Rooftops and urban areas represent an underutilized resource. They have the potential to provide environmental, economic, and social benefits that strengthen the urban environment and community (Proksch, 2011). Green roofs help to reduce air pollution and improve the heating and cooling efficiency of the building (GSA, 2011). They can also be used for urban agriculture. Brooklyn Grange is one of the most successful and large-scale urban agricultural projects to date.
Brooklyn Grange is a 1-acre rooftop farm located atop the roof of the Brooklyn Navy Yard (Food Tank, 2016). Brooklyn Grange is now offering community supported agriculture (CSA) for 2017 (Brooklyn Grange, 2017). Their CSA offerings include turnips, Pak Choi, kale, kohlrabi, mixed herbs, chard, hot peppers, tomatoes, cucumbers, eggplant, scallions, radishes, carrots, and squash (Brooklyn Grange, 2017). They also have an optional fresh flower share (Brooklyn Grange, 2017). They are currently full for the 2017 season and already have a waitlist for the 2018 growing season.
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Several challenges exist for rooftop farming that do not exist for ground-based farming. One of the unforeseen challenges in starting the farm was high winds at the top of buildings that require additional staking and trellising (Food Tank, 2016). There also conditioning zoning limits that apply to rooftop gardens, which do not apply to ground-based gardens such as the requirement that any greenhouse start structures must be set back at least 6 feet from the edge of the roof (Food Tank, 2016). One must also consider the shadows cast by neighboring buildings (Food Tank, 2016). Access is another challenge, particularly if the roof only has access via a stairway rather than an elevator (Food Tank, 2016). These are a few of the challenges that confront urban rooftop agriculture that do not apply to ground-based growing methods.
- Brooklyn Grange (2017). CSA. Retrieved from https://www.brooklyngrangefarm.com/
- Food Tank (2016). Five Examples of Successful Urban Agriculture Done Differently Around the
World. Retrieved from https://foodtank.com/news/2013/10/five-different-examples-of-urban-agriculture-from-around-the-world/ - Proksch, G. (2011). Urban Rooftops as Productive Resources. Architectural Research Centers
Consortium. Retrieved from http://www.arcc- journal.org/index.php/repository/article/view/358/294 - United States General Services Administration (GSA). (2011). The Benefits and Challenges of Green Roofs on Public and Commercial Buildings. Retrieved from https://www.gsa.gov/
