Kristy Apostolides

Farm to School Coordinator, Lower Hudson Valley

phone 845-429-7085 x106
email Kristy

Kristy Apostolides has twenty years international experience in local food systems and sustainable agriculture, with skills ranging from organic vegetable production and field research to program development and volunteer management. As a consultant, she advocates for local farms and regional food systems by organizing educational meetings between farmers and public officials, event planning, curriculum development, grant-writing, academic and project-based research, has taught workshops and given presentations in both professionally and academically oriented conferences and symposia in Europe and the US. She has grown and supported farmers' markets, CSAs, and small- to mid-sized farms through strategic planning, branding, and promotion and is excited to expand her experience beyond the retail market to working with schools in the lower Hudson Valley. She has a BSc in Plant Sciences from Cornell University and a MSc in Sustainable Agriculture from the Mediterranean Agronomic Institute of Chania (MAICh).

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.