Technical and Financial Resources for Urban Farmers in NYS

January 27, 2021


Learn about technical and financial resources available for urban farmers in New York State. This webinar will introduce you to urban agriculture field staff from a variety of organizations that provide direct support for urban farmers and community gardeners. Urban farmers will also share their experience working with these field staff and ways to participate in the programs and services offered by each organization. This event is hosted by USDA NRCS.

AGENDA:
Blake Glover (USDA NRCS, State Conservationist) - Welcome and Opening Remarks

Richard Ball (New York State Commissioner of Agriculture) - Overview of Urban and Community Agriculture in New York State

Karen Washington (Garden of Happiness, Rise and Root Farm) - Learn how one urban farmer identified and utilized government resources for urban agriculture.

Joseph Heller (USDA NRCS, Urban Conservationist) and Onika Abraham (Farm School NYC) - Overview of USDA technical and financial resources for urban farmers. A unique example of how partnerships help foster stronger connections within New York City's agriculture community.

Kim Vallejo (NYS Department of Agriculture and Markets, New York City Team Director) - Resources for urban and community gardens from the State of New York.

Liz Camps (USDA NRCS, District Conservationist) - NRCS technical and financial assistance programs for urban farmers will be explained with examples from a current participant.

Lynnette Wright (USDA FSA) - Increase knowledge of financial assistance through the loan programs. Hear from participants about help they received through FSA.

Yolanda Gonzalez (Cornell Cooperative Extension, Harvest New York, Urban Agriculture Specialist) - CCE offers production, marketing, food safety training and more. Hear from past participants about how these trainings have had a positive impact on their urban and community agriculture operation.

Register for the event to receive a link to the zoom webinar. Additional information will be provided for break out rooms that will take place immediately after the event for one-on-one interactions with the urban agriculture specialists.

Persons with disabilities who require accommodations to attend or participate in this meeting should contact Lynnette Wright, Public Affairs Specialist, at 315-477-6309 or Federal Relay Service at 1-800-877-8339.

2025 Agroforestry Field Day Series -- Agroforestry Implementation and Management

October 23, 2025
3:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Highland, NY

Interested in incorporating agroforestry practices into your farm? Join us for a series of workshops co-hosted by CCE Ulster, Orange, and Harvest NY with Mastwood Farms, Black Creek Farm and Nursery and Scenic Hudson. 

On October 23, we'll return to Erik Schellenberg's farm, Black Creek Farm and Nursery, for a Fall tour of their agroforestry plantings. Erik will talk about harvesting and managing plantings while we see some seasonal crops and installations of different ages and types. There will be time for questions and discussion as we wrap up the series. covered.

Soil Health 101 for Community Gardens -- A Bilingual Workshop

October 24, 2025
11:00 AM - 3:00 PM
Staten Island, NY

Join Urban Agriculture Specialists, Karen Guzman and Yolanda Gonzalez, as they discuss the importance of soil health and testing your soil as you prepare for the incoming growing season. They will go into strategies for best practices when it comes to soil health management and highlight the current soil testing program through NYSDAM and CCE. This workshop will be in both Spanish and English.

Biochar 101 for Community Gardens (Upper Manhattan)

October 25, 2025
1:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Upper Manhattan, NY

Join Karen Guzman and Dr. Rebecca Nelson of Cornell University, Bill Hilgendorf of White Feather Farm, and the NYRP Urban Ag team for a deep dive into biochar as a tool for waste management, carbon storage, and soil health in a community garden context. During this hands-on workshop, participants will have the chance to make biochar using garden waste and learn about best practices when applying it to a garden bed. Workshop attendees will all receive a small amount of biochar to take back to their garden.

Space is limited. Pre-registration required.

New Produce Auctions in NYS!

With the opening of the new Augusta Produce Auction on August 19th, New York State now has 11 produce auctions! See the new map of produce auction locations across the state and contact information.

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.