Click on the name to get more information and full contact information for the specialist.
Vegetables
Chuck Bornt, Sr. Extension Associate, ENYCH Team Leader
Areas of Interest
Reduced Tillage, Production Systems, Pest ID and Control
Background
Growing up on a vegetable farm in NY sparked Chuck Bornt’s interest in all aspects of crop production. Chuck completed his undergraduate studies at SUNY Cobleskill and his master’s degree at the University of New Hampshire, Durham in Plant Biology. Chuck’s experience as a Cornell Cooperative Extension Area Specialist began in 1998 in Western NY. His attention turned to vegetable production in the Capital Region in 2002. Today, Chuck spends much of his time with growers, determining the vegetable industry needs for research and educational outreach.
Crystal Stewart-Courtens, Extension Associate
Areas of Interest
Small and Beginning Farms, Organic Production Systems, Garlic
Background
Crystal Stewart-Courtens has long been interested in commercial and consumer horticulture. She completed both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees at the University of Wisconsin. During her studies, she worked in the Department of Horticulture as a Graduate Teaching Assistant and as a Research Associate. After graduating, Crystal became a Regional Extension Educator with the South Dakota State University Cooperative Extension providing horticulture support. She joined Cornell Cooperative Extension in 2007 as the horticulture and agriculture educator in Fulton and Montgomery Counties. Today, Crystal’s areas of emphasis include organic horticulture, small and beginning farmers assistance, and basic farm business management.
Ethan Grundberg, Extension Associate
Areas of Interest
Organic Production Systems, Small Farm Equipment, IPM, Cover Crops
Background
Ethan Grundberg grew up in eastern Iowa. After graduating from college, he spent a year working in the northern coffee-growing region of Nicaragua where he honed his Spanish. He then moved to NYC to provide a community garden network some horticultural support. Ethan returned to academia to pursue his master’s degree at the University of California, Davis specializing in agroecology and vegetable production. While there, he managed some of the university’s certified organic research land and provided instruction in safe equipment use to student employees. Upon graduation, Ethan returned east to work for the New Entry Sustainable Farming Project. Prior to joining the ENYCH team in 2016, Ethan worked as the farm manager at Allandale Farm, a 40-acre diversified vegetable farm in eastern Massachusetts that sold produce through a 400 member CSA, a roadside stand, and restaurants in the Boston area.
Elisabeth Hodgdon, Extension Associate
Areas of Interest
Pest management, high tunnel production, season extension, organic agriculture
Background
Elisabeth grew up on a farm in Vermont, where her interest in growing vegetables began. She studied plant science and agricultural economics at McGill University and later went on to complete her master’s degree at the University of New Hampshire, where she studied cover cropping for weed suppression. While at UNH, she also assisted with vegetable variety trials and high tunnel research. Elisabeth returned to Vermont to earn her PhD at UVM where she researched organic management strategies for swede midge, an invasive pest of cole crops.
Teresa Rusinek, Extension Associate
Areas of Interest
Pest ID, Pest Control Recommendations, Biocontrols, Greenhouse Vegetables and Ornamentals
Background
Teresa has a strong background working with a variety of farms, including vegetable, Christmas tree, fruit, sod and greenhouses. Her undergraduate degree is from SUNY New Paltz, and her master’s degree is in Environmental Policy from Bard College. Teresa currently focuses her extension efforts on vegetable production, including integrated pest management, horticulture, biocontrols and greenhouse management. She is also actively involved with multiple applied research projects, mainly in pest management.
Tree Fruit
Mike Basedow, Extension Associate
Areas of Interest
Cultural practices, training systems, beginning orchards, cider orchards
Background
Mike delivers educational programming and conducts applied research relevant to orchards across the Eastern New York region, primarily in the areas of cultural orchard practices and pest management. He also teaches an online beginning orchard course through the Cornell Small Farms Program and is involved in planning statewide hard cider programming through Cornell Cooperative Extension’s Hard Cider Program work team. Mike earned his MS in horticulture from Penn State University and worked as an extension educator at Penn State Extension prior to joining the ENYCHP. When not in the orchards, he can be found hiking the Adirondack woods, or exploring the many historic sites of Eastern New York.
Dan Donahue, Extension Associate
Areas of Interest
Horticulture, orchard management, post-harvest technology
Background
Dan brings a varied background of experience to extension outreach and applied research in tree fruit production for the Eastern New York Commercial Horticulture program. After receiving his undergraduate degree from Cornell University and a master’s degree from Virginia Polytechnic Institute in entomology, Dan has worked in all aspects of the tree fruit industry, including production, processing, marketing and sales. He will be providing support to the tree fruit industry in the Hudson Valley.
Grapes
Jeremy Schuster, Extension Associate
Areas of Interest
Viticulture
Background
Jeremy is the Regional Viticulture Extension Specialist for Eastern New York and is a part of the Eastern NY Commercial Horticulture Program. Jeremy serves commercial New York grape growers, both table and wine grapes, from the lower Hudson Valley up to the Canadian border of the Champlain Valley. In this role, Jeremy supports growers with vineyard development, integrated pest management, in-vineyard consultation, and continued education on viticulture practices. Jeremy comes to Cornell Cooperative Extension, having earned a master’s degree in viticulture from Oregon State University and a bachelor’s degree in agriculture genetics with a minor in agronomy from Iowa State University. Jeremy also worked in the corn and soybean industry for several years as a research associate. Outside of work, Jeremy enjoys hiking, exploring New York, and visiting wineries.
Berries
Laura McDermott, Sr. Extension Associate
Areas of Interest
Horticulture, IPM, High Tunnel Production, & Food Safety
Background
Laura McDermott has long been interested in horticulture, completing her undergrad degree at Cornell University and her master’s degree at the University of Florida. Laura joined Cornell Cooperative Extension in 1990 and, through the years, has fine-tuned her expertise in commercial small fruit and vegetable production including pest identification and management, soil fertility, food safety, and season extension techniques. Today, Laura leads small fruit outreach efforts in our area, serves as a liaison with grower organizations, and regularly participates in applied research and demonstration activities.
Farm Business Management/Production Economics
Elizabeth Higgins, Extension Associate, ENYCH Team Leader
Areas of Interest
Business Management, Land Use Policy, Risk Management, Labor and Workforce Development, Agricultural Economics
Liz Higgins started her career as an agricultural policy and food systems analyst Washington, DC working for the Sustainable Agricultural Coalition, MSAWG, USDA-AMS and the Wallace Center at Winrock. Liz also has experience in rural economic development as the director of the Louisiana Tech University Center for Rural Development. She joined Cornell Cooperative Extension in 2006 and worked with Cornell Cooperative Extension in both Ulster and Sullivan Counties as a program leader in Agriculture and Natural Resources, Nutrition and Consumer Science Programs and Watershed Management. Liz joined the ENYCH team in 2016 providing research and extension support to growers in Eastern New York in farm business management, business planning and risk management, workforce development and agricultural economics.
Program Staff
Natasha Field, Program/Extension Aide II
CCE Rensselaer County, 99 Troy Road, Suite 203, East Greenbush, NY 12061, phone 518-272-4210
Sarah Elone, Program/Extension Aide II
Hudson Valley Lab, 3357 US Hwy 9W, Highland, NY 12528
Jennifer Stanton, Program/Extension Aide II
CCE Clinton County, 6064 NY-22, Plattsburgh, NY 12901, phone 518-561-7450