Kate Preston

Farm to School Education Specialist

email Kate

Before starting with Harvest NY, Kate was an Agriculture in the Classroom Educator for CCE Madison County. Her fondness for education and agriculture started when she was a young girl and joined the Otsego County 4-H program where she raised and showed her own herd of dairy goats, as well as beef cattle and horses. Pursuing her growing passion for agriculture, Kate attended SUNY Cobleskill for a Bachelors in Agricultural Business Management, followed by Masters in Agricultural Education, Communications and Leadership from the University of Missouri. As the Farm to School Education Specialist for Harvest NY, Kate provides support and educational opportunities to Farm to School programs in NYS.

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.