Expanding Specialty Mushroom Production on Urban and Rural Farms
Yolanda Gonzalez, Urban Agriculture Specialist
Harvest New York

As a response to the growing demand for both mushrooms and technical production knowledge, Yolanda Gonzalez, Urban Agriculture Specialist from Harvest NY, and the Cornell Small Farms Program, along with partners Farm School NYC, Just Food, and Grow NYC, were recently awarded two multi-year grants. The first grant is the USDA NIFA Grant "Expanding Specialty Mushroom Production on Urban and Rural Small Farms," which will engage growers, service provider organizations, and industry partners to enhance the collective knowledge base and capacity of farmers to grow specialty mushrooms and sell them profitably to local and regional markets within 250 miles of New York City. The second grant is the Northeast SARE Professional Development Program "Spawning a network of northeast mushroom educators serving urban and rural farmer audiences," increasing the educational capacity through a network of Community Mushroom Educators throughout the region.
For questions about the mushroom projects, please contact Yolanda Gonzalez.
Find more information on mushroom production on Cornell's Specialty Mushroom Cultivation website.
Growing the Specialty Mushroom Industry in the NYC and Regional Foodshed (pdf; 259KB)
Upcoming Events
2025 Agroforestry Field Day Series -- Tour of Agroforestry and Silvopasture Systems
September 4, 2025
4:00 PM - 6:00 PM
Goshen, 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 this evening, join project director Alix Daguin and other staff at All One One All Farm in Goshen, NY for a two hour walk-and-talk tour to learn about the agroforestry systems they have planted at their regenerative farm which integrates livestock and tree crops. Successes, challenges, as well as systems of implementation and management will be covered.
2025 Cornell High-Cannabinoid Hemp Cannabis sativa Field Day

September 10, 2025
8:30 am - 6:00 pm
Geneva, NY
Join us for a full day of learning and discussion, connecting and having fun! The Cornell Cannabis sativa L. (Hemp) Field Day features interactive workshops, demonstrations, and panel discussions on the latest industry advancements for New York growers and other stakeholders. Topics include:- controlled environment agriculture
- soil health and composting
- disease management and tissue culture
- genetics of color and minor cannabinoids
- post-harvest, drying, and curing
- NYS Office of Cannabis Management updates and fireside chat
Cultivating Climate Resilience of Urban Agriculture in New York City
September 24, 2025
1:30 PM - 3:00 PM
New York, NY
A Panel Presentation and Hands-on Soil Health Demo!Join the New York Climate Exchange and Cornell Cooperative Extension's Ag Climate Resiliency Program, New York Soil Health, and Harvest NY for a Soil Health Field Day in Governor's Island. This event focuses on best practices for building climate resilience on urban farms and is part of the 2025 Soil Health and Climate Resilience Field Days. It will offer a farm tour, as well as valuable insights and hands-on demonstrations to enhance soil health through biochar applications.
Whether you're a seasoned farmer or just getting started, this event is perfect for anyone who wants to learn the basics of climate resilience, adaptation planning, and soil health-- hearing directly from urban farmers in New York City.