Experience Matters
Sometimes the numbers just align, and it just so happens that the total number of years of experience working in Cornell Cooperative Extension of the seven Cornell Vegetable Program Specialists adds up to 125 years in 2026! Hands down, this is the most experienced regional agricultural team at Cornell. With experience comes excellence!
Our Team
Vegetable Specialists
Elizabeth Buck – fresh market vegetables (western region), weed management, soil health – (585) 406-3419 cell, emb273 [at] cornell.edu (emb273[at]cornell[dot]edu)
Robert Hadad – farm food safety, organic, business & marketing, fresh market vegetables – (585) 739-4065 cell, rgh26 [at] cornell.edu (rgh26[at]cornell[dot]edu)
Christy Hoepting – onions, cabbage, broccoli, garlic, pesticide management – (585) 721-6953 cell, cah59 [at] cornell.edu (cah59[at]cornell[dot]edu)
Julie Kikkert, Team Leader – processing crops (table beets, carrots, peas, snap beans, sweet corn) – (585) 313-8160 cell, jrk2 [at] cornell.edu (jrk2[at]cornell[dot]edu)
Margie Lund – potatoes, dry beans, post-harvest handling and storage – (607) 377-9109 cell, mel296 [at] cornell.edu (mel296[at]cornell[dot]edu)
Program Assistants & Support
Joanie Gabalski – Field Techinician – jlg467 [at] cornell.edu (jlg467[at]cornell[dot]edu)
Angela Ochterski – Administrative Assistant (enrollment, reports, communications) – (585) 394-3977 ext. 426, aep63 [at] cornell.edu
Faces of Extension
As a Cornell Vegetable Program Specialist for over two decades, Hoepting has become the go-to expert for New York's muck onion industry, helping guide decision making while building trust and transparency among growers. Hoepting’s work translates field trials into practical solutions that keep western New York onion farms relevant and competitive.
Julie Kikkert is the Team Leader and a Vegetable Specialist with the Cornell Vegetable Program. With a background in horticulture, and extensive experience in plant research, Julie combines her love for research and hands-on fieldwork to support growers and new educators.