Urban Agriculture

The Cornell Cooperative Extension Urban Agriculture Program offers an email publication, NYC Market Growers Update. This occasional publication is focused on production-oriented resources for NYC urban farmers who are growing for market or growing at a similar scale.
Join the NYC CRAFT Google Group to stay informed on all Collaborative Regional Alliance for Farmer Training events happening in our area. NYC CRAFT is a cooperative model encouraging enhanced educational and networking opportunities for farmers across the NYC region.
For more frequent updates on our work:

Relevant Events
Herbs in Context at River Garden
June 13, 2023
6:00 pm - 8:00 pm
Soil Biology Field Day
June 28, 2023
3:00 - 6:00 pm EDT
New York, NY
Soil Health and Compost Basics (Part 1 of 2)
August 3, 2023
12:00 pm - 1:00 pm
Soil Health and Compost Practicum (Part 2 of 2)
August 5, 2023
10:00 am - 12:00 noon
Manhattan, NY
Beneficial Insects on NYC Farms Pocket Guide
Sam Anderson, Urban Agriculture Specialist
Harvest New York

The Beneficial Insects on NYC Farms Pocket Guide provides information on beneficial insects commonly found on New York City farms as well as how to recognize and identify them.
Beneficial insects in this guide refers to natural enemies of pests as well as pollinator insects, like bees.
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Esta guía brinda información sobre los insectos benéficos que se encuentran comúnmente en las granjas de la ciudad de Nueva York, así como también cómo reconocerlos e identificarlos.
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! 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.
Vegetable Planting Guide for the New York City Area
Yolanda Gonzalez, Urban Agriculture Specialist
Harvest New York

This handy table lists common vegetables grouped by the approximate planting times in the New York City area. Find out what crops will fare well in early Spring plantings, late Spring or early Summer plantings, or that are hardy enough to be planted in late Summer or in the Fall.
NYC Agricultural Soil Survey
Sam Anderson, Urban Agriculture Specialist
Harvest New York

In order to better understand the unique soils used in New York City's urban farms, Cornell Cooperative Extension's (CCE) urban agriculture program is conducting the NYC Survey of Agricultural Soils.
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.
NYC Urban Agriculture Website

The City of New York created a website in 2018 devoted to urban agriculture resources and questions. The website summarizes New York City programs and regulations urban farms and gardens and provides key contacts within city government and for other service providers.
Cornell High Tunnels

Soil-based urban growers around the country are increasingly adding high tunnels to extend the season, expand which crops they can grow, and ramp up production in small spaces. The Cornell High Tunnels site includes excellent resources on buying and building the structures, figuring out the economics of adding a high tunnel, and guides for growing vegetables, fruit, and flowers.
Controlled Environment Agriculture

Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) is an advanced and intensive form of hydroponically-based agriculture. Plants are grown within a controlled environment so that horticultural practices can be optimized.
CEA techniques are not simpler than older systems for growing plants. Indeed, they demand sound knowledge of chemistry, horticulture, engineering, plant physiology, plant pathology, computers and entomology. A wide range of skills as well as a natural inclination to attend to details are necessary for a person to operate a successful CEA production in either a research or commercial setting.
Guide to Urban Farming in New York State

Are you interested in or currently farming in a city? Do you wonder how to access land, how to reclaim a contaminated site, how to maximize use of a small growing space, or how to most successfully target your urban market?
The Guide to URBAN Farming in NYS, produced by the Cornell Small Farms Program, answers these and many other common questions about farming in urban environments, and can help you launch, continue, or expand your urban farm business.
Healthy Soils, Healthy Communities

The Healthy Soils, Healthy Communities project is a research and education partnership with New York's urban gardeners and others interested in healthy gardening. We help people make more informed decisions to address concerns about lead and other contaminants in gardens, farms, and other community spaces.
The Healthy Soils, Healthy Communities website includes information on soil contaminants (including soil testing), healthy gardening practices, compost (at home and in gardens, schools, and other community spaces), and other resources.
USDA's Urban Agriculture Toolkit

USDA's Urban Agriculture Toolkit is an electronic document that helps urban and small farms navigate more than 70 helpful resources, including technical assistance and financing opportunities. It focuses on some of the most pressing challenges confronting urban producers such as land access, soil quality, water resources, capital and financing, infrastructure, market development, production strategies, and applying for federal, state or private foundation grants. University extension service partners in Chicago and Indianapolis helped develop cost estimates for starting urban farms and the toolkit includes information on best practices and check lists for start-ups and early-stage producers planning outdoor or indoor operations.
Upcoming Events
Herbs in Context at River Garden
June 13, 2023
6:00 pm - 8:00 pm
Soil Biology Field Day
June 28, 2023
3:00 - 6:00 pm EDT
New York, NY
Soil Health and Compost Basics (Part 1 of 2)
August 3, 2023
12:00 pm - 1:00 pm
Announcements
New York State Cannabis sativa L. Production Manual
The newly released New York State Cannabis sativa L. Production Manual is intended to provide current data and findings about sustainable hemp cultivation to growers and members of the Cannabis industry to achieve a high-quality, profitable, and compliant yield. Cannabis sativa yields are used for the development of hemp-based cannabinoid products, fiber, grain, and medicine.The manual also includes information about the regulatory environment around hemp in New York and the United States, a description of C. sativa cultivation, information about testing and grading, as well as tips on how to produce a crop that meets international environmental and labor standards. Our objective is to help growers maximize yield, quality, profitability, and product integrity while maintaining compliance.
New Ag Climate Factsheet Released
The intersection of agricultural production and greenhouse gases is gathering increasing attention. This is an opportune time to consider how vegetable production interacts with carbon sequestration and greenhouse gas emissions, and how using cover crops may alter this picture.The factsheet, Greenhouse Gases and Soil Organic Carbon in Vegetable Production and the Role of Cover Crops, written by Zach Spangler, Ag Climate Resiliency Specialist with CCE Harvest NY, and Elizabeth Buck, Fresh Market Vegetable Specialist, CCE Cornell Vegetable Program, discusses:
- Sequestration of atmospheric carbon in agricultural soils as soil organic carbon (SOC). Is vegetable production impacting SOC?
- Net greenhouse gas emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2), nitrous oxide (N2O), and methane (CH4) from the soil.
- Impact of cover crops on soil organic carbon, nitrous oxide emissions, and other GHG emissions.