Rooftop farm in Greenpoint, Brooklyn. Credit Lisa Goode of Goode Green.
Open space is prime in New York City, so finding room to plant a large vegetable garden seems out of the question. Ben Flanner had loftier plans - utilizing 6,000 square feet of rooftop on an industrial building in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, he built his own rooftop farm.
Flanner, who formerly worked at E-Trade, gave up the corporate world to try something new. With all the interest in sustainability and locally grown produce, a farm seemed like the next logical step. He joined forces with Annie Novak who also works at the Bronx Botanical Gardens, and after bringing in 200,000 pounds of dirt he was ready to start planting. Green roof design and installation firm Goode Green helped out, and before long the first produce was harvested. Salad greens are being sold to local restaurants and tomatoes, onions, cucumbers and green beans among others are in the works.
Occasionally the farm holds volunteer days for community members as well as workshops. Future plans include a produce stand.
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