In a brilliant initiative to bring farms to the city, the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) and Green City Force have partnered up to create beautiful farms within four public housing locations.
These farms make the most out of the underused spaces within each housing community; which are built and run by a young group of residents between the ages of 18 and 24.
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The urban farms were created to educate residents on the benefits of eating healthy, make fresh locally grown produce more accessible, and contribute to the environment through their lush beauty. The project will also “promote sustainable and connected public housing communities.”
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Residents receive free fruits and vegetables from the farm as long as they volunteer, or if they bring their “food scraps to the farm stand each week.”
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The four locations where urban farms have been created are: Bay View Houses (Canarsie, Brooklyn); Howard Houses (Brownsville, Brooklyn); Red Hook Houses (Red Hook, Brooklyn); Wagner Houses (East Harlem, Manhattan).
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For more information on the project, or to learn how to get involved, check out the Green City Force website. Happy farming!
Featured image source [Green City Force/NYCHA]