HUNTLEY, Il - Indulging in freshly picked produce from the farm stand is a summer rite of passage. But as with many seasonal traditions during the pandemic, new rules have taken root to keep this summer ritual safe.

Hand sanitizer, masks, and social distancing are now standard at local farms, and some farmers are reaching beyond the basics and doing what they do best: putting their personal spin on both service and safety.

In addition to Plexiglas barriers and hand-washing stations, Goebbert’s Pumpkin Patch and Apple Orchard in Pingree Grove now offers curbside service and delivery to Huntley residents.

LISLE, Il - As the days begin to shorten and the temperature cools, trees begin their transition into the beautiful spectrum of red, yellow, and brown shades Illinois residents have come to know as the first signs of autumn. The question remains, however, why do leaves change color?

According to the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IL DNR), the fall season beings to take place in northern Illinois counties around the third or fourth week of September with leaves beginning their color change in central Illinois by the second week of October, and by the last two weeks of that month, southern Illinois will have made the color change transition as well.