Farming on a Rooftop | National Geographic

In New York City, farming on a rooftop is not just an idea. Brooklyn Grange farms more than two and a half acres of rooftops in Brooklyn and Queens, and then sells what it produces to New Yorkers. A special soil mixture is used to minimize weight on the roofs and allow rapid drainage during heavy downpours. The farmed rooftops also house chickens and an apiary.

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Learn more about cities' growing rooftop-farming movement:

VIDEOGRAPHERS AND EDITORS: Nacho Corbella and Eileen Mignoni

Farming on a Rooftop | National Geographic

National Geographic

[carolinejayes]

This is an awesome idea, make sure the roofs are able to support the weight of soil, and plants, utilize space, in the city where there is not much, land .we want more of this.

[shorty]

I worked on those roofs in brooklyn, many of them can't take the weight. The roof will have to be special steel reinforced roof tops. To prevent them from clasping or leaking and rot of the structure. It's a great idea, But if the roof is not a steel reinforce roof, it's dangerous. It's best to use big planting pots for this.

[McFraneth]

Insulates the building from heat and cold too.

[samuelbrazier]

That is an awesome idea to make use of the roof tops to cultivate produce while maximising on the elements that are available there

[goodancestors]

Awesome business model, and video. I would love to see all usable rooftops in NYC growing plants and food.

[slhines]

Combining "affordable" solar panels would be a double whammy!

[MrSpikesterman]

wow roof farming if every one did that with their roof, there would be no reason for poeple around the world to go to bed hungry at nigth because they haven't had any food to eat that day  or the day before

[BonScottAC]

This looks like something ppl would do for food after the apocalypse.

[cody]

Wow never thought about this. Who ever came up with this is a very smart person

[FeelingShred]

momentum, tidal shift, passion.... 3 newagy words in 10 seconds...
I just wish people went back to talking normally and not in marketing language for every single thing

[rinchhensherpa]

i would prefer using milk crates instead. NY does seem to get windy at times, and what if your roof gets leaky? Whole lotta mess

[bibiricat]

How can that roof support a million tons of dirt? I think that at the first big earthquake that roof is going down, and will take the building with it ! 

[SiriusV]

How would they repair leaks on the roof?

[happydays]

A person would have to be diligent and find out if the roof structure could handle so much weight before pouring in all of the heavy soil.


There might be a lot of pollutants from car fumes, etc., that could drift onto the plants. There also might be asbestos or lead in the roofing materials.

[jackdavid]

So like… what if all rooftops in China have farms on top?

“and if there’s sky scrapers nearby”

“just Put some Tubes between the buildings”

LIKE discovery zone!

“then people can trade fruits and vegetables and hopefully catch rain water in water towers on every roof”

[ikstyls]

Heads off to you Guys doing some great job atleast....

[peyotewalrus]

Do the chickens ever jump off the roof?

[PaulKolomeyer]

What do you do with the farm during the winter

[somegirl]

I gave this a like, but leave chickens alone!!

[littleray]

It's certainly better to be idealistic than to be cynical all the time