Brooklyn greenhouse will be country’s largest rooftop farm
Brooklyn is becoming a national model for urban agriculture. This month, a major new rooftop farming project in Sunset Park, Brooklyn was announced by New York City-based Bright Farms, whose mission is centered on constructing hydroponic farms at, or near, supermarkets. With 100,000 square feet, the Sunset Park project could potentially yield 1 million pounds of produce a year.
One major advantage of hydroponic farming over more traditional forms is the lack of soil. On a rooftop, this translates to lightweight operations suitable for many buildings that would otherwise require extensive structural improvements. Rooftop hydroponic systems also harvest rainwater, preventing additional strain on the sewer system.
Though the Bright Farms greenhouse will be the largest rooftop farm in the city, and quite possibly the world, it joins several other significant and growing agricultural projects in Brooklyn. Brooklyn Grange, a Queens-based rooftop farming enterprise, plans to open a 45,000 square foot urban farm at the Brooklyn Navy Yard. Farm-developers Gotham Greens will be opening a new location in the borough as well.
(via New York Times)
