Producing Quality Food and a Green Community Through Urban Farming

Looking for insight on starting or improving your urban farm?  Join us on June 12th in Queens, NY to delve into the challenging yet rewarding business of rooftop farming & production for urban markets.  The Brooklyn Grange is a working farm on a rooftop in Long Island City, Queens, New York.  Ben Flanner is the founding farmer and CEO of the 1-acre farm, which uses 750 cubic yards of soil to produce vegetables for farmers’ markets, restaurants and a 25-member CSA.  The farm is actively expanding to incorporate educational efforts, in the form of their City Growers program.  They are also planning to include bees and chickens into their rooftop environment.  During our Beginning Farmer Workshop, the farmers at The Brooklyn Grange will discuss the philosophical and technical aspects of their farming operation, including the process of site selection, rooftop farm installation & funding.  Through a thorough exploration of the 1-acre farm, we will see space-saving intercropping, crop rotations, soil fertility management, the unique aspects of farming a formerly non-agricultural acre of space & much more! To celebrate the revival of city agriculture, we will end the day with a rooftop potluck picnic & social hour (please bring food to share & your own place settings).  This event is free for NOFA-NY members, $15 for non-members—some scholarships may be available.  To register for this event, visit the NOFA-NY Shopping page or call Rachel at (585) 271-1979 ext. 511.  Space is limited to 30 attendees, so pre-register by June 6th to guarantee your spot! 

If you are looking to share transportation or lodging to attend this event, please see our newly-launched virtual bulletin board at www.nofany.org/bfam/bulletin-board.