Sara Jean (SJ) Whelan

Farm to School Coordinator, New York City

NYC Dept of Education office
Long Island City, NY

cell 929-895-2257
email Sara Jean (SJ)

Sara Jean (SJ) has a dynamic background in food systems work. She co-founded an e-commerce-based vegetable farm in Vermont, seeking to make farm-direct food more accessible to her community. With a Housing First program in Vermont, she established a community garden and supported clients in accessing federal nutrition benefits. Additionally, SJ worked with Vermont FEED to support Farm to School work in the state. She currently serves as the board co-chair of Slow Food NYC. 

SJ has a B.A. in Food Systems from the University of Vermont and is currently enrolled in a M.A. program at New York University where she is engaged in Food Studies.

SJ is located at the NYC Department of Education office in Long Island City, working with Department of Education staff to increase consumption of NYS grown foods in school lunch programs.

No upcoming events at this time.

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.