Horticulture – 50 percent time

OPEN: Family Life – 50 percent time

Franklin/Jackson/Perry/Randolph/Williamson – Julie Mumbower, County Director

Susan Odum: Community Development – 33 percent time

Michelle Bisel: 4-H Youth

John Pike: Local Food Systems and Small Farms

OPEN: Horticulture – 50 percent time

OPEN: Nutrition & Wellness – 50 percent time

Alexander/Johnson/Massac/Pulaski/Union – Jody Johnson, County Director

Susan Odum: Community Development – 34 percent time

Patricia Faughn: 4-H Youth

*Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program positions are federally funded.

Educators with Statewide Responsibilities

4-H Educators

Andy Davis: 4-H Memorial Camp

Dan Dawson: 4-H Shooting Sports

Dan Jennings: 4-H Animal Sciences

Commercial Agriculture

Robert Bellm: Crop Sciences, Brownstown Ag Research Center

Dennis Bowman: Crop Sciences Research and Education Center (South Farms, Urbana)

Russell Higgins: Crop Sciences, Northern IL Ag Research Center

Teresa Steckler: Animal Sciences, Dixon Springs Ag Center

OPEN: Crop Sciences, Northwestern Illinois Ag Research Center

OPEN: Animal Sciences, Orr Ag Research Center

"Many people have commented on how almost 'picture-perfect' most of the autumn season 2010 had been, for completing harvest and just enjoying the weather", says John Church, University of Illinois Extension Educator, Natural Resources. "That, of course, was up until the devastating storms and tornadoes of November 22 that occurred across much of northern Illinois", he adds.

An abundance of sunny, cloud-free days; exceptionally long dry periods of time; and delayed measurable snowfall all converted quickly in one day to tornadoes, rain, wind and cold temperatures.

Changes in the weather are common in northern Illinois, even if not always so dramatic. Many people like to monitor and record the various weather conditions from year to year. Several websites can help persons find weather-related details for local, state and national statistics, as well as to participate in a volunteer weather observation program.

First, for a variety of additional information, go to the Illinois State Water Survey (ISWS) State Climatologist Jim Angel's website at www.isws.illinois.edu/atmos/statecli/index.htm, which is located at the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana.

Persons interested in comparing precipitation to the long term average or other locations, can also get information at the Midwestern Regional Climate center web site http://mrcc.sws.uiuc.edu. There are two pages to find this information, depending on the format preferred. On the left-hand menu, select "Climate of the Midwest", then "Climate Summaries". Select the location you would like (locations are in alphabetical order), select "Precipitation", then the "GO" button. If you want to select your location by county, click on Illinois on the map. When the Illinois map appears, select the "Precipitation" button, the click on the county you want. A window will open with the stations available in that county.

Persons can also access this information by selecting "Climate of the Midwest", then select "Climate Calendars". Go through the selections to select a station and month. This will generate a one page table of daily average data in a calendar format. The calendar also includes the monthly average data. Only stations for which there are "published normals" from the National Climatic Data Center are included, but there are quite a few. The data is available for Illinois and 8 other Midwestern states.

Persons interested in personally collecting data and observing weather for the National Weather Service can be a part of the state and national "Community Collaborative Rain, Hail and Snow" (CoCoRaHS) network. It is a grassroots volunteer system of backyard weather observers of all ages working together to measure and map precipitation – rain, hail and snow – in their local communities. It is coordinated by the ISWS in Illinois. Persons interested in joining as a volunteer are encouraged to attend a local training session. Check the CoCoRaHS web page at www.cocorahs.org for more information. Click on the map of Illinois for local information.

Source: John Church, Extension Educator, Natural Resources Management, churchj@illinois.edu

Pull date: April 30, 2011

Salt can be a problem in the diet of many people. It can also be a problem in the landscape, especially if you are a northern climate gardener wanting to rid your driveway or walk from ice, said a University of Illinois Extension horticulture educator.

"It won't be long before our attention is turned from the beautiful fall foliage to a landscape that turns suddenly white with the first snowfall," said Greg Stack. "And with that comes the job of keeping the path to your door safe and ice free."

There are many deicing compounds on the market and while they all set out to do the same job, there are some that are a bit more friendly to lawn grass and other plants growing in the garden.

"When shopping for deicing agents it's a good idea to read the package label and find out what's inside because not all deicing agents are made the same and it may not be wise to choose the cheapest one on the shelf," he recommended.

Rock salt or sodium chloride is the most commonly used ice melting product. It is the least expensive and will work at low temperatures (five degrees F.) However, it does have its drawbacks. For one it is very corrosive on metals such as snow shovels and reinforcing rods in driveways. And worse, it is extremely harmful to plant material growing in the landscape. Not only will it damage plants it is also detrimental to soil making it more dense and less permeable to water movement.

"Safer alternatives, especially where plant material is concerned are materials made with calcium, magnesium or potassium chloride," he said. "Of the three, magnesium chloride is considered to be one of the safest in regards to its use in the landscape and they work when temperatures get down to around minus 20 degrees F. Unfortunately these materials are more costly than sodium chloride."

Another way to minimize salt damage to the landscape is to not only use less damaging material but to use less of it. While kitty litter and sand won't melt ice and snow, it can help in providing traction on slippery surfaces. Another way to minimize the amount of deicing compound you use is to mix it with sand. Fifty pounds of sand mixed with one pound of deicing compound is effective and less damaging to plants and the soil.

"There are also liquid solutions used to help manage ice and they are usually more effective than the dry product," he said. "Liquid potassium acetate is one product offered on the market or you can make a suitable alternative by dissolving a small amount of deicing compound in enough hot water to melt the solids.

"One such mixture calls for two parts of water to one part of magnesium chloride. Use a plastic hand pump sprayer to apply the material to small surfaces such as steps."

Salt spray from highways is also a source of potential damage to evergreens and shrubs. If you live along major highways that are frequently salted, the most effective way to reduce damage to valuable plant material is to erect a burlap or similar screen near the shrubs to keep the salt spray off the plants. Left in place all winter it can significantly reduce salt damage to plants along the highway.

Salt accumulation in the soil can also damage plants. This type of condition usually comes about when salt-laden snow is plowed from streets and piles up over the winter. When the snow melts it moves the salt into the soil.

"Usually the best way to move the salt out of the root zone of the plant material nearby is to apply large amounts of water to the soil," he said. "This helps to leach the salt in the soil away from the root zone of the plant.

"So, while deicing agents are a fact of life in northern areas of the country they don't have to spell death and injury to plants in the vicinity. Check labels for the most plant-friendly materials and use it in a way that limits the quantity applied."

Source: Greg Stack, Extension Educator, Horticulture, gstack@illinois.edu

In recent years, there seems to have been an increasing number of varieties to choose from when trying to select that perfect Christmas tree. Many families have a tradition of using the same kind every year. Traditional varieties include Scotch pine, white pine, balsam fir and others.

More recently, other varieties such as Fraser fir, Douglas fir, Norway spruce, and blue spruce have become common. Nationally, some of the best selling trees are Scotch pine, Douglas fir, Noble fir, Fraser fir, Virginia pine, balsam fir and white pine. "Depending on the variety, some may be more difficult to find locally, based on demand, size of tree needed and the number grown in northern Illinois," says John Church, University of Illinois Extension Educator, Natural Resources. Details on types of varieties and other Christmas tree information can be found on the U. of I. Extension website http://urbanext.illinois.edu/trees.

An example of one variety that has increased in availability and popularity is the Fraser fir, but cut-your-own locations with an assortment of sizes in this variety may still be somewhat limited. The needles are flat, 1/2 to 1 inches, and have a dark green color with a silvery underside. It has excellent color and needle retention characteristics. They tend to be "naturally-shaped" Christmas trees

For a "full" appearing tree, white pines are often good. They are widely available in the Midwest. It has longer needles at 3 to 6 inches. It has generally good needle color and retention.

The spruces are gaining in popularity as Christmas trees, too. The needles tend to have good retention, and are shorter and stiffer than some of the other varieties. The spruce varieties are often popular when buying a live Christmas tree to plant in the yard after the holidays. Live trees need special care while inside for successful planting outdoors.

The traditional favorite Scotch pine has 1 1/2 to 3 inch blue-green needles, which have a delicate twisted appearance. The branches tend to be more open and stiffer than the white pine.

Many people prefer it since it often is easier to hang ornaments on its branches. It is also often one of the most reasonably priced varieties. "Certainly, there are other desirable varieties available too," says Church. Regardless of the variety of the tree, proper watering and keeping the home as moist and cool as possible will help lengthen the tree's enjoyment and safety.

Further information on buying trees, varieties, tree care, tree farms and related topics is available at U. of I. websites www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/trees and http://web.extension.uiuc.edu/forestry/agroforestry.html.

With all these choices, everyone should be able to find that "perfect tree". "Buyers may want to first take a holiday outing to discover the different types of trees available and to do some consumer comparisons before making a purchase. The earlier the better to start the search, especially if a special size or variety are needed," concludes Church.

Source: John Church:Extension Educator, Natural Resources Management

University of Illinois Extension's commercial agriculture programs will see some big changes in 2011, when the organization's remaining crops and livestock Educators will relocate to six U of I research stations around the State.

When producers need non-commercial, research-based answers they can trust, Extension's commercial agriculture Educators and Specialists still will be there to help, according to Robert Hoeft, the U of I's Interim Associate Dean for Extension and Outreach.

But how they deliver that help will change with the times.

For More Information >>>