We hope you have noticed and enjoyed our markting efforts. This summer we are featuring "Grow and Learn" horticulture billboards. Our 4-H billboards showcase "Awsome Summer Programs" to connect kids to new learning opportunities. "Living Well: Eating Right, Spending Smart, and Raising Kids" points you to our Family Life services.

- Marilyn Brengle

University of Illinois Extension Master Gardeners will host their annual garden walk in Champaign and Urbana on Saturday, June 23, 2007 from 9:00AM- 4:00PM. The event will be held regardless of the weather conditions.

"Serene Spaces in Urban Places" is the theme of this year's event. Guests will find spectacular gardens to suit every taste. This year's featured gardens range from simple to elaborate. Vendors of unique gardening supplies and plants will be located at the Master Gardeners' Idea Garden on South Lincoln Avenue.

All proceeds from the garden walk will help fund Master Gardener projects in Champaign County, including the Idea Demonstration Garden, Champaign County Juvenile Detention Center, the Champaign County Nursing Home, and local public schools. Funds are also used to purchase reference books and Master Gardener scholarships.

Tickets are $10.00 in advance and $12.00 on the day of the event. Tickets are available at the University of Illinois Extension office at 801 N. Country Fair Drive in Champaign and local garden centers.

- Sandy Mason

Reminiscing with or about our Father can bring back many good memories. Dads are very special people, especially to their daughters...and their sons.

Thinking back to Father's Day when I was a youngster, I remember preparing a special meal with almost everything made "from scratch," including the ice cream. No matter the menu, it was always a hit if it included Dad's favorite food of homemade ice cream.

Frankly though, any dairy food was a "keeper" for Pop. Maybe it was due to his growing up on a dairy farm. I can't remember how many cows Dad and his brother hand milked but I recall the excitement in his voice when telling about their first new electric milking machine.

Since we had a dairy cow when I was growing up, pasteurized milk, cream and homemade butter were regular staples. But it took a special occasion like Father's Day or the Fourth of July to warrant making ice cream. Supposedly Dad's favorite flavor was vanilla, but I think that was Mom's since he always put lots of chocolate syrup on top.

We used an electric freezer to make vanilla ice cream since Dad (and Mom) didn't have fond memories of hand cranking the mixture. The freezer made one gallon, which usually disappeared in one setting. With five children, the labor was there, but the folks preferred not to listen to our fussing over who had to crank next.

Homemade ice cream tends to have a more brittle texture and will not keep as well as commercial ice cream. For this reason, homemade ice cream is best eaten soon after it is made. Today, we can buy a variety of mouthwatering ice creams and frozen desserts. But there are numerous recipes that can exceed and compete with what we buy. These recipes given are egg free so one doesn't have to worry about egg safety or pre-cooking the mixture. Have a great Father's Day!

Fresh Fruit Ice Cream

3 cups half-and-half

1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk

1 cup mashed fresh fruit (peaches, strawberries, bananas, raspberries, etc.)

1 tablespoon vanilla

In ice cream freezer container, combine all ingredients; mix well. Freeze according to manufacturer's directions. Yield: about 1 ½ quarts ice cream.

Frozen Yogurt

1 envelope gelatin

1 cup skim milk

½ cup sugar

2 ½ cups vanilla low-fat yogurt

2 teaspoons vanilla

3 cups fresh or frozen pureed fruit (peaches, strawberries, raspberries, etc.)

Sprinkle gelatin over milk in a saucepan, let stand 1 minute. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly until gelatin dissolves. Remove from heat and add sugar and salt, stirring until sugar dissolves. Stir in yogurt, vanilla and pureed fruit. Cover and chill. Freeze in a 4-quart ice cream freezer according to manufacturer's directions. Yield: approximately 2 quarts.

Concerned homeowners are asking how to select a termite control service. Here are some practical guidelines to follow:

• Do not panic. There is no need to become frightened or unduly alarmed if you learn that termites are or may be attacking your home. These insects work slowly and your house will not be ruined or collapse overnight.
• Take your time. Do not permit anyone to rush you into purchasing termite control service. Delay of a few weeks or months will not make any difference. There is always time to purchase this service wisely and at your convenience.
• Purchase your services from a reliable firm. Buy termite control service with the same care and discrimination that you would use in the purchase of any other service for your property. Here are some of the ways that you can investigate before you invest.
• Illinois has a pesticide use and applicator law under which all commercial pest control firms must operate. Check to see the firm's credentials.
• If a firm offers references of work done in the past, take time to check these references carefully.
• If the firm is located in your own town or city, check the Chamber of Commerce or Better Business Bureau.
• If the firm is out-of-town, it is even more important that you make sure that it is reliable. Most fraudulent operators work in communities where they are not known. Ask for references and check them carefully.

  Beware of firms that:

• Quote a price based on the gallonage of material used.
• Profess to have a secret formula or ingredient for termite control.
• Have no listed phone number.
• Show up unexpectedly and use evidence of termites in trees, etc., as an excuse to inspect the house. They may also want to trim trees and do general repair work as part of the "deal."
• Cater to elderly or infirm people who are living alone.
• Claim to be endorsed by University of Illinois.

Know the terms of the contract. Ask your termite control specialist to provide you with a written statement of the work he proposes to do and the cost. He will then give you time to consider the estimate. It is customary to guarantee termite control work, either on a year-to-year basis, or for a 5-year period.

May

29 4-H Leader's Meeting, 6:30 p.m.

June

4 Marketing Club, 7 p.m.

9 Great Garden Adventures I, 11 a.m.

11 Unit Council, 7:00 p.m.

13 4-H Foods Skill-a-thon/Foods Demonstrations

14 Great Garden Adventures II, 5:30 p.m.

19 4-H Horse Show, Gordyville

22 4-H Rabbit/Poultry Show, Monticello

23 Champaign C.o. Master Gardeners Garden Walk

27 4-H Fashion Review

July

2 Marketing Club 7 p.m.

10-12 4-H Expo, Market Place Mall

16 4-H Dog Show, UI Stock Pavillion

26 4-H Livestock Show, Champaign County Fair

August

6 Marketing Club, 7 p.m..