NYCUrbanAg Roundup - Nov 2

I imagine this may just be the first of a series of NYCUrbanAg updates.

Having nearly just landed in NYC from Portland, OR, I am dazzled by the agriculture opportunities, both urban and rural.  I spent last weekend on farms in upstate with friends, breathing the fresh air and witnessing the end of the season as a cold front rolled in.

Jake Pflaum and Lauren Jones (Farm Intern at Little Seed Gardens)
(Photo Credit: Jonney Taee)

Anne Eschendroeder, Farm Manager at Phillies Bridge Farm Project

I returned to the city with excitement to finally dive into the local urban ag scene having tasted the rural one all weekend.  Last night was my first taste of urban at the Farm City DIY Utopia event.    A diverse, especially by Portland standards, group gathered upstairs in the Old Stone House last night, Nov 1.  We were greeted by some Brooklyn Brewery ales and the walls covered with items from the Brooklyn Utopias: Farm City exhibit.  You can see the lineup on the website but here's my 2 cents.


Overview by way of my mindmap: 

Permaculture & Compost: Claudia Joseph
why this is cool: compost anywhere with everything, beautiful garden out of nothing

Sub Irrigated Planters: Frieda Lim
why this is cool: beautiful rooftop garden with sub irrigated planters, well designed and well implemented, re-use of food grade materials

Adopt-A-Farmbox: Aki and Ron Baker, Yemi Amu
why this is cool: stakeholder engagement from the ground up to benefit across entire system of a school, benefits all stakeholders

Rainwater Harvesting: Andrew Casner, Grow NYC
why this is cool: stop contributing to 73 sewage overflows a year into our surrounding water because of combined sewer overflow (cso) by diverting rainwater for good use

Social Media Strategies for Urban Farmers: Hugh McMullen, a Goddam Cobra, Fenton
why this is cool: marketing is no longer broadcasting, it is accessible and it is participatory, have a conversation
(sorry no photo)

Thanks to Derek Denckla and Katherine Gressel for organizing last night's event.

Next up?
Tomorrow (Wed Nov 3) at the Parsons The New School, a talk on the role of creative practices in urban ag!  From 6:30-8:30pm, you can meet me there for free or watch it streaming online.