The Science of Cheese Making (Basic Level) and Vat Pasteurization Workshop

October 23 - October 24, 2018


This workshop is designed for cheese manufacturers or others interested in the basic concepts of cheese making and is a required part of the Dairy Extension Basic Cheese Making Certificate Program. The course may also be taken as a stand-alone Basic Cheese Making training. The course begins with an online lecture component covering the key areas related to vat pasteurization and basic cheese making techniques, cheese culture basics, milk defects, cheese defects and cheese marketing. The course will also include 2 days of hands-on pasteurization and cheese making activities.

Learning Outcomes:

• Foodborne pathogens resulting from unpasteurized milk
• Components of vat pasteurization
• Thermometer requirements
• Chart recorders and chart requirements
• Milk quality which impacts cheese making
• Cheese culture and chemistry and microbiology
• Cheese-making unit operations and techniques and hands-on cheese making
• Cheese marketing for small scale producers & key performance indicators for large scale producers

Registrants can sign up for Vat Pasteurization (online lectures and 1/2 day on campus), The Science of Cheese Making (online lectures and 1 1/2 days on campus), or the combination class Vat Pasteurization AND The Science of Cheese Making (online lectures and 2 days on campus - required for The Science of Cheese Making Certificate). Costs vary depending on selection.

The course is limited to the first 20 registrants.

Urban Farming from the Ground Up

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10:00 am - 2:00 pm
Bronx, NY

Join CCE Harvest NY Specialist Karen Guzman to turn a community center into an urban farm! This is an open volunteer event.

Rochester Soil Health Day

September 1, 2026
4:00 pm - 7:00 pm
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Join Cornell Cooperative Extension Harvest NY, New York State Soil Health, and Foodlink for interactive activities focused on soil health and an opportunity to get your garden soil screened for lead (reservation required).

IPM Field Day for Urban Growers

September 10, 2026
3:00 pm - 6:00 pm
Buffalo, NY

Join us for a hands-on field day exploring integrated pest management and season extension tools for urban growing spaces and the opportunity to build community with local growers!

This event will focus on best practices for using row covers and rat mitigation. Check out our CCE demonstration trial using insect exclusion netting to manage swede midge, an invasive fly that causes damage to brassica crops. Explore how to identify rat activity, reduce attractants, and strengthen site management. Hear from local growers on how they manage pests with a focus on organic management and how they extend the season on their farms and gardens.