Yolanda Gonzalez

Urban Agriculture Specialist

55 Hanson Place, Suite 350
Brooklyn, NY 11217

cell 516-305-0358
email Yolanda

Areas of Interest
urban agriculture, marketing, mushroom production

Yolanda Gonzalez is an Urban Agriculture Specialist with Cornell Cooperative Extension. She holds a dual degree in Master of Science in Environmental and Community Land Planning from SUNY ESF and Master of Public Administration from the Maxwell School at Syracuse University, as well as a Bachelor of Arts degree in Environmental Studies and Spanish Literature from SUNY Geneseo. Yolanda's most recent experience as an Excelsior Fellow at the NYS Office of General Services in the Organizational and Workforce Development Unit has given her process improvement skills that will help urban growers maximize efficiency and profitability in limited spaces. Her background is mostly in small-scale production, working on a number of small farms in Maine, Pennsylvania, and Long Island.

NYS Mushroom Summit

December 5, 2025
9:00 AM - 3:30 PM
New York, NY

The NYS Mushroom Summit, hosted by the Cornell Small Farms Program, will convene a regional network of mushroom farmers and educators from indoor, outdoor, and community production systems; restaurateurs, food creatives and chefs; and extension, government and industry representatives. This diverse group will work together to determine grower research and marketing needs, interdisciplinary collaboration opportunities, and community building initiatives. Group conversations and presentations will be structured around value added products, frontiers in mycology research, and peer-to-peer learning.

Pruning & Fruit Tree Health 101

December 13, 2025
11:00 AM - 12:30 PM
Cambria Heights, NY

Join us at Cambria Heights Community Garden for a free, hands-on workshop with CCE Harvest NY Urban Garden Specialist Karen Guzman. Participants will learn about basic tree maintenance and pruning techniques. Proper winter care helps trees conserve energy, prevent damage from cold weather, and prepare for growth in the spring.  

Pruning & Fruit Tree Health 101 (Flushing, NY)

January 25, 2026
11:00 AM - 1:00 PM
Flushing, NY

Join us at Ridgewood Community Garden for a free, hands-on workshop with CCE Harvest NY Urban Garden Specialist Karen Guzman. Participants will learn about basic tree maintenance and pruning techniques. Proper winter care helps trees conserve energy, prevent damage from cold weather, and prepare for growth in the spring. 

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.