In August, RFC’s ED Marianne Cufone visited several of our farming friends in New York City and learned about all the amazing programs happening there. First stop was Brooklyn Grange. Atop a giant building in the Brooklyn Navy Yard, the farm grows across an expansive rooftop. The Grange hosts workshops, tours and events, including weddings, […]
One Sunday morning, I took time to reflect my choice to work as a farmer. I sat under a volunteer pecan tree, near a pink lemon tree and a fig tree that survived Hurricane Katrina. As the wind hit my face, I couldn’t help but smile. The wind brought the approval of my ancestors, who […]
8 years after Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans is still in recovery, and in the Lower 9th Ward, many things still show obvious signs of the storm. There are no grocery stores, and numerous overgrown, empty lots, many of which have front stairs that lead nowhere, where houses once stood. Still, the neighborhood has heart and […]
“Meals on wheels” is taking on a whole new meaning now in Reno, Nevada, where local non-profit Urban Roots partnered with the Desert Research Institute to launch “BussAqua” —a hydroponic garden inside an old school bus. The bus hosts tomato plants year-round, and is a tool to teach children all about farming, fresh food, and […]
What happens when art, sustainability, and delicious food combine? Just ask Chef Dominique Macquet (or go check it out for yourself) at the recently opened Dominique’s on Magazine, where fresh ingredients are growing just outside the kitchen. The restaurant, once an old firehouse, is home to a courtyard “secret garden” where hydroponic vegetables and herbs […]
New Orleans will be home to a new urban farming and food center! The Recirculating Farms Coalition and New Orleans Food & Farm Network announced today that they have received major grants for this innovative project from the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana Foundation and the Claneil Foundation, as well as various other […]
Innovative ways to build a stable and local food system seem to be popping up all around New Orleans these days, with a growing number of recirculating farms operating in and around the city. One of the newer ones – Roots on the Rooftop – is providing fresh herbs and certain vegetables to Rouses Market […]
Last week, I wrote about a fantastic visit to recirculating farms in NY. Part II of that trip took me to Chicago, IL. There, I visited several new farms: The Plant, 312 Aquaponics and Growing Power. The Plant is an old 93,500 sq. ft meat packing building that has been cleaned and is slowly being […]
As New Orleans begins its second annual Eat Local Challenge, the Recirculating Farms Coalition celebrates the launch of a new rooftop garden in the heart of the city and urges more grocers, restaurateurs, and consumers to get involved in growing local food. This evening, the NOLA Locavores and partners kicked off the Eat Local Challenge […]
Keba Konte of the Guerilla Cafe in Berkeley, California and business partner Eric Maundu are growing fresh vegetables, fruit and herbs through aquaponics – raising fish and plants together in one closed loop, recirculating system – in urban Oakland, CA. Their hope is to provide truly local, sustainable food for the Guerilla Cafe, and beyond. […]