We are pleased to launch today -- Food Fun from Apples to Zucchini. This website is designed to teach elementary students about fresh produce -- many they may not know.

It can serve as an excellent resource to encourage healthy eating and to the USDA Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program for schools as well as other childhood obesity programs. The site includes information about 37 different produce items, a variety of online activities and coloring sheets.

You can visit the site at:

http://www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/foodfun/

A new, late-ripening apple named WineCrisp™ which carries the Vf gene for scab resistance was developed over the past 20 plus years through classical breeding techniques, not genetic engineering. License to propagate trees will be made available t nurseries through the University of Illinois.

Being resistant to apple scab is a big plus for growers, said University of Illinois plant geneticist Schuyler Korban, as it significantly reduces the number of chemical fungicide sprays. "Apple scab is the number one disease that growers have to spray for – 15 to 20 times per season – so not having to spray for apple scab lowers the cost for the grower and is better for the environment."

Why does it take over 20 years to make an apple? "It takes a long time to develop an apple because you want to test it in different locations, you want to observe it over a number of years, and it takes awhile for an apple to get noticed," said geneticist Schuyler Korban. "I liked it the first time I saw it and I liked the flavor. It has an excellent mix of sugar and acid and a very pleasant flavor, but I was hesitant because of the finish – it's not glossy."

Korban thought the finish might pose a problem because consumers are accustomed to seeing waxed fruit in stores and may not like the matte finish that Korban calls "scarfy" or dull. "Red Delicious is a very good looking apple, but has no flavor, very bland. It's still ranked as the number one apple in the industry; however, there are more new apple varieties available now."

After some time, Korban decided that the crispness and the flavor would be more important factors to consumers than the finish and continued to develop the new apple.

His research, in collaboration with breeders at Rutgers and Purdue Universities, will be published in a 2009 issue of the journal of HortScience, and a U.S. patent is currently pending. The apple is available now to nurseries who want to apply for a license to propagate trees and make them available to apple growers nationwide. "There is a nursery in the southeastern part of the United States that really liked the apple and feel that there is a market for it in the south so they're getting a license to grow it."

It also takes time for a new orchard or even for an existing orchard to plant new apple varieties. But when WineCrisp™ cuttings are grafted into a fast-growing root stock, Korban says there could be fruit on the tree in as little as three years.

Korban said that the tree is extremely productive and the fruit is firm, but it's not a bright red color. "It's more of a dark red and looks like a deep red wine so we wanted to include 'wine' in the name. It also resembles an older variety that consumers are familiar with called Winesap. "When you pick it up and squeeze it, it's very firm," he said. "We used to call it 'the Rock.' We wanted that characteristic to be in the name so we added 'crisp' and named it WineCrisp™.

"There's a market for apples with different flavors, different textures, different ripening and maturity dates – you don't know what the likes and dislikes of the consumer will be," said Korban. "Some of our recent releases are varieties that focus on late ripening which would prolong the apple-growing season and WineCrisp™ matures two weeks after Red Delicious. They can be harvested all the way through to the end of October. And in good cold storage, they'll keep for eight to nine months. That's another important trait of this variety – it keeps very well in cold storage."

The original cross in the breeding process was done at Rutgers in 1989. The seeds were grown into seedlings and inoculated with apple scab at Purdue. Those seedlings that demonstrated resistance to apple scab were split between the three universities as a part of the Purdue-Rutgers-Illinois (PRI) Cooperative Breeding Program, which has been very successful in naming and releasing over 25 disease-resistant apple varieties, some with other collaborating partners around the world. Because the University of Illinois made the selection, U of I will be the primary licensing institution.

Just a note about an article I recently saw in the New York Times about an effort by the American Society of Landscape Architects, the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center and the United States Botanic Garden to create voluntary national guidelines and performance benchmarks for sustainable land design, construction and maintenance practices. This project is called the Sustainable Sites Initiative at http://sustainablesites.org/.

As the holidays approach, many families will be faced with at least two horticulture-related challenges--how to select a Christmas tree and what to do with the gift poinsettia plant.

"Information on both topics is readily available on two University of Illinois Extension websites," said Jane Scherer, U of I Extension urban programs specialist and director of its websites.

"Christmas Trees & More" (http://www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/trees/) in a one-stop source for a broad array of information, not only about Christmas trees but flowers and greenery, tree farms, and recipes.

"Yes, recipes," Scherer explained. "There is a page that has recipes for Christmas tree cookies plus a holiday tree-shaped cheese ball and a Christmas tree cake."

"If you're wondering what to look for when selecting a poinsettia plant, another Extension website can help," she noted.

"The Poinsettia Pages" (http://www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/poinsettia/) include a list of things to consider when shopping for a plant.

"The length of time your poinsettia will give you pleasure in your home is dependent on (1) the maturity of the plant, (2) when you buy it, and (3) how you treat the plant," said Scherer, quoting from information on the website. "With care, poinsettias should retain their beauty for weeks, and some varieties will stay attractive for months.

"Suggestions for achieving this outcome are listed on the site."

Tender flowering "bulbs" produce some of our most colorful summer blooms. Gladiolus, canna, tuberous begonia and others are commonly grown throughout the U.S.

"These plants need special care because freezing kills them," says David Robson, University of Illinois Extension horticulture educator.

The bulbs (in reality tubers, rhizomes and corms, in addition to true bulbs) need to be dug up and stored indoors just like potatoes, onions and carrots. Robson says harvesting these bulbs takes the same care as vegetable harvesting.

While the different flowering plants require different handling techniques, they all require the same care in handling.

Gladioli grow from corms. The corms should be dug once the foliage has matured or after frost. Carefully lift the corms from the ground to avoid losing the small cormels that will be future glads.

Cut the tips an inch above the corms and cure the corms for two to four weeks in a warm spot with good air circulation. Brush off any dried soil with a soft cloth. Remove the old shriveled corm on the bottom of the new tan one.

Before storing the corms, dust them with an insecticide-fungicide mixture to prevent the corms from rotting and to control thrips. Store the corms in onion bags or old nylon stockings hung in a place with good air circulation and temperatures from 35 to 45 degrees.

Dahlias grow from tubers. Cut dahlia tops back to within 3 to 4 inches of the soil after the first frost. Dig carefully to avoid damaging the fleshy roots or breaking off the new eyes. Cure dahlias the same way as glads for one to three days. Keep as much of the soil attached as possible.

Store dahlias in a box or plastic bag packed with vermiculite, peat moss or wood chips to prevent drying out. Dahlia tubers should be completely covered and stored at 35 to 45 degrees.

"The tubers should be inspected several times throughout the winter," says Robson. "If they start to shrivel, lightly sprinkle the packing material with water. If conditions are too moist and roots start to rot, move the tubers to a drier place and remove rotted portions."

Treat canna roots similar to dahlia, except store them upside down in a shallow box. Cannas do not require covering. Hold the roots in 45- to 50-degree storage temperatures.

Tuberoses should be cut back after frost and their bulbs stored in sand or vermiculite-filled plastic bags at 55 to 60 degrees.

Peruvian daffodil bulbs should be dug before frost and stored upside down in vermiculite or dry sand. Store at the same temperature as tuberoses.

Check bulbs, tubers, corms and roots throughout the storage season and make any necessary changes in their conditions so that they will make it through the winter in good shape.

Q: What comes in many colors and sizes, easy to prepare, tasty, healthy and plentiful now?

A: If you said winter squash, you are correct. Winter Squash comes in many colors, orange, yellow, green, red, and vary in size from a few ounces to 15 pounds or more.

Q: In case you are wondering, what is Summer Squash?

A: Crookneck and zucchini are examples of Summer Squash

Summer Squash are harvested when immature (while the rind is still tender and edible). The name "summer squash" refers to the inability to store these squashes for long periods of time (until winter), unlike winter squashes. It grows on bush-type plants that do not spread like the plants of fall and winter squash and pumpkin. A few healthy and well-maintained plants produce abundant yields.

I love squash. I even like the frozen pureed version you can buy in a box! My mother said I was her picky eater. She got me to eat squash and like it. I know it's good for me and I have had some tasty squash dishes over the years. I think people may simply avoid squash not knowing how to prepare it!

Squash is an American food. It sustained native Americans for more than five thousand years and then helped nourish the early European settlers, who quickly made the vegetable an important part of their diet.

Winter Squash The many varieties of winter squash are harvested at a mature stage, when their shells have grown hard and inedible. Because of these protective shells, winter squash can be harvested in the fall and stored several months, throughout the winter, in a cool, dry place.

The yellow or orange flesh of winter squashes is rich in complex carbohydrates and Vitamin A. Some types, such as Hubbard and butternut, contain more than 100 percent of the Recommended Daily Allowance for Vitamin A and only 40 calories in a 1-cup serving.

Availability: Some winter squashes, particularly acorn, are in good supply year-round. But most are at their peak beginning in late summer and continuing throughout the fall and winter, they become scarce in spring.

Shopping Tips: Look for a squash with a smooth, dull, dry rind, free of cracks or soft spots. A winter squash should feel heavy for its size. If possible, choose squash with the stem attached. The stem should be rounded and dry, not collapsed, blackened or moist.

Varieties: There are many varieties of squash. Most varieties can be substituted for one another in recipes. The three most popular varieties are acorn, butternut, and Hubbard.

Preparation: Rinse off any dirt before using.

Baking: To bake, halve small squash length-wise, scoop out the seeds and strings. Cut large squash into serving sized pieces. Place squash, cut-side down in a foil-lined pan. Pour 1/4 -inch of water into the pan, cover with foil, and bake in a 350o to 400o F. oven until the squash is tender when pierced with a knife. Halfway through baking, the squash halves may be turned, cut-side up, brushed with melted butter or oil, and sprinkled with brown sugar and spices.

Cooking Time: Squash halves or whole small pumpkins, 40 to 45 minutes; cut-up squash, 15 to 25 minutes.

Microwaving: Arrange squash halves, cut-side up, in a shallow microwaveable dish, cover and cook until tender, rotating dish halfway through the cooking time. Let stand 5 minutes after cooking.

Cooking Time: for squash halves, 7 to 10 minutes; for chunks, 8 minutes.

Serving suggestions: Baked or steamed winter squash is delicious mashed or pureed, like sweet potatoes. To enhance its natural sweetness, combine squash with any of the following; baked or steamed pears or apples, bananas, chopped cranberries; lemon, lime, or orange juice; almond or vanilla extract; fresh or powered ginger, curry power; cinnamon; nutmeg; mace; cardamom; cloves; allspice or pumpkin pie spice; brown sugar; maple syrup; or honey. For a savory dish, mash the cooked squash with sauted onions or garlic and herbs, or combine chunks of squash with cooked corn, tomatoes, and bell peppers.

Stuffed Squash

1 medium acorn squash or other small squash

Filling:

1 medium apples, peeled, or desired, cored and chopped

1 tablespoons water

Topping:

2 tablespoons brown sugar

2 tablespoons chopped pecans

one half tablespoon butter or margarine

1 teaspoon all-purpose flour

one fourth teaspoon cinnamon

Scoop out seeds from squash halves. Place cut-side down on microwave baking dish. Cover with plastic wrap. Microwave at high 6 minutes, or until fork tender, rotating dish one half turn after half the cooking time. Let stand while preparing filling. 1-1 qt casserole combine apples and water. Cover. Microwave at high 2 to 3 minutes, or until tender, stirring after half the cooking time. Set aside.

Turn squash cut-side up. Place one half of apples in each half. Sprinkle one half of topping on each. Cover with wax paper. Microwave at high one and a half to two minutes, or until topping melts. Serves 2

Nutrition Information per serving: 260 calories, 8 gm fat, 5 mg cholesterol, 45 mg sodium, 7 gm fiber.

When horticulturists go on vacation not only do they go to relax and have a good time, but they also seem to find, or make time, to wander into nurseries, botanic gardens or other places, in order to get their "plant fix," said a University of Illinois horticulture educator.

"Such is the case with this horticulturist who happened to visit several growers and suppliers to nurseries and garden centers," said Greg Stack. "While there, full advantage was taken to "peek over the fence" to see what was new and exciting.

"Here are a few things of note to look for in 2009. You may want to make room for these new introductions as they bring new colors, forms and performance to the garden."

Stack started with zinnias. New for 2009 will be a series of zinnias called 'Zahara'. They come in white and pink but also for the first time a scarlet and yellow. These are outstanding garden performers with very high disease tolerance to mildew. They grow to a neat mound 12 to 18 inches high and as wide. They are outstanding performers for the full sun landscape and once established are very drought tolerant with very low water needs. The single flowers are about two-and-a-half inches in diameter. 'Zahara' zinnias were chosen for use in gardens at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing.

"Just when you thought you had enough petunias to choose from along comes the 'Littletunia' series," he said. "This petunia is so unique it deserves to be put into the garden. It is an extremely low grower and very compact. It grows to about three to four inches tall and spreads to about 12 inches. It produces a profusion of very small flowers about the size of a dime. It comes in red, pink, red/white, and plum. It makes a great edging plant and works well in smaller containers where you don't want a petunia that may overpower other plants in the pot."

And what would a new garden season be without at least a few more coleus?

"Be on the lookout for 'Chocolate Mint' and 'Indian Summer,'" he noted. "Both of these varieties do best with a little light shade but will also tolerate bright light in which case the colors get more intense. 'Chocolate Mint' is a vigorous plant growing to about two feet tall. The leaves are a chocolate brown color edged with a soothing mint green. 'Indian Summer' grows to two feet tall and is a rich mixture of earth tones such as greens, reds, and browns. It is a very striking plant that is even richer in color when given a little bit of light. Both are great as bedding plants or in containers."

For those who like basil, Stack recommended a new basil that is great for use in the kitchen but also highly ornamental. 'Boxwood' Basil is very compact (12 to 18 inches tall), uniform and dwarf small-leaved basil that looks like a boxwood hedge. It almost tends to look rectangular and would make a great 'culinary hedge' in the garden.

"What about new shrub vines and roses?" he asked. "In the vine world, look for a breakthrough in the bittersweet world.

"Remember when you had to plant a male and female bittersweet plant in order to ensure berry production? Well, that is no longer the case with 'Autumn Revolution' Bittersweet. This plant produces flowers with both male and female parts, meaning all you need to plant is one plant for berry production. And what a berry production you will get. 'Autumn Revolution' is a vigorous vine growing to about 25 feet with large glossy green foliage. It will need a substantial support in the garden. As for berry production, extraordinary comes to mind. The berries are orange to red in large clusters with individual berries almost the size of small grapes. It has a very attractive and impressive fall display, quite an improvement for this native vine."

Two new roses are also worth looking at for 2009. 'High Voltage' is a shrub rose with double yellow flowers three to four inches in diameter. The plant is highly disease tolerant to black spot and hardy to zone 4. Blooms are held high on sturdy canes and are very fragrant. It has a vase-shape habit so it is good for back of the border. 'Kashmir' is another shrub rose new on the scene that resembles a hybrid tea rose with blooms that are velvety red. It has a rounded habit growing to about two feet tall, making it a good plant for a low hedge.

The serviceberry is a great three-season plant," he said. "However, most are rather large and may not fit into small space gardens. With the introduction of 'Obelisk,' gardeners with smaller space can now include this great plant."

'Obelisk' grows to about 15 feet tall but is only four feet wide. This narrow habit is perfect for small space gardens. It will offer stems that are covered with white flowers in the spring followed by small orange/red berries in June and dark green circular leaves that change to red/orange in the fall. Birds love the berries.

"That's a little peek over the fence at what is headed your way next season," he said. "As with most gardeners, I'm sure you'll find room for your favorite."

Source: Greg Stack, Extension Educator, Horticulture,stack@uiuc.edu

There are many varieties of winter squash, pumpkin is just one of them. Pumpkin is probably the best known and most used member of the squash family. The most popular way to use pumpkin today is as pie. The pumpkin pie probably originated when some sliced off the pumpkin top, removed the seeds and filled the insides with milk, spices and honey and then baked it in hot coals. Today 99 percent of the pumpkins sold in this country are for jack-o'-lanterns at Halloween. These deep orange pumpkins are too stringy to eat and can be very large. They can easily weight 20 pounds and the very largest can exceed 200 pounds. For cooking the sugar pumpkin, a smaller, sweeter variety with close grained flesh is much better. Most people prefer canned pumpkin, which tastes as good as fresh and is much easier.

Nutrition Facts

The bright orange color of pumpkin tells you that it is loaded with an important antioxidant, beta-carotene. Beta-carotene is one of the plant carotenoids converted to vitamin A in the body. Current research tells us that a diet rich in foods containing vitamin A may reduce the risk of developing certain type of cancer and offers protection against heart disease. Pumpkin is low in calories, sodium and fat and high in fiber and vitamin A.

Pumpkin Biscuits

3 cups biscuit mix

3 Tablespoons light brown sugar, packed

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

15 oz. can solid pack pumpkin

flour for flouring

Or: instead of spices, use 3/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly grease a cookie sheet. In a large bowl toss the biscuit mix, brown sugar and spices. Stir in the pumpkin to make a very soft dough. Place a large sheet of waxed paper on the counter and sprinkle it with more flour. Flour your hands well and pat the dough into a square or rectangle about 1/2 inch thick.

Use a knife to cut the dough into about 24 squares. Lift the biscuits gently to the cookie sheet with a flour spatula.

Bake about 20 minutes or until cooked.

Yield: about 24 biscuits. (Freeze leftover biscuits for later use.)

I had a caller request a recipe for Pumpkin Fudge recently. Last year I was so curious I had to try some. It was good!

Pumpkin Fudge

3 cups white sugar

1 cup milk

3 tablespoons light corn syrup

1/2 cup pumpkin puree

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice…

(1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger, 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg)

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

(optional)

1. Butter or grease one 8x8 inch pan.
2. In a 3 quart saucepan, mix together sugar, milk, corn syrup, pumpkin and salt. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to medium and continue boiling. Do not stir.
3. When mixture registers 232 degrees F (110 degrees C) on candy thermometer, or forms a soft ball when dropped into cold water, remove pan from heat. Stir in pumpkin pie spice, vanilla, butter and nuts. Cool to lukewarm (110 degrees F or 43 degrees C on candy thermometer).
4. Beat mixture until it is very thick and loses some of its gloss. Quickly pour into a greased eight-inch pan. When firm cut into 36 squares.

Apple-Acorn Squash (serves 4)

• 2 acorn squash
• 1 apple, chopped
• 1/3 cup raisins
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 Tablespoons margarine, melted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Wash squash. Cut squash in half, lengthwise. Scrape out seeds. Place cut side down on lightly greased cookie sheet or in a baking pan. Bake for 25 minutes. Mix the remaining ingredients. Turn squash halves over so cut sides are up. Fill squash with apple mixture. Bake for 20 minutes or until squash is soft.

Nutrition facts per serving - Calories 260; fat 6 g; calories from fat 50; sodium 70 mg; total carbohydrate 55 g; fiber 5 g.

Mashed Winter Squash - Butternut, Acorn and Hubbard

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Wash squash. Cut squash in a half lengthwise. Remove seeds and stringy parts. Place cut sides down on lightly greased baking pan. Bake squash for about one hour or until tender. Scoop out all squash into a bowl. Mash the squash. Season to taste. Seasoning suggestions:

1. butter, brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg
2. butter, black pepper, anise seed, cardamon, brown sugar and lemon juice

Nutrition facts (per serving) 1/2 cup mashed butternut with no seasonings - Calories 45; fat 0 g; calories from fat 0; sodium 0 mg; total carbohydrate 12 g; fiber 3 g.

Questions? Contact Cheryl Reidenouer, Extension Educator, EFNEP/FNP at reidenou@uiuc.edu

Source: Cheryl Reidenouer, Extension Educator, EFNEP/FNP 

Despite the scientific evidence that discredits any super weather-predicting power for the wooly worm, people are very passionate about them, said a University of Illinois Extension horticulture educator.

"Several towns in the United States have their own wooly worm festivals," said Jennifer Schultz Nelson. "Banner Elk, North Carolina, hosts an annual festival complete with a wooly worm race. The winner is declared the 'official' predictor of winter weather."

Each fall, it's hard not to notice little wooly worms crawling across roads, sidewalks, and paths everywhere. Whereever they are going, they seem very determined. Many people wonder what they actually are. Do they stay as they are or morph into something entirely different in time? And just how do they forecast the winter weather?

"Different species of wooly worms are found all over the world," Nelson said. "The ancient Romans used the Latin term catta pilosa, literally "hairy cat," to describe them. The term caterpillar traces back to these early descriptions.

"The creatures we call wooly worms are, in fact, caterpillars, so their time spent as a wooly worm is limited. The United States is home to at least eight species of the hairy caterpillars that are commonly called wooly worms."

In central Illinois, the most common is the banded wooly bear or worm, Pyrrharctia Isabella. Following the pupal stage, the banded wooly bear emerges in its adult form, the Isabella tiger moth.

"Experts estimate around 260 species of tiger moths in North America," she said. "Their caterpillars share some degree of hairiness--from a few hairs to being completely covered in hairs, like the wooly worms.

"Tiger moths get their name from their bright coloration. Their colors are typically some spotted or striped combination of gold and black. Some species also have red, white, and gray colors interspersed as well. This Isabella tiger moth is a dull yellow-orange with some black spotting, and its first pair of legs has bright red-orange segments."

Each year brings two generations of banded wooly bears, or Isabella tiger moths. One is typically hatched in May, the other in August.

"Most people don't notice wooly worms in the spring and early summer, but they're around, feeding on various plants and growing," she said. "One reason we probably don't notice them is that essentially they're hermits, preferring solitude over socializing."

Another tiger moth larva, fall webworm, is far friendlier, and tends to congregate in large populations on their host plants.

"It is only in the autumn that most people notice wooly worms, and the worms are usually in a big hurry to get somewhere," said Nelson. "What's the rush? Each wooly worm is scrambling to find a warm nook or cranny in which to overwinter.

"Unlike other butterflies or moths, the wooly worm spends the winter as a caterpillar, not a pupa or chrysalis. The hairs covering their bodies are thought to offer some degree of insulation from cold winter temperatures. When the weather warms in the spring, the banded wooly worm becomes active again. They feed for a short time, then pupate, and emerge a few weeks later as adult Isabella tiger moths."

A lot of folklore surrounds the banded wooly worm, particularly related to its supposed ability to predict upcoming winter weather each fall.

"The typical banded wooly worm has sections of black hairs at each end, and a section of orange-brown hairs in the center," she explained. "Legend says that the more black on a banded wooly worm, the more severe the winter will be.

"Some folks have taken this to an extreme, and noting that there are 13 segments in a typical banded wooly worm, they argue that each segment represents one week of winter. Orange segments predict mild weeks, and black ones foretell bad winter weather."

Some people also insist that the thickness of the hairs is the predictor--thick hair equals a bad winter, sparse hair a mild one. Another legend says that the direction a wooly worm is found traveling is a hint about the coming winter. If the wooly worm is traveling north, count on a mild winter. If he's headed south, get ready for a long, cold winter.

"Research has shown repeatedly that the colors or hairs of wooly worms have no bearing on weather the following winter," she said. "Larvae hatched from the same clutch of eggs reared under one set of environmental conditions will show a range of hair thickness and colorations, from fully orange to fully black.

"This variation in a constant environment is a strong argument against wooly worms being able to predict the weather. There is genetic segregation for color and hair thickness present in the wooly worm population. This segregation would make it nearly impossible to visually sort out any environmental influence if it did exist."

Still, the wooly worms have their defenders.

"People come from miles around to participate in the Banner Elk wooly worm festival races," Nelson noted. "Some bring wooly worms they collected; others prefer to buy a wooly worm from one of the 'breeders' who bring their best racing stock to the festival. I guess you can sell just about anything!

"Illinois had its first official wooly worm festival in Camargo in 2006. Will wooly worm breeders be far behind? Time will tell."

Source: Jennifer Schultz Nelson, Unit Educator, Horticulture, jaschult@uiuc.edu