Bringing Farms Back to Greenwich Village

      On Feb. 4, the group Community Agriculture at NYU hosted an evening of dialogue on urban agriculture possibilities at the Gallatin School of Individualized Study’s Jerry H. Labowitz Theatre. The evening’s presentation by Adam Brock (Gallatin ‘08), entitled “Room to Grow: Participatory Landscapes and Urban Agriculture at NYU,” was based on his 2008 Gallatin Dean’s Award senior thesis research.
      Over 100 students, faculty, administrators, and Greenwich Village residents came to hear Brock’s presentation, which included slides and a presentation on the possibilities for agriculture at NYU’s Washington Square campus, including ideas about edible landscaping, vertical gardening, and mobile agriculture. After Brock’s presentation, the audience was encouraged to form breakout groups to discuss ideas, share stories, or just become inspired at the possibilities of growing one’s own food.
      “It was so exciting for Adam and I, and everyone else, to watch how conversations just kept going... nobody wanted to leave,” said Zoe Abram, one of the event organizers and a Community Agriculture founder. “Everyone was listening, contributing, thinking, and planning.”
      The event culminated with a seed planting workshop activity, where people took home Red Russian Kale and/or Tatsoi seeds—both hearty winter vegetables.