Sky Farm LIC by Variety Boys and Girls Club of Queens

30 Unexpected Places to Have a Joyful Adventure in New York City

"Since 2010 Brooklyn Grange has been supplying New York City with local produce grown several stories above ground. Despite its name, the Brooklyn Grange flagship location is actually in Queens where it occupies a single acre (43,000 square feet) on the roof of the Standard Motor Products building. The second, slightly larger farm sits atop Building no. 3 of the historic Brooklyn Navy Yard. Together, these two farms comprise a total of 108,000 square feet – a little more than two acres. It’s not much space by farm standards, but it’s enough room to produce around 40,000 pounds of produce each year. While not organic-certified, Brooklyn Grange employs organic growing practices in its crop cultivation. Vegetables grown at the Brooklyn Grange make their way to New Yorkers’ plates by way of restaurants, the farm’s CSA, and weekly farmstands. Egg-laying hens can also be found at Brooklyn Grange, and the Navy Yard location is home to the city’s largest apiary (bee farm), which contains over 30 active beehives. Brooklyn Grange’s flagship location is open to the public every Saturday during the May through October growing season. Visitors are invited to wander the grounds, pick up some local produce at the on-site farmstand, or get their hands dirty by volunteering alongside the farm staff, all while admiring a spectacular view of the NYC skyline." - ATLAS_OBSCURA