Green Roofs - Living Architecture Monitor - Winter 2019 - 3
ON THE ROOF WITH...
ON THE ROOF WITH...
THREE ROOFTOP FARMERS
REFLECT ON SOCIAL BENEFITS
INTERVIEW BY STEVEN W. PECK, GRP, HONORARY ASLA
Photo courtesy S. Peck
Just ten years ago, you could count the number of rooftop farms on
one hand! Now there are perhaps 100. This is no doubt due to the fact
that rooftop farmers are not only a resilient bunch, but the ultimate
multi-taskers too. Rooftop farming is still very much in its infancy, yet
these farms are already making a unique and multifaceted contribution
to the communities they serve. Three outstanding urban farmers
from different regions reflect on the social aspects of what they do, in
this special 20th Anniversary Edition of On the Roof With... Arlene
Throness, Urban Farm Manager, Ryerson University, Toronto; Jamie
Wallace, Director of Operations, Urban Harvest STL, St. Louis; and
Ben Flanner, Co-Founder and CEO, Brooklyn Grange, New York City.
Living Architecture Monitor (LAM): In what ways does growing food
on the roof also meet or support social objectives, such as education,
justice, and engagement?
Arlene Throness (AT): In addition to the abundant harvest, one of
the greatest advantages of having a rooftop farm here on the Ryerson University campus is the opportunity for people to enjoy
the space, meet other garden enthusiasts and learn practical
skills in urban farming. We had over 800 people visit the farm
this year. It's a unique space, located in the heart of Toronto's
downtown core, where people can interact with soil, plants,
insects, birds and microbes. It's easy to forget we're on a roof.
Jamie Wallace (JW): Education and engagement is a huge
component of what we do. We educate the community on urban
agriculture, equitable food access for underserved communities,
LIVINGARCHITECTUREMONITOR.COM
and on the importance of eating fresh, local foods. In 2019 we
graduated 37 interns from our Leadership in Urban Agriculture
program and had nearly 700 students visit on field trips. In total,
this year we welcomed over 2,700 visitors - whether they were
visiting for educational purposes, attending an event, or just
satisfying their curiosity about our rooftop farm.
Ben Flanner (BF): We run a farming operation which I'm really
proud of, and grow nearly 100,000 lbs. of nutritious vegetables
every year. And the education which takes place on our roofs is
just as important as our food production. We host nearly 200
events per year which include a massive amount of education on
healthy living, healthy lifestyles, nature, and of course - Green
Infrastructure. Our educational non-profit partner, City Growers, has also hosted 50,000 NYC youth over the past nine years
LIVING ARCHITECTURE MONITOR / WINTER 2019 / 3
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Green Roofs - Living Architecture Monitor - Winter 2019
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Green Roofs - Living Architecture Monitor - Winter 2019
Table of Contents
Green Roofs - Living Architecture Monitor - Winter 2019 - IP
Green Roofs - Living Architecture Monitor - Winter 2019 - Cover1
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Green Roofs - Living Architecture Monitor - Winter 2019 - Table of Contents
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