Food Gardening

Growing your own food can be a very satisfying effort that pays off in a number of ways: your fruits and vegetables are fresher and you can choose the exact varieties that you and your family enjoy. Plus, you can save substantial amounts of money over purchasing them at the grocery or farmers' markets. We provide resources and advice to help you start small, and gradually move up to producing more of your family's food. Visit our pages in this section for more information on the first and last dates for planting vegetables in our area, setting up a rotation for your vegetable beds, and much more.

Cornell Resources

New Vegetable Gardening Blog! 

Steve Reiners, Horticulture Professor at Cornell University launched his Spring 2020 Vegetable Garden blog. Follow it to learn how to start a veggie garden, or improve your current one, and use the garden to improve your health and even teach the kids about biology!  

Cornell's Garden-based Learning page is your one-stop-shop for home gardening how-to.

Veg-by-veg guide about how to grow specific plants

This Cornell University Library Guide on "Seed Saving" compiled by Jeff Piestrak includes links to relevant Cornell University initiatives, Conservation & Biodiversity Groups, Grower Resources/Directories/Support, Industry/Trade Groups & Resources, Seed Libraries, Seed Sovereignty, Other Seed Saving Organizations/Networks/Events, and General Learning Materials on saving seeds.

Putnam County Community Garden at Tilly Foster

If you are interested in growing your own food but don't have space for a garden, then how about renting a plot in a community garden at Tilly Foster in Brewster? Contact the Putnam County Park office at (845) 808-1994 if you would like a community garden application.

page adapted from Tompkins County CCE

Last updated December 18, 2020