March 04, 2012

Episode 18: Brooklyn Grange Returns! : Urban Agriculture

34 minutes

This week on Straight, No Chaser, Katy Keiffer chats with Ben Flanner, Anastasia Cole Plakias, Chase Emmons & Michael Meier of Brooklyn Grange, a community oriented commercial organic farm located on New York City rooftops. Hear what the crew has been up to and what plans they have in store for the new rooftop farm at the Brooklyn Navy Yard. Learn more about storm water management, beekeeping, seed saving and the educational components of the farm. This program was sponsored by Fairway Market.

Photo by Cyrus Dowlatshahi

“We’re living in a city who’s sewer system was built well before a period of rapid development. With all these non-porous surfaces that have been added, there’s a lot more water entering the sewer system. Now people are looking for creative ways to manage storm water, such as green roofs, and a farm like ours can store much more storm water than a normal green roof.”

–Anastasia Cole Plakias of Brooklyn Grange

“In the new farm at the Navy Yard we will have between 20-30 beehives. Part of that project is genetic-oriented. In three years or so we hope to end up with New York City genetics, bees that are adapted to their environment. We want people to purchase bees from us, not just honey.”

–Chase Emmons of Brooklyn Grange on Straight, No Chaser

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