Makela Elvy

Makela Elvy is an Urban Garden Specialist with the Cornell Cooperative Extension Harvest New York team. She provides technical assistance and educational programming for community gardens throughout New York City. Her work primarily focuses on soil health management, urban garden planning and design, and community engagement.

Makela earned her B.A. in Environmental Geoscience from Depauw University and her M. Ed. In Curriculum and Instruction from Concordia University. Makela is also a certified Master Composter through the New York City Department of Sanitation. Some specific research interests and program areas include:

• Mechanized and manual community-scale compost production;
• Fertility management in highly organic and constructed soils
• Fruit tree care in urban environments;
• Plant light requirements and options
• Plant water requirements and practical considerations