The Harvest New York Specialists cover multiple regions within New York State. The Specialists work in close consultation with Cornell faculty members, local and regional Extension staff, and grower groups, bringing new information and resources to areas with growth potential.

Sam Anderson

Urban Agriculture Specialist

Areas of Interest: urban agriculture, IPM, soil management

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Kristy Apostolides

Farm to School Coordinator, Lower Hudson Valley

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Cheryl Bilinski

Local Food Systems Specialist, Farm to School Lead

Areas of Interest: farm to institution, supply chain development, farm-based beverages

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Amy Bly

Farm to School Coordinator, Long Island

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Lizzy Cooper

Farm to School Coordinator, Central NY

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Meghan Dohman

Farm to School Coordinator, North Country

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Makela Elvy

Urban Garden Leadership Curriculum Specialist

Areas of Interest: NYC community garden leadership, soil health, and composting

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Yolanda Gonzalez

Urban Agriculture Specialist

Areas of Interest: urban agriculture, marketing, mushroom production

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Karen Guzman

Urban Gardens Specialist

Areas of Interest: community gardens, IPM, native plants, sustainable growing methods

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Mallory Hohl

Urban Gardens Specialist

Areas of Interest: nutrition, farm to school initiatives, youth engagement, local food systems, WNY urban gardens

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Kwesi Joseph

Urban Gardens Specialist

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

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Kyle Karnuta

Urban Ag Curriculum Development Specialist

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Lori Koenick

Extension Support Specialist

Areas of Interest: mushrooms, urban agriculture, fresh market vegetables

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Bridget O'Brien Wood

Buffalo Farm Shares Coordinator

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Becky O'Connor

Farm to School Coordinator, WNY & Finger Lakes

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Kitty O'Neil

Ag Climate Resiliency Specialist

Areas of Interest: soil health

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Lindsey Pashow

Ag Business Development & Marketing Specialist

Areas of Interest: agritourism, marketing, craft beverage industry, produce auctions

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Kate Preston

Farm to School Education Specialist

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Judson Reid

Extension Vegetable Specialist, Team Leader

Areas of Interest: greenhouse production, small farming operations, produce auctions

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Katie Sheehan-Lopez

Farm to School Coordinator, Upper Hudson Valley

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Savanna Shelnutt

Ag Climate Resiliency Specialist

Areas of Interest: integrated grazing systems and soil carbon sequestration

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Anya Stansell

WNY Small Fruit Specialist

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Daniela Vergara

Emerging Crops Specialist

Areas of Interest: hemp, hops, new crops to NYS

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Sara Jean (SJ) Whelan

Farm to School Coordinator, New York City

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Urban Climate Adaptation and Mitigation Program (Urban CAMP): Session 3

March 12, 2025
3:30 PM - 5:30 PM
Brooklyn, NY

The 2025 Urban Climate Adaptation and Mitigation Program (Urban CAMP) is designed to empower NYC farmers and agricultural advisors in their journey to gain and share knowledge and tools needed to be resilient in the face of climate uncertainty. This program is a partnership between Cornell University, the Harvest NY Program in Cornell Cooperative Extension, and the USDA Northeast Climate Hub. The Urban CAMP curriculum draws heavily from the Climate Adaptation and Mitigation Fellowship (CAMF), created in response to farmers' need for information and technical assistance related to climate change.

The 2025 Urban Climate Adaptation and Mitigation Program (Urban CAMP) will consist of a series of in-person workshops, trainings, online webinars, and in-person field days, tailored for the specific needs of farmers in and around New York City. The program begins February 26, 2026 and will run through September 2026. Five in-person training sessions will be held once a week on Wednesdays in February and March (Feb. 26th, March 5th, March 12th, March 19th, and March 26th). There will be a total of three in-person farm tours during the growing season (dates TBD). Urban CAMP participants will then work to develop an adaptation or mitigation plan for their urban farm, or a farm they work with. Participants who attend all in-person events and complete a farm plan will receive a certificate of completion and a $150 stipend.

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.