Urban farming, a bit closer to the sun

// added June 19, 2009 // 14 comments //
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JanforGore

more from Green:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/17/dining/17roof.html?_r=2

This summer, Tony Tomelden hopes to be making bloody marys at the Pug in Washington, D.C., with tomatoes and chilies grown above the bar, thanks to the city’s incentives for green roofs.

Mr. Tomelden, the Pug’s principal owner, says he’s planting a garden to take advantage of tax subsidies the city offers in his neighborhood if he covers his roof with plants.

“If I can do something in my corner for the environment, that seemed a reasonable thing to do,” he said. “Plus I can save money on the tomatoes.”

There won’t be bloody marys at P.S. 6 on New York’s Upper East Side, but one-third of its roof will be planted with vegetables and herbs next spring for the cafeteria. The school is using about $950,000 in city funds that it has put aside, and parents and alumni are providing almost a half-million dollars more.

“For the children, it’s exciting when you grow something edible,” said the school’s principal, Lauren Fontana.

Aeries are cropping up on America’s skylines, filled with the promise of juicy tomatoes, tiny Alpine strawberries and the heady perfume of basil and lavender. High above the noise and grime of urban streets, gardeners are raising fruits and vegetables. Some are simply finding the joys of backyard gardens several stories up, others are doing it for the environment and some because they know local food sells well.

City dwellers have long cultivated pots of tomatoes on top of their buildings. But farming in the sky is a fairly recent development in the green roof movement, in which owners have been encouraged to replace blacktop with plants, often just carpets of succulents, to cut down on storm runoff, insulate buildings and moderate urban heat.

A survey by Green Roofs for Healthy Cities, which represents companies that create green roofs, found the number of projects its members had worked on in the United States grew by more than 35 percent last year. In total, the green roofs installed last year cover 6 million to 10 million square feet, the group said.

end of excerpt
  1. groups:
    Green,   Health,   Food,   Sustainable Agriculture,   4 more
  2. tags:
    Green,  Health,  Environment,  Economy,  5 more

14 comments // Urban farming, a bit closer to the sun

  • annelor
    • 0
      annelor  

    • This is Great! It will catch on and hopefully be in every city, or even community. I would volunteer my time if we had one in our city. I ride a bike, I don't own a car, and the transportation system here isn't the best. SO... this idea should be adopted in many different communities. and,...

      There should NOT be any STARVING PEOPLE in the UNITED STATES, especially!!!! if we can't take care of our own, that looks really bad for us.. It starts Here, at Home. Education is key. It also begins from the very young and up. Everyone can do it. KEEP IN MIND TOO that We MUST be careful "fresh", "organic" and "healthy" all go together, so make sure those factors are included. Natural pesticides, bug's that eat other bug's but don't get out of hand and stay within their domain. ya know what I'm talkin about right? Keepin' it Clean. and UUMMMM ITS SO GOOOOODDDD!!!!!

    • 8 months ago
  • galwayman
  • ras_menelik
  • nursediesel
    • 0
      nursediesel  

    • Way to go. Grow on.
      It's so wonderful to eat home grown stuff. You really appreciate the vegetables and fruits when you do the toiling and weeding and watering, staking..(nurturing).
      There's nothing batter than the juicy tang of that sun warmed just ripe tomato. Makes the parotid glands work. Ah, sweet bliss!

    • 8 months ago
  • galwayman
    • 0
      galwayman  

    • Jan,
      my office is contained in a one story brick building! on the side of the building we are growing vegtables to give away as part of a food program for the entire neighborhood in which the public housing development where I work is located.Last year we gave away tons of organically grown produce to the residents I represent and this year we will do it again.urban gardening is so important that it should be funded by our government to feed the poor that reside in our cities and every year my staff and I fund it out of our own pockets with volenteer help from the residents!

    • 8 months ago
  • JanforGore
    • 0
      JanforGore  
    • galwayman:

      galwayman;

      This is wonderful. Would you be willing to be interviewed or submit a video about what you are doing and how you do it? I think it would inspire others to do the same and I would feature it on the Sustainable Agriculture Channel which I curate. And you are so right.This should be funded by the government to feed the poor in our cities who do not have access to fresh food. It is so much more important than continually giving billions to war. NO ONE in this country should be going hungry. Thanks for what you do. Let me know about the interview.
      Jan

    • 8 months ago
  • brianmbrozovic
    • 0
      brianmbrozovic  

    • It is good to see a city start adopting principles that not only help our environment but can be used for practical purposes also. Now let's use this opportunity to educate our children and our adults about the importance of American agriculture and how we provide the safest, most reliable food source not only for ourselves, but for many around the globe!

    • 8 months ago
  • annelor
    • 0
      annelor  

    • I think this is great! As long as they continue to be Product Conscience about product usage, disposal, and by keeping it "OrGaNic" I think it's a great project. More people should join the team. They say, you are what you eat. (just always clean up your messes) Sounds FFFRRRESSSSHHH A+

    • 8 months ago
  • RudyRudell
  • ras_menelik
    • 0
      ras_menelik  

    • the only reason soil is polluted is because phytoremediation was not allowed(by law in some cases) to cleanup Terra.

      So please plant away and clean it ALL for our children's sake(start with flowers if you have any unanswered Q's)

    • 8 months ago
  • lolitanimatronic
    • 0
      lolitanimatronic  

    • A great idea, but I was told it's difficult to locate unpolluted soil in the NYC area. I only wish that my roof had a garden, because it's a bitch growing herbs in a window where my kitties eat them. I envision a day where I will have my own fenced in, private, and sustainable corner of a roof somewhere.

      I miss Italy. You couldn't walk down a street, even in the middle of downtown Rome, where a roof wasn't dripping with vines.

    • 8 months ago
  • ras_menelik
  • ras_menelik
  • JanforGore

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