Urban Ag: A Glimpse into New York City’s
Organic Farming Movement
by Kelle Carter

My recent trip to New York City with Seeds of Change photographer Scott Vlaun evolved through a class on Agroecology that I attended at UC Santa Cruz this past July. I met many wonderful and knowledgeable people at this class. Owen Taylor, the Training and Livestock Coordinator for Just Food, a non-profit with a focus on food sovereignty in New York City, was one of them. It struck me as strange that someone who lived within the city limits of Brooklyn could have a job that included “livestock” in the title. I came to learn from Owen all of the amazing work going on in the city to provide people with good food and the knowledge of how to grow it. From our discussions of urban gardening in the city, I began to think about the need for seeds in these gardens, as well as education for the communities involved, and the call for a public showcase of the incredible work going on within city limits.

Our adventure began in the evening, about one hour before sundown. Scott and I rolled into the big city from the rural wooded landscape of Maine—quite a shock to the system. As we made our way through rush hour, I called Owen to see if we could make it to a farm or two before dark. He directed us to the heart of Brooklyn to meet a rooftop gardener named Jeff Heehs, Compost Coordinator for Red Hook Community Gardens. We arrived at his apartment and were instructed to “come on up to the roof.” Scott and I climbed the narrow staircase to the sixth floor and then made our way up to the roof via a ladder leading to a very small porthole. The view from the roof was amazing! The Statue of Liberty was off to the left, the Empire State Building hidden by some tree branches on the right, and in the middle was a fantastic view of Manhattan—quite a feat of human engineering! After I took in the view, I was again in awe at what was at my feet: beans, tomatoes, huge kale plants, marigolds, and butternut squash, all growing happily in their raised beds, 100 feet above the ground.

After we enjoyed the view, Jeff took us to the Red Hook Community Farm, a two acre garden with a mighty mission: youth empowerment and urban agriculture for a sustainable future in Brooklyn. This garden was located near one of the oldest ports in the city, so rather than dealing with the possible toxicity of the soil, the community decided to bring in soil. The plants on this farm were growing in two feet of rich composted soil (derived from city zoo waste and leaf litter) right on top of asphalt. This farm was really a true test of what a community can achieve when everyone is working together for a shared goal, in this case fresh food within the city limits. In addition to adding beauty to the city streets, the Red Hook Community Farm was taking waste from local restaurants and creating rich compost to enrich their growing environment. This place is a site of amazing food production, as well as a learning facility for the youth of Brooklyn to engage with their community through weekly markets, and it is a space for empowerment, skill development and knowledge sharing.

The next day was a full one. Owen and his colleague Jane Hodge, the City Farms Program Manager of Just Food, had graciously arranged for Scott and me to tour a number of city farms from Brooklyn to the Bronx. Our first stop was the La Familia Verde Farmers’ Market located at the intersection of East Tremont and La Fontaine Avenue in the Bronx. This market attracts farmers from upstate New York who have farms 1–2 hours away, as well as city farmers who bring their wares from local urban plots. Along with the farmers, other vendors include community members who are volunteering their time, school kids earning a stipend, and people offering cooking demonstrations. The produce on the tables added a splash of color to the city streets with purple eggplants, red and green habanero peppers, multi-color flour corn, and swollen green watermelons. There was all sorts of produce available to meet the culinary needs of the locals who cooked within the Mexican, Puerto Rican and Jamaican tradition—a feast for the senses.

As Scott and I were talking with the market growers and generally taking in the scene, a gentleman walked by looking perplexed. He looked at me and asked what was going on. “This would have been a violation… I’ve never seen this in my day,” he remarked of the produce strewn about on tables under the tents. It was indeed quite a sight: fresh produce available to the masses in a sea of convenience stores that seem to specialize in liquor and potato chips. One of the volunteers, Laura Washington, pointed out a sign along the street, “No Standing Except Farmers’ Market Vehicles 8AM–3PM Tuesday July–November.”  This simple sign was a symbol to me of how this movement is being taken seriously by the city and the community.

In addition to running this farmers’ market, La Familia Verde also takes care of an urban garden plot, the Tremont Community Garden. Mrs. Washington was the gracious hostess for our garden tour. She explained how this abandoned plot, that has been a garden since 1973, became a community gem. “This place was a real eyesore. The females got together to clean up the area and then our husbands, brothers, and others around came and helped us clear out two abandoned buildings on the site.” In 1999 the mayor wanted the property for “affordable housing,” but thankfully the Trust for Public Land came in and purchased the land and gave it to the community. There are currently about 30 members of the Tremont Community Garden who work hard to produce food and a space for all to enjoy. A huge barbeque grill and covered sitting area are testament to the delight that this space brings to the neighborhood. Mrs. Washington made it clear in her sentiment: “This place is therapy for all of us, especially the aged.”

A Spanish song was blasting from a nearby apartment, giving a festive feel to our tour. Mrs. Washington pointed to large willow trees given to the garden in remembrance of 9/11. She showed us the raised garden plots benevolently tended to by families, a children’s garden, and a space cared for by a senior citizens group. The gardens boasted all sorts of colors and aromas and I was shocked to see a marigold plant being visited by bees! As we walked around the garden, a man came walking in, seemingly amazed at what was there. Mrs. Washington confronted him and he said he was just checking it out. She turned to us and exclaimed, “Got to be careful who you let in. I’m sorry, but this is the Bronx, baby.” Even so, this inclusive garden has fed and taught many people within this community. I would not be surprised if that visiting gentleman comes back next season to work his own plot of land.

The next garden we went to was the Taqua Community Garden, located on 164th Street in the Bronx. This garden was started by the father and son team of Abu Talib and Bobby Watson. Bobby described the site before the garden as a “dumping spot for garbage, a drug hole, and a general eyesore of the neighborhood.” That all changed when GreenThumb (a program of the New York City Parks Department) came in fourteen years ago and purchased the land for the community. The landscape has been completely revived from its original use as a dumping ground and it now features over 15 different kinds of fruit trees, a medicinal herb garden, multiple vegetable plots tended to by various families, and even a bee hive. There is a farmers’ market on site every Saturday that acts as an educational tool to those who happen to stop by. Bobby remarked, “Do you know where your food comes from? It makes you think…” Having the market on the other side of the garden fence teaches that point very visibly.

In addition to growing food to nourish the neighborhood, Talib also acts as a sort of medicine man for the community. His vast knowledge of medicinal herbs is shared with those willing to listen. Talib’s son Bobby explained, “He doesn’t prescribe, but he tells them what it (herbs) does for him.” As we were walking about the property, Talib pointed to a stand of Motherwort, explaining its use for easing the pain of gout. He remarked, “Everything you need to be healthy is in the garden…you get sick, where do you run? You run to the garden.”

The Taqua Community Garden has over 65 volunteers in addition to Bobby and Talib. People come to the garden because they are interested in what goes on there. Some people come and work and maintain their plots, but Bobby was quick to point out that there are those who come and plant things and expect them to take care of themselves, hoping to return to a garden full of vegetables. “People come back to the garden after no work for a few weeks and ask, ‘What happened to my garden?’  Good question!  Plants are like kids, if you don’t take care of them, you have nothing.”

Bobby and Talib are originally from the Carolinas. Bobby told us about having to work hard in his father’s garden as a child. He swore that when he grew up he would never work in a garden. He eventually changed his perspective while working in a grocery store and seeing how much people had to pay for produce that was not all that good. One day his father asked him to help him dig a garden bed and, as he says, “I still have not put down that shovel.” Talib put it right when he said, “You gotta want to do this kind of work. If someone told me to do this, I’d say ‘Hell no!’”  I think this is a perception shared by all of those who tend the soil, be it a small-scale gardener or market grower. It is hard work, but the rewards often outweigh the inputs. Before we left Taqua, Talib presented Jane with a large “bouquet” of Comfrey, also known as boneset, to speed the healing of her recently broken ankle.

One of the very unique qualities of this garden is that it is located a few blocks from Yankee stadium. Bobby told us about watching the games on his television, and then hearing the crowds cheering from across the way. He also said, “It is a nice place in the city to watch the full moon.” This garden acts as a teaching tool, but it seemed to me that the main mission of the plot is to feed people, be it kids climbing trees for cherries or collard greens that will be frozen to feed a family at Thanksgiving. As Bobby puts it, “This is a real healthy place to hang out—I couldn’t imagine standing on a concrete stoop in the morning… This is a much better place to hang out.”

El Girasol Community Garden was next on our whirlwind tour. This garden is located on 138th Street between St. Anns and Cypress Avenue, and it hosts youth programming by For a Better Bronx. This garden also has a market, worked by the students who help to grow the food—creating a much-needed link from seed to plate.  Molly Culver, a garden organizer, explained how this plot of land is creating food sovereignty in the city. She told us that last year, this 18 by 25 foot plot produced $1,000.00 worth of food. They used the money to buy seeds, garden tools, and tables and tents for the market.

In addition to the students’ garden, other community members have their own garden plots. Shelia Rosario, a native of the Virgin Islands, gave us a tour of her personal garden. She pointed to her eggplant and pepper “trees” and her white raspberries and grapes, which she described in her jovial island accent as “Out-a-sight… I am so proud of them!” Her garden was a host to all sorts of biodiversity, including a Redwood tree and hibiscus in full bloom, gifts from the Brooklyn Botanical Garden. The flowers remind her of her St. Croix home and the garden brings her joy. “This is my getaway, my exercise thing—you know what I mean?”

I observed over 100 different species of vegetables, herbs, and flowers in this small space. Scott and I were even shocked to see yacon growing.

Our last stop on the urban farm tour was to the United Community Center Garden in Brooklyn. After battling rush hour traffic, we finally made it to this oasis just before dusk. This garden had a pond with koi (brocaded carp) shaded by a huge willow tree, a water catchment system that harvests rain from nearby apartment rooftops, productive bee hives, and above it all was an elevated train. Quite a sight to behold! 

Scott and I were given a very informative tour by Jonathon Scott, a high school student who has worked in the garden for two seasons. Jonathon’s enthusiasm and knowledge said a lot for what this community garden is producing; aside from lots of produce, it is empowering the youth and creating a knowledge base that might otherwise begin to fade as our food is increasingly grown by mega-monoculture farms. The farm also specializes in cultural food crops, such as bittermelon and papalo, creating a market for people who would otherwise have a hard time finding these flavors, keeping culinary traditions alive and giving an essence of culture to the garden.

Being a dweller of rural spaces, I must admit that I had some trepidation about journeying into New York. I had the standard big city stereotypes of rude people, too much traffic, dirty streets, etc… I was pleasantly surprised that over the course of our trip, all of my stereotypes were dissolved. Scott and I were greeted by incredibly kind and generous garden hosts. We were delighted by glorious colors and scents permeating the community gardens that seemed to be located on every other street corner. New York City has certainly got something amazing going on. To me the gardens in the city are a symbol of hope and inspiration in uncertain times. The people have proven that they have the power to create amazing things and they are doing it together by creating community spaces that feed and empower all that happen by.

Kelle Carter
Farm Field Coordinator

Photo Captions: (1) Jeff Heehs in his Brooklyn Rooftop Garden (2) Jeff Heehs, Compost Coordinator for the Red Hook Community Farm, shows author Kelle Carter around the field. (3) A cooking demonstration at the La Familia Verde Farmers Market in the Bronx (4) Mrs. Washington, one of the founding members of the Bronx's Tremont Community Garden (5) Bobby Watson, and his father Abu Talib manage the Taqua Community Garden in the Bronx. (6) Sheila Rosario shows off her plot at el Girasol Community Garden in the Bronx. (7) Some of the crew at the United Community Community Center Garden in Brooklyn.