2023 Spring Urban Agriculture Conference

May 6, 2023


Join us for a day of workshops (including a rain barrel workshop), panel discussions, and tabling by local organizations and businesses. The keynote speaker is Leah Penniman of Soul Fire Farm (with ASL interpreter). CCE Monroe County Master Gardeners will be conducting complimentary soil testing (texture/pH) for those interested. All individuals, groups, and skill levels are welcome!

Rochester's Urban Ag Conference welcomes an experienced panel of five experts, including CCE Harvest NY's Urban Community Gardens Specialist Makela Elvy, to discuss issues such as environmental justice and racial equity, and how those topics relate to the urban growing scene and beyond. The panel will be moderated by Nathaniel Mich, executive director of Taproot Collective, following and corresponding to the keynote presentation from Leah Penniman.

Lunch will be provided; vegetarian options included. Rochester On the Move will be on-site for childcare (children ages 10 years and up only).

COST
Pay what you can, $1-20; no one will be turned away.

HOSTS
CCE Harvest NY, CCE Monroe County, Foodlink, and the City of Rochester

No upcoming events at this time.

New Produce Auctions in NYS!

Two new produce auctions are now open in New York State, bringing the total number of auctions to 10! See the new map of produce auction locations across the state and contact information.

Community Gardens Soil Testing Program Accepting Applications

Soil testing supports the growth and expansion of community gardens by protecting the health and safety of the food produced in these gardens. CCE Harvest NY, in partnership with the NYS Department of Agriculture & Markets (AGM) and the Cornell Soil Health Lab, is offering eligible, food-producing gardens in New York State the opportunity to send soil samples for testing without charge.

The soil test will analyze samples for heavy metals and nutrient levels. Test results help gardeners make appropriate plans to produce high quality fruits, vegetables, and flowers. Technical support and education for participating growers will be provided by the CCE Harvest New York team. Learn more about the 2025 Community Gardens Soil Testing Program.

New York Urban Farms Sustainable Pest Management Fact Sheet Series

Cornell Cooperative Extension has partnered with dozens of urban farms across New York State to demonstrate and evaluate sustainable pest management strategies. Together with farmers, we found success using control methods that prevent or reduce crop losses through exclusion strategies, crop timing, host resistance, the introduction of beneficial organisms, and more. Regardless of management strategy used, common requirements for success include a knowledge of the pest and disease complex, preventative deployment and commitment to the process. The New York Urban Farms Sustainable Pest Management Fact Sheet Series includes case studies highlighting pest management techniques that New York urban farms have found valuable.