Kwesi Joseph

Urban Gardens Specialist

cell 718-809-2781
email Kwesi

Areas of Interest
NYC urban gardening, cover crops, compost management, IPM

Kwesi Joseph helps communities across New York City's five boroughs grow healthy food and care for urban green spaces. With Cornell Cooperative Extension's Harvest New York team, he works with community gardeners, urban farmers, and educators to improve soil health, increase plant nutrient density, and tackle challenges in vegetable production.

Kwesi works with natural processes like soil remineralization, no-till gardening, and carbon sequestration. He conducted a trial using rock dust to boost soil fertility and carbon sequestration, and is developing a biochar project with Cornell faculty and community gardeners.

A Master Composter since 2016, Kwesi spent six years as the Compost Manager at the Hattie Carthan Community Garden in Brooklyn, where he ran workshops, processed food scraps, and trained volunteers. He has partnered with the Action Research Collaborative (ARC), Cornell University Cooperative Extension (CUCE), the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS), Cornell's College of Architecture, Art, and Planning (AAP), and the Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP) to expand gardening, nutrition education, and land use projects for families in transitional housing and underserved neighborhoods.

His work has appeared on NY1, The Weather Channel, and WNYC Radio, and been covered by Gothamist and the Queens Ledger.

Kwesi holds a B.S. in Geology from York College, The City University of New York, an Executive MBA from Cornell's Johnson School of Business, and a Master Composter Certificate from the Brooklyn Botanic Garden Compost Project.

No upcoming events at this time.

New Produce Auctions in NYS!

Two new produce auctions are now open in New York State, bringing the total number of auctions to 10! See the new map of produce auction locations across the state and contact information.

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.