Guide to Farming in New York State Available in English and Spanish
Yolanda Gonzalez, Urban Agriculture Specialist
Harvest New York
For nearly two decades, the Guide to Farming in New York State has been the Cornell Small Farms Program's go-to resource for those looking to start a farm business, and has been referenced by both new and experienced farmers alike!
The original version of the Guide to Farming was developed in 2004 by Cornell Cooperative Extension Tompkins County's agricultural educators, Monika Roth and Jacob Schuelke. The guide began as a supporting text for a workshop on the Legalities and Logistics of Farming in New York State, and over time it has expanded to include a range of important questions faced by small farms in New York State, such as marketing regulations, labor laws, and organic certification.
As a living document, the guide is regularly updated and is a valuable reference material for CCE educators, ag service providers, and farmers throughout New York State and beyond. The guide includes straightforward and readable fact sheets that summarize key information, and points readers toward other local and state resources, to leverage opportunities and answer key questions for farmers.
It is important to make this information accessible to all farmers, including our Spanish-speaking farm owners, supervisors, and employees, whose contributions are vital to NYS agricultural sectors and will define the future of the NYS food system. The decision to create a Spanish language version of the guide, called "Guia para Granjas en Nueva York," is part of a larger effort to promote greater access to agricultural information and opportunities and support new and beginning Latino/a/x farmers to overcome challenges to access land and create successful farm business.
Cornell Small Farms Program's new online platform "Centro de Recursos para Fincas" will feature this guide along with other Spanish language resources, both from the Cornell Small Farms Program and curated from other collaborators. Stay tuned for stories from Latino/a/x farmers, and opportunities to join bilingual events for new and aspiring farmers and participate in peer learning circles on farm financials in Spanish.
If you'd like to learn more, check out Centro de Recursos para Fincas and explore Cornell Small Farm Program's growing collection of Spanish language resources for farmers.
Upcoming Events
Log Inoculation Party
April 28, 2024
10:00 AM - 1:00 PM
New York, NY
Join us for a log inoculation party and Community Mushroom Educator (CME) reunion at the Randall's Island Urban Farm with past and prospective CMEs. We will be inoculating local tree species with shiitake and oyster spawn as part of a larger research project with the Randall's Island Park Alliance Urban Farm and Cornell Cooperative Extension. Announcements
Field Guide: Arthropod Pests of NYC Vegetables
Arthropod Pests of NYC Vegetables aims to help urban farmers and gardeners find, identify, and understand the most common and important insects and other arthropod pests found in New York City farms and gardens. Some of these pests are rarely mentioned in other guides but are common in NYC. The guide emphasizes scouting tips, including how to identify pests by the damage they leave behind, even when you can't find the insect itself.This guide was created as a collaboration between Cornell Cooperative Extension's Harvest New York team and the New York State Integrated Pest Management Program.