Cornell Small Farms Program

05/21/2026

Our latest SITREP newsletter, a monthly email digest built for farmer veterans by our Farm Ops team, shared upcoming events and opportunities, news, resources and more.

We shared how to stay motivated in the mud, planting for pollinators, our ongoing pig production event series, and more. Learn more:

There I was knee deep in gr***de pins … no, wrong story … there I was actually feeling really good about where we were in regards to getting the farm open for the vegetable season, with tasks and deadlines outlined on the calendar. Then he walks in, he being my farm partner and weather watcher, ...

05/20/2026

05/19/2026

Much as you appreciate the shade of a tree on a hot day, the livestock who spend time in pastures do too! Our agroforestry team planted trees in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Cornell University research barn pasture to improve the health of the animals grazing under them. This very old practice of combining grazing animals with both forage and trees is known as silvopasture. ⠀
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Silvopasture can start with mature woodland or brushy scrubland that is strategically thinned to allow enough light pe*******on for forage to grow in the understory; or silvopasture can begin as this site did, with planting trees into an open pasture. This planting included 60 willow, poplar, and mulberry trees in a 0.7-acre pasture. ⠀
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Learn more about silvopasture and other agroforestry practices: https://ow.ly/mYYj50Z1O1a

05/15/2026

In May, we celebrate bees and other pollinators for Pollinator Month! ⠀
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It is estimated that pollinators are responsible for 1 out of 3 bites of food we take each day in the U.S. Bees, butterflies, birds, bats, and other animals help plants produce seeds, fruits, and vegetables. ⠀
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Learn more about how to support pollinators: https://ow.ly/1kVN50Z0gz7

04/23/2026

Are you interested in exploring the diverse business prospects of pig production? Join us next weekend for the latest event in a series that our Farm Ops project is running on raising pigs.

This event, Feeding Strategies for Riparian Raised Pigs, is hosted by two veteran-owned farms in central New York and will focus on how these farmers have joined forces to raise pigs in a riparian forest setting.

Limited space available for this free in-person event. Join us on Saturday, May 2, from 10:00 a.m. to 3 p.m. in Locke, NY, to learn about starting or expanding into a pig enterprise.

The event is open to anyone farming in New York, and lunch will be provided. Learn more and register:

Join Farm Ops at veteran owned Centurion Farm, LLC and Benlauck Farm to explore a riparian forest raised pig operation that combines natural foraging with

04/22/2026

Today we're celebrating one of the most powerful allies in agriculture: trees!

Trees are more than just part of the landscape, they are essential to healthy farms.

🌱 They improve soil fertility
🌱 Reduce erosion
🌱 Provide shade for crops and livestock
🌱 Increase biodiversity
🌱 Help farmers adapt to climate change

This is the heart of agroforestry, a practice that brings trees and farming together to create more resilient and sustainable food systems. At the Cornell Small Farms Program, we’re putting this into action through our agroforestry project.

Visit our website to learn how it works, and explore how trees can transform agriculture for the better: https://ow.ly/ol4k50YO4b5

🌳 Give Trees a Chance!

04/02/2026

Congratulations to our Director for this incredible recognition!

Our third Industry Legend spotlight features Dr. Anusuya Rangarajan. Growing up in Detroit, Michigan, Dr. Rangarajan traced her early love of plants and soil back to learning how to plant, grow, and harvest vegetables from an uncle. After an impressive academic career pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Horticulture and Floriculture, a masters in controlled environment agriculture, and a PhD in vegetable production and physiology, Dr. Rangarajan now serves many roles in shaping agriculture here in New York as the Director of the Cornell Small Farms Program, and as the State Fresh Market Vegetable Specialist at Cornell University. She also operated a U-pick strawberry farm in Freeville, NY.

As the State Fresh Market Vegetable Specialist, Dr. Rangarajan’s research has focused on innovative crop and soil management to improve soil health without compromising crop yield, earliness and quality. Under her leadership, the Cornell Small Farms Program aims to support and uplift small-scale farming operations, helping farmers get expert assistance at all phases of business development, from start-up to growth to maturity. Dr. Rangarajan is a true champion and advocate of New York farmers, and her work has helped advance our industry for future generations. Thank you, Dr. Rangarajan, for all that you do!

04/01/2026

On the latest episode of Small Farms Radio, we spoke about all things pee-cycling with Dr. Rebecca Nelson of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Cornell University.

We discussed the crop nutrient, financial, and human health contexts of pee-cycling on small farms and home gardens, and the future of the circular resource economy.

Listen to the episode wherever you get your podcasts, or on our website:

Recycling just got a whole lot closer to home: your bathroom. In the United States today, human waste is collected and disposed of, transporting valuable

03/31/2026

In our new Give Trees a Chance newsletter, a quarterly email from our agroforestry team, we share exciting news and upcoming events on trees, mushrooms, nuts, silvopasture and more!

We have new video resources, in-person workshops, and research updates for all of our agroforestry needs.

Learn more:

Greetings as the landscape comes alive! The salamanders have migrated and we enjoyed our first “false spring,” one of the 12 seasons of upstate NY.

03/26/2026

This week we celebrated National Agriculture Day!