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January 2022

Regulations, Certification, and the Specialty Mushroom Industry: GAPs, FSMA, and Food Safety

January 26, 2022
3:00pm - 4:30pm
Webinar #1,

Join the Cornell Small Farms Program and CCE Harvest NY in an opportunity to learn how to navigate the various regulations and certifications in a specialty mushroom enterprise. The type, location, scale, and markets of a given farm all affect the programs that farmers are required or can choose to join.

This session will cover how contamination is spread, provide an overview of microbial risk reduction, basic food safety practices, and clarify the differences between food safety audits vs. inspection. We will also hear directly from Smallhold, a NYC-based certified organic mushroom operation that uses a distributed farming network and local, urban farming hub to sell specialty mushrooms and is a participant in the GAPs certification program.

February 2022

Regulations, Certification, and the Specialty Mushroom Industry: Mushroom Production Certification

February 23, 2022
3:00pm - 4:30pm
Webinar #2,

Join the Cornell Small Farms Program and CCE Harvest NY in an opportunity to learn how to navigate the various regulations and certifications in a specialty mushroom enterprise. The type, location, scale, and markets of a given farm all affect the programs that farmers are required or can choose to join.

Several options exist for verification programs that growers can utilize to certify their production practices and increase their market potential. This webinar covers the practices and procedures for becoming Certified Organic, Certified Naturally Grown, and New York Grown and Certified. Hear from the people who offer these options and from mushroom growers who utilize them, and get your questions answered.

March 2022

Urban Ag Pest Updates: Twospotted Spider Mite

March 3, 2022
12:00pm - 1:00pm

A lunch session to discuss updates on NYC's most damaging pest of tomatoes and cucumbers, including some new ideas for managing it on urban farms.

Urban Ag Pest Updates: Cabbage Whitefly

March 9, 2022
12:00pm - 1:00pm

This lunch session will provide updates on one of NYC's top pests of kale, collards, and other brassicas, with some new ideas for managing it on urban farms.

Fruit Tree Pruning with NYBG

March 19, 2022
11:00am - 1:00pm
Bronx, NY

Cornell Cooperative Extension Harvest NY is partnering with NYBG Bronx Green Up to provide a hands-on workshop on fruit tree pruning, pest and disease management, and proper tool care. During the workshop, participants will learn about the different types of fruit trees and the care considerations associated with each. Participants will also gain practical experience pruning, while working in teams. 

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Upcoming Events

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. 

Announcements

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.