Cornell Small Farms Program Update
Cultivating Agroforestry and Specialty Mushrooms in New York State
Our new Agroforestry and Mushroom Specialist, Connor Youngerman, has been building relationships with the agroforestry community in NY and beyond since joining the Small Farms team. He is also developing new research and education programs geared towards functional agroforestry skills accessible and useful to anyone, whether they own forested land or not. Planned endeavors include workshops and research on the propagation of wood perennials, best practices for nursery management, and using invasive weeds and trees as novel mushroom substrates.
Additionally, the Agroforestry Program Work Team (PWT) has been reestablished, and we are looking forward to being the connection and resource hub for statewide agroforestry. The PWT is amplifying campus efforts to make the MacDaniel’s Nut Grove into a flagship agroforestry teaching center, and supporting citizen-science projects developed and lead by graduates of our community mushroom educator program.
NY Connects: Climate Smart Farms and Forests Project to Survey Farmers
The agroforestry endeavors at the Cornell Small Farms Program have grown and diversified over the years, and are now expanding further to meet the goals of the NY Connects: Climate Smart Farms and Forests Project Grant from New York State. The first phases of this work will include a survey directed at small farms and historically underserved farmers to assess their awareness of, and future plans for, integrating climate resilience practices. This is the first survey of its kind for NY. Keep an eye out for this survey in through the summer season.
Beyond the survey, our efforts under the Climate Smart Farms and Forest Project includes reaching out to small-scale farmers, with a particular focus on the Latino/a/x, BIPOC, and veteran communities. By encouraging these communities to adopt climate-smart agriculture practices, we are not only supporting the farms ‘resilience to climate change but also fostering a more inclusive and sustainable agricultural sector.
The Promise of Urban Agriculture: New Courses for Growers and Planners
Our work on Realizing the Promise of Urban Agriculture (RPUA), started in October 2020, to create trainings and educational resources for multiple audiences engaged in urban agriculture and, specifically, commercial urban agriculture. Based on the 2019 report, “The Promise of Urban Agriculture,” RPUA draws on the evolution of 14 urban farms, and insights from over 150 policy-makers, urban planners, funders, and nonprofit and community organizers engaged in local food systems and urban farming to uncover the policies, resources, and future research and development needed to support the successful development of commercial urban farms.
The project engages 10 advisors from across the country, and piloted trainings in 2021 and 2022 for an urban ag curriculum that we are excited to launch in the summer of 2024.
These courses provide critical information for building or supporting successful urban farms.
PUA 101: Deciding Where to Farm in the City reviews how to create a commercial urban farm with community in mind. Other topics include urban land access and tenure, and regulations that impact urban farming.
PUA 102: Urban Farm Planning and Management covers factors that contribute to an economically viable urban farm, including choosing a business model, knowing when to expand the farm, crop planning, analyzing markets, managing on-farm labor, and promoting a strong farm culture.
PUA 103: Urban Farming by Community Nonprofits is designed for nonprofit farm staff and members of community organizations that manage urban farms. It goes deeper into the specific concerns of operating an urban farm as a nonprofit.
PUA 201: Urban Agriculture Skills for Planners help planners from any size city or municipality understand how urban agriculture is affected by planning priorities, zoning, comprehensive planning. The course also explores strategies to foster inclusive community engagement, sustainability and equity. The planners course is worth 6 Certification Maintenance (CM) credits through American Planners Association.
After participating in these courses, participants will be able to:
- Articulate the physical, economic, and social factors important to building viable urban farms.
- Understand the relevant policy and planning tools that can support or hinder an urban farm.
- Describe the economic opportunities and risks that affect long-term viability and sustainability of urban farms.
- Distinguish when a nonprofit business structure can be more effective in meeting social goals for urban farming than a for-profit model.
Each course is designed as a standalone learning experience with unique video content and materials.
The courses will be housed on the Cornell Small Farmers Program online courses website (https://smallfarmcourses.com/) and will be available free to the public for the first 6 months.
