This is awesome! Riverpark Farm is a 15,000 square foot empty lot that was converted into an urban farm. The farm supplies produce to the Riverpark restaurant. The farm produces an enormous array of vegetables, herbs, peppers, over 100 different plants from which they harvest more than 2,000 pounds of produce monthly.
What I think is really amazing is the way they’ve created a mini eco cycle. The produce is harvested and carried 100 feet to the restaurant where it is used. The organic waste from the restaurant is then used as compost for the plants in the farm. And round and round it goes!
I think it’s amazing when someone gets creative with empty land and improves it to create something valuable and good. This piece of land was slated for development, but with the real estate market going down the drain, some smart folks took advantage of the opportunity to improve the under-utilized space. The development will eventually happen, but until then NYC has an awesome farm right in the city. The farm is also planted almost entirely in milk crates making it portable when the time comes to move to new pastures.
This past September they launched “Farm Table”, a private dining experience right in the farm. Check that out here.
You can also follow Riverpark Farm on Twitter @RiverparkFarm