Artisan Dairy Food Safety Plan Coaching Workshop

February 26 - February 27, 2019


This coaching workshop is intended for Artisan Cheese and Dairy Food Producers who are preparing to create, or are already developing, a FSMA compliant, preventive control (PC)-based, food safety plan for their facility. The goal of this workshop is to provide Food Safety Plan review and coaching sessions that guide attendees through each step in development process. PCQI lead trainers will be present to review topics and answer questions.Templates (digital and paper) will be provided to facilitate plan development, attendees are encouraged to bring their current or inprogress plans.

Note: This course is NOT intended to provide PCQI certification, it is strongly recommended that attendees complete an FSPCA PCQI certification course or similar program before attending this workshop. Attendees are also encouraged to enroll and complete the Food Safety for Artisan/Farmstead Cheesemakers prior to
taking this workshop. The link to this online training will be provided upon registration.

• Workshop is limited to the first 20 registrants. Additional registrants will be added to a wait list and additional workshops scheduled as needed to meet demand.
• PCQI certification is a recommended (but not required) prior to enrollment
• Attendees should bring a plan to develop. Multiple products may be grouped under a single plan, please work with the course instructor if you need assistance determining if products should be grouped or split.
• Attendees who wish to work on digital versions of their plans are encouraged to bring their own laptops.

Who Should Attend: Artisan cheese and dairy food producers taking the next step in their Food Safety Plan Development.

The generous support of the Innovation Center for US Dairy and USDA allows this course ($600 value) to be provided at a reduced cost to artisan dairy producers for $49.

How to Grow Edible Mushrooms on Logs

April 12, 2025
10:00 AM - 1:00 PM
Upper Manhattan, NY

Join Cornell's network of Community Mushroom Educators and the NYRP Urban Ag team to learn how to grow Shiitake mushrooms on logs. This hands-on workshop will include plenty of opportunity to practice drilling and filling logs with shiitake mushroom spawn. In addition to experiential learning, we'll explore the benefits of mushroom cultivation and tour the NYRP log yard, discussing best practices for maintaining a successful outdoor mushroom-growing system.

NOTE: THIS WORKSHOP IS FULL. Waitlist registrations being accepted.

Compost Café: BioChar

April 16, 2025
12:00 noon EDT

At this virtual event, Karen Guzman, Harvest NY Urban Garden Specialist, will discuss biochar in urban agriculture. Hear about the the history of biochar, explore some of its environmental benefits, and learn how this innovative solution can transform urban growing spaces. Learn how biochar can be used to creatively manage organic waste and enhance sustainability in your own community. 

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.

NYS Urban Growers Pest Management Needs Assessment

As part of a multi-year project exploring non-spray pest management options that are economically and environmentally sustainable for urban farms, we conducted a needs assessment with urban growers across New York State. The New York State Urban Growers Pest Management Needs Assessment presents findings on current pest management practices, challenges, and topics of future interest.