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When the city demolished a Coast Guard housing complex on Governors Island last October, one official promised it wouldn't "sit vacant waiting for future park funding." And believe it or not, it's true! The Brooklyn nonprofit Added Value is already using the space for a three-acre organic farm. There's a nice story on City Room today about the project, which brings teenagers to the island to teach them about sustainable and local food. The farm is expected to rake in as much as $25,000 this year through sales at a farm stand and the island's new Water Taxi Beach, which opens July 4th weekend. Squash, tomatoes, sunflowers, eggplants and groundcherries are expected by the end of July, and the proceeds could fund stipends of $1,400 for as many as 25 teens who work at the farm. Ian Marvy of Added Value says, "The average household income in Red Hook is around $14,000. You're increasing a family’s income by 9 percent by growing tomatoes." Volunteers of all ages are also welcome to get their thumbs green every day Governors Island is open to the public: Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.
New Governors Island Organic Farm In Full Swing
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It's the same media that NEVER mentioned Muslims' hatred of Israel as a possible motive for 9/11.
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Poverty.
also known as "lack of effort"
that same lack of effort can also put you on the fast track to organic gardening.
also known as "lack of effort"
that same lack of effort can also put you on the fast track to organic gardening.
Moron. Farming is a lot of hard work. Real work, not sitting around a fucking computer all day commenting on blog. You piece of shit.
What makes an organic farm organic? Not using pesticides and chemical nutrients?
I grow in my backyard, but I'm too lazy to get into that stuff. I just let the rain do the work for me.
I'm an organic farmer!
Me too as well! Yay!
14K is a very low household income. I had no idea you could survive here--in any way--on so little. I'm sure even homeless people have more income than that. Maybe they meant to say per capita income. That would include each child and there are probably plenty.
why did they demolish the housing complex? it could have been turned into a youth hostel or an americorp housing.
isn't this what our President said we should do? have volunteers take care of the infrastructure and upkeep of the Island and maybe open it for more than 3 days in the summer.
and, I've lived on much more less than 14K a year, that includes presently. some of us were born before 1980, actually way before 1980.
thankfully Pb was still available then and now. for all, rich and POOR. though they keep trying to make sure the Poor don't get any.
There isn't a chance in hell that a farm stand is going to bring in 25K the first year they start it. If it did I think we would all be farmers.
Maybe they could sell some of the free-range rats that populate every square foot out there.
This is absolutely brilliant, as we need more opportunties like this for urban ag here in NYC. so many kids grow up without any sense where food comes from, or how its production impacts its nutritional value (or lack thereof), or with access to fresh food. No wonder our diabetes and obesity rates are astronomical. Urban farms and gardens are great sources of healthy fresh food and contribute endlessly to greening and sustainability. Go Added Value!