Cornell Cooperative Extension of Oneida County is accepting registrations for its second summer session of ‘Vegetable Farming in Urban Settings’, which will be held at their new Urban Farm Learning Lab in the REA wing of Utica’s Union Railway Station.
The free, hands-on workshop series will run for six weeks starting Wednesday, June 1st, from 5:30-7:00 PM. This experiential learning opportunity is for aspiring urban farmers who face small-business start-up barriers as well as residents who want to learn more about growing fresh foods in urban areas.
The program will help food growers learn about and manage risks in production, market development for product sales, and business/financial planning due to lack of experience, growing space, access to funding, or other resources. Individuals will learn and work in teams to cultivate and harvest an indoor mini-farm directly adjacent to the Oneida County Public Market.
Through grant funding received from the Northeast Extension Risk Management Education Center (NERME) and a facility use partnership with Oneida County, the Urban Farm Learning Lab was established in 2021 to offer two years of free public programming. The Year 2 summer session will be open to 25 participants, with 15 slots reserved for residents from urban areas such as Utica and Rome. The remaining registrations will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis from residents in other areas. Sessions in subsequent seasons may require a registration fee.
Register online at https://reg.cce.cornell.edu/OCLearningLab_230 or contact Maryellen Wiley at mfw73@cornell.edu or 315-736-3394 ext. 177 for additional information.
