New York City’s largest rooftop farm sprouts up in Brooklyn

“There’s no reason we can’t have a Brooklyn Grange on the top of every NYCHA building so they can grow healthy food and live a healthy lifestyle.

By Scott Enman
Brooklyn Eagle
August 13, 2019

Excerpt:

Tomatoes, carrots and cucumbers are only a few of the many fresh options now growing on New York City’s largest rooftop farm: a 140,000-square-foot facility in Sunset Park.

In addition to growing produce, which will go to restaurants and farmers markets, the new facility — operated by Brooklyn Grange — offers a “Swiss army knife” of benefits for the city, according to co-founder Anastasia Plakias.

Environmentally, rooftop farms can cut energy costs, decrease combined-sewer-overflow, reduce urban heat island effect, create a habitat for wildlife, absorb air pollutants and lessen noise pollution.

The farm’s close proximity to Green-Wood Cemetery will also give migratory and native birds a place to take refuge.

Plakias said that while it’s difficult to stop New York from expanding upwards, residents could help the city grow in a different type of way.

“It’s impossible to ignore the piece of development in this city,” she told the Brooklyn Eagle. “Development will never cease in New York City. There will always be change happening, but we have an opportunity to influence the direction and shape that that change takes. Now is a really critical time for New York City to be a leader.”

Read the complete article here.