Small Farms Growing On Top of New York Schools

Green roofs are growing on the tops of schools in New York City, where small farms are being integrated into the curriculum.

1 minute read

May 20, 2010, 1:00 PM PDT

By Nate Berg

The Fifth Street Farm Project is building the new farm on a building in New York's Lower East Side that houses three schools.

"Construction is due to commence this fall, and by next spring, school children should be planting vegetables on a 3,000-square-foot roof deck with spectacular views of the surrounding neighborhood. This experiment in urban agriculture, led by the World Trade Center Memorial designer Michael Arad, will be integrated into existing school courses on science and nutrition. The children will also have the opportunity to eat the food grown on the roof in their school cafeteria."

Parents groups at other schools throughout Manhattan are also looking to get small-scale farms onto the roofs of their kids' schools and into their classrooms.

FULL STORY: Little Green Thumbs

Monday, May 17, 2010 in The Architect's Newspaper

Architecture Environment Landscape Architecture New York New York City Schools Green Roofs Small Farms View More

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Get top-rated, practical training

Start Learning

Advertise with us

Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.