
Katie Sheehan-Lopez
Farm to School Coordinator, Upper Hudson Valleyphone 845-340-3990 x334
email Katie
Katie Sheehan-Lopez is the Regional Farm to School Coordinator for the Upper Hudson Valley. She works with all the stakeholders on the farm to school supply chain, including farmers, distributors, processors, and school districts, to increase the amount of local New York State foods being served in our schools. Prior to working in farm to school, she held several positions that promoted healthy food and physical activity for residents of the Hudson Valley and NYC, including the SNAP-Ed nutrition education program, and Local Produce Link, a farm-to-food pantry program connecting Hudson Valley farms with NYC food pantries. Katie has a BS in Dietetics from the University of Rhode Island and a Masters in Public Health Nutrition from UC Berkeley. She lives in Beacon and in her free time enjoys planting her vegetable and pollinator gardens, cooking with her kids, and exploring the Hudson Valley.
Upcoming Events
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.