A Farm In The City?

A Farm In The City?

Ever see a farm in the middle of New York City? You can, right now, on fire escapes, balconies, rooftops and in community gardens. Recirculating farms are popping up everywhere in urban environments!

We know farming in the city sounds contradictory, but with people becoming more aware of a connection between good food and good health, new ways to grow fresh food are becoming very popular. And recirculating farms – hydroponics (growing plants in water), aquaculture (growing fish in tanks) and aquaponics (growing both plants and fish together in the same system) are a big part of the new urban farming movement.

Boswyck Farms, (see pix of the farm here) headed by Lee Mandell, is helping with building recirculating farms around New York City. This Brooklyn-based organization is focused on providing affordable, healthy food for food pantries and local markets. Listen to a podcast featuring Lee, where he discusses literally growing the urban food movement.

In NYC, chic restaurants are using recirculating farms to supply their menus. Check out photos from Bell, Book and Candle where Chef John Mooney tends a rooftop garden in Manhattan’s West Village.

At Brooklyn College, one of our Board Members, Dr. Martin Schreibman, has been a champion of urban farming for many years. His pioneering work with recirculating aquaculture is especially interesting. In 1998, he worked with Dr. Volker Bluem of Germany to develop a small system for the space shuttle Endeavor to test whether growing fresh food in space could be an option for lengthy trips. Watch a short video about recirculating aquaculture and aquaponics, starring Dr. Schreibman.

So come on U.S. cities! Jump on the sustainable, eco-friendly recirculating farm bandwagon. Join the many New Yorkers who are providing food for themselves and others with recirculating farms!

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