New York City is not only the center of finance, fashion, and art in the United States, but it is also a major hub for urban agriculture. Food Tank has compiled a list of ten urban farming projects in New York City that are definitely worth a visit.
Eagle Street Rooftop Farm
44 Eagle Street, New York, NY
A 6,000-square foot organic vegetable garden co-created by Broadway Stages and Good Green overlooking Manhattan from across the East River, Eagle Street Rooftop Farm operates its own seasonal farmers market and provides produce to local restaurants, including Anella’s, Spritzenhaus, and Marlow & Sons. Visitors can volunteer and learn about urban agriculture from the site’s Growing Chefs-trained education team.
Battery Urban Farm
Battery Park, Lower Manhattan, NY
This one-acre educational farm located inside Battery Park was founded in 2011 by the Battery Conservancy and students from Millennium High School. Students from local schools can visit and learn by cultivating their own plots in the farm’s outdoor classroom space, and volunteers are welcome every Wednesday and one Saturday a month for Battery Urban Farm Saturday events.
Bell Book and Candle Restaurant Rooftop Garden
141 W 10th Street, New York, NY
In keeping with the establishment’s commitment to “local, organic, sustainable and overall responsible procurement,” Bell Book and Candle operates its own aeroponic rooftop tower garden. Diners can choose garden-sourced items from the restaurant’s seasonal rotating menu.
Hell’s Kitchen Farm Project
410 W 40th Street, New York, NY
This volunteer-run rooftop garden was founded by local community members and partners in 2010 and provides the community’s local food pantry with fresh produce. The garden also organizes and runs a Community Supported Agriculture program (CSA) and community nutrition education programs. Visitors can volunteer at the garden every Tuesday for Open Farm and the first Saturday of each month.
Randall’s Island Urban Farm
20 Randall’s Island, New York, NY
Founded in 2010 by Randall’s Island Park Alliance, Randall’s Island Urban Farm is part of the GrowNYC Open Space Greening Project. It operates as an agricultural space for schools and groups in need of open areas for environmental and nutritional education. Schools and community members can visit the farm to participate in free hands-on learning programs.
Brooklyn Grange Rooftop Farms
37-18 Northern Boulevard, Long Island City, NY
Brooklyn Navy Yard, Brooklyn, NY
Brooklyn Grange operates three different rooftop farms within New York City. At these sites, the program grows produce, operates the city’s largest bee yard, and hosts a weekly market. Visitors can shop for local produce at the Brooklyn Navy Yard farm stand on Wednesdays, or the Long Island City farm stand on Saturdays. Visitors can also volunteer with Brooklyn Grange on Saturdays from May through October.
Bushwick Campus Farm and Greenhouse
400 Irving Avenue, Brooklyn, NY
Bushwick Campus Farm and Greenhouse is an outdoor classroom space and agriculture center for the four high schools located on the Bushwick Campus in Brooklyn. It was founded by a partnership between the Campus, Boswyck Farms, and EcoStation:NY. Visit the farm and participate in programs through organizations such as Just Food, Brooklyn Botanic Gardens, and GrowNYC/Grow to Learn.
Whole Foods Rooftop Greenhouse
Gowanus, Brooklyn, NY
Whole Foods Market is partnering with Gotham Greens to operate the nation’s first commercial-scale rooftop greenhouse. The produce from the greenhouse will serve as the produce source for the Whole Foods Gowanus store as well as eight other Whole Foods stores throughout New York City. Shoppers and visitors can also participate in educational programs that Whole Foods and Gotham Greens are planning on offering about greenhouses, farming, and other agriculture-related topics.
La Finca del Sur
138th Street and Grand Concourse, Bronx, NY
Meaning “Farm of the South” in Spanish, La Finca del Sur is a farming cooperative and nonprofit organization in the South Bronx founded by community members in 2009. While the project’s main mission is to empower minority women through economic and food sustainability, the farm and organization welcome all volunteers and participants. Visitors to La Finca del Sur can rent a bed or volunteer to work on the community farm.
Farms in the NYC Parks GreenThumb Program
Over 600 sites throughout New York, NY
The GreenThumb Program of the New York City Parks & Recreation Office operates agricultural spaces in all five boroughs of the city. Each garden or urban farm is volunteer-run and supported by the GreenThumb program. Visitors can volunteer at any of these 600-plus sites and participate in the largest community gardening program in the nation.
