The Farm Hub partners with academic institutions and regional educators to research and demonstrate agricultural practices that aim to balance ecological resilience and farm viability.
This program serves as a platform for sharing information, innovation, and ideas toward a more resilient agriculture and food systems, one that supports production and ecological goals such as climate resilience, biodiversity, soil health and water quality
These projects intersect with the work being conducted by our Applied Farmscape Ecology Research Collaborative.
Fostering collaboration with mission-aligned organizations plays an important role in the success of agronomic research at the Farm Hub. Click here to meet some of the researchers and scientists we work with from partner organizations including Cornell Cooperative Extension Eastern New York Commercial Horticulture Program and the Cornell Sustainable Cropping Systems Lab.
2025 On-Farm Research Projects
Our current on-farm research trials focus on small grain variety testing, vegetable crop management, and reduced tillage strategies, all within an organic cropping system.
Small Grains Variety Trials
Project Goal:
To identify small grains varieties adapted to the Hudson Valley in order to support farmers and cultivate interest in locally grown ingredients by farmers, millers, bakers, and community residents.
This long-standing project began in 2014 in partnership with Cornell Cooperative Extension Ulster County and the Sorrells Lab at Cornell University. Learn more about the Small Grains project here and meet our researchers here!
2025 Trials:
- Winter grains (wheat, barley, rye) small plot variety trial
- Spring grains (wheat, barley, emmer) small plot variety trial
- Spring wheat and winter wheat large plot (1 acre) variety grow outs
Past Reports:
- Hudson Valley Small Grains Variety Research and Commercialization Trials Report (2019-2022)
- Hudson Valley Small Grains Project Preliminary Research Summary (2014-2018)
- Growing with the Grain (2019) short documentary
Vegetable Crop Management
Project Goal:
To increase resiliency of organic vegetable production through integrated pest and disease management, regionally adapted varieties, and greenhouse gas sequestration strategies. This research is conducted in collaboration with Cornell Cooperative Extension Eastern New York Commercial Horticulture Program. Meet our researchers here!
2025 Trials:
Colorado Potato Beetle (CPB) Management
- Evaluating organic insecticide and mechanical (flaming, knock off and bury, plant sweeper) CPB control options for efficacy and ease of operation.
- Year 1 of study
Field Tomato Disease Management
- Fine tuning organic fungicide programs using the novel bio-fungicide ‘Oso’ (Polyoxin D zinc salt) while potentially lowering copper fungicide inputs
- Year 2 of study – see 2024 report
Garlic Anthracnose Management
- Identifying potential organic management strategies for garlic anthracnose, a fungal disease that is becoming more severe in the Hudson Valley. While there are effective conventional fungicides available, there has not been any applied research on organic management for this pathogen.
- Year 1 of study
Greenhouse Gas Flux Rates in Reduced Tillage Vegetable Production
- Measuring potential changes to soil carbon levels resulting from the addition of the persistent carbon amendment biochar over a three-year period. In addition to assessing impacts on soil carbon, the team will monitor greenhouse gas flux rates over the season, soil nutrient availability and uptake, soil temperature and moisture, and crop yield.
- Year 6 of study – See 2024, 2023, 2022, 2021, and 2020 reports
High Tunnel Hyloom Tomato Variety Trial
- Evaluating pre-commercial tomato cultivars referred to as “hylooms” because they exhibit desirable traits of heirloom varieties (color, shape, etc.) while maintaining modern advantages of hybrid varieties such as disease resistance and storability. These cultivars, developed by Cornell vegetable breeder Greg Vogel, are specifically adapted to NY and being evaluated for susceptibility to yellow shoulder/white core, disease susceptibility, marketable yield and horticultural attributes such as easliness, fruit size, firmness, color flavor, crack resistance and high temperature fruit set.
- Year 1 of study
Mitigating ‘Tip Burn’ in Winter Spinach
Reduced Tillage
Project Goal:
To build on previous research with reduced tillage in organic grain crop production using cover crop-based organic no-till management. This project aims to test management strategies, identify solutions to challenges (such as weed management), and develop robust guidelines that facilitate sustained adoption of regenerative practices.
Research is conducted in partnership with the Cornell Sustainable Cropping Systems Lab. Meet our researchers here!
2025 Trials:
- Organic spring wheat production can be challenging because of weed competition from winter annual weeds and variable weather in the spring that restricts timely soil tillage and planting. In this experiment, researchers will compare fall planted cover crops for organic no-till spring wheat production.
- Year 3 of study – see 2024 and 2023 report
- Interrow mowing is an effective alternative to interrow cultivation that is compatible with organic no-till planted row crops. Researchers will test the effects of interrow mowing on weed suppression and yield in organic no-till planted dry beans
- Year 3 of study – see 2024 and 2023 report
- Achieving success with no-till planting organic corn into rolled-crimped cover crops is somewhat challenging because of tradeoffs between weed management and nitrogen availability. Researchers will test different cover crops, as well as the use of starter fertilizer and interrow mowing in organic no-till planted corn.
- Year 1 of study
Past Research Trial Reports
2024
2023
2022
2021
2020
Agronomic Research Contact
Tayler Reinman, Agronomic Research Manager
[email protected]
Rainwise Weather Station
The Farm Hub participates in the Network for Environment and Weather Applications. In 2017, we established a Rainwise weather station on the Farm Hub’s property. In doing so, the Farm Hub contributes to a regional network that helps farmers make informed crop decisions. To view real-time weather conditions at the Farm, click here.
We host events for farmers at the Farm Hub to share findings from our research and demonstration projects.
Previous research trials at the Farm Hub
- Allium Leafminer in Garlic: A trial evaluating methods for managing and reducing the onslaught of the Allium Leafminer pest in leeks, scallion, and garlic.
- Fusarium Fungus in Garlic: Two trials at the Farm Hub evaluated methods for managing and reducing fusarium infection in garlic.
- Organic Management of Brassica Diseases: Efficacy study of bio-rational pest control materials in organic management of Brassica diseases.
- Nematode Biocontrol Trial for Wireworms: The Farm Hub studied the use of beneficial nematodes to combat wireworm larvae in sweet potato crops.
- Nematode Biocontrol Trial for the Potato Beetle: The Farm Hub is studying the use of beneficial nematodes (Entomopathogenic Nematodes) for controlling wireworms and Colorado Potato Beetle in potatoes.
- NOVIC: Participating in the Northern Organic Vegetable Improvement Collaborative’s organic seed trial, a national program seeking to increase organic seed varieties for farmers.
- Organic No-till Soybeans Trial: Examined the efficacy of using the roll and crimp method for weed management, and how it can be incorporated into cover crops.
- Root Crops Variety Trial: Evaluating thirty-one varieties of carrots, eighteen varieties of beets, and seven parsnip varieties for yield, appearance, color, taste, and storage ability.
- Taking Tillage out of Organic Crop Rotation: Two distinct trials in collaboration with Cornell University’s Sustainable Cropping Systems Lab, studying 1) methods for controlling weeds in perennial Kernza establishment, and 2) examining the biotic (pest, cover crop growth) and abiotic (soil moisture, soil nutrient, temperature) factors that affect no-till planted cash crops into summer and winter annuals. Read the Final Report.
- Tomato Variety Trial: Part of an ongoing Cornell Cooperative Extension program developing tomato lines with resistance to three destructive plant diseases: late blight, early blight, and septoria leaf spot.
- Whole Farm Organic Carbon-Soil Spatial Variability Study: In collaboration with Woods End Laboratories, this farm-wide soil sampling effort across 1,500 acres will examine carbon reserves in different management zones and soil types.