In addition to acting as farm manager for Riverpark Farm, Zach Pickens is the founder of a seed company that specifically saves seeds adapted for the rooftops of New York City. Following is my interview with Rooftop Ready Seeds founder, Zach Pickens. Monica Johnson: Tell me a little bit about Rooftop Ready Seeds.

In 2011, a large urban farm was created to service the highly acclaimed Riverpark restaurant. Utilizing a stalled construction site, the farm was designed with mobility in mind using lined milk crates. This makes it easy to move and create the size and shape of the farm. At the beginning of this year, construction resumed and the milk crates were relocated.

OKO Farms is an aquaponic farm located in Brooklyn founded by three collaborating parties: Moore Street Market, the Brooklyn Economic Development Corporation (BEDC), and OKO Farms. Aquaponics is becoming a popular way to farm as it simulates a symbiotic and naturally occurring system between plants and fish and provides both for consumption.

Anya Pozdeeva and Christopher Toole run an afterschool program in the Hunts Point section of the Bronx. Here, more than any other part of NYC, needs their help as this area has some of the most polluted air in the World. They teach kids about creating a healthy urban ecosystem that includes aquaponics, permaculture, foraging, and food justice.

Feedback Farms was founded in 2011 by four people: Tom Hallaran, Clare Sullivan, Kallie Weinkle, and Gregory Sogorka, with the idea of turning vacant lots into farms and offering results to the public from various urban agricultural research projects they conduct. They currently have two lots that are working farms, both located in Brooklyn.

EcoStation is a collective of projects nestled into the Bushwick neighborhood of Brooklyn. Following is my interview with Maggie Cheney, the director of farms and education for EcoStation NY. Maggie Cheney: “EcoStation New York is a very grass-roots, neighborhood organization located primarily in Bushwick, Brooklyn.

Farm and Ranch Freedom Alliance (FARFA) is a national organization that is based in Texas and acts as “an advocate for independent farmers, ranchers, livestock owners, and homesteaders, as well as the consumers who support them.”. They are involved in such issues as animal identification, food safety, raw milk, the farm bill, and GMOs.

Kerry Sparks is a co-author of MY NAME IS PABST: Baby Names for Nonconformist, Indie, Geeky, DIY, Hipster, and Alterna-Parents of Every Kind and a literary agent at Levine Greenberg Literary Agency. Kerry grew up in rural Oregon and moved to Los Angeles soon after graduating high school. I first met Kerry in 2002 at a clothing store we both worked at on La Brea Boulevard.

I met Linda Thompson on a crisp morning at her house just outside of the tiny town of Florence, Texas. She recently moved to this location and says that it wasn’t easy finding a landlord that was open to her raising hens, even though she is several miles outside of the city. Many places, like nearby Austin, have passed laws limiting how many hens you can have within city limits.

But wait! I’m not talking about smoothies loaded with milk, yogurt, and ice cream (Jamba Juice) or made with juice you find stocked in the aisles at grocery stores (Mott’s Apple Juice). I’m talking about the ones made from fresh fruits and vegetables. Supporters of both smoothies and juice claim similar benefits: a way to ingest more nutrients than you would normally and a way to cleanse your body.

Situated among the hipsters and ever-expanding condos, a 6000 square foot rooftop farm thrives atop a film and television studio in Greenpoint, Brooklyn. Founded in 2009, Eagle Street Rooftop Farm is the first commercial rooftop farm in New York City. The first few seasons, Eagle Street grew a little bit of everything, but now focuses on hot peppers, kale, lettuce mixes, herbs, and hot sauce that is sold to local restaurants and at markets.

While I love taking road trips, it can be difficult to stay healthy while traveling and away from your normal routine. Here are Eight Tips I Discovered to Stay Healthy on the Road: You can fill up at any restroom. CamelBak makes a great bottle that has a charcoal filter so no matter where you get water, it tastes great.

Born into a family of farmers, my father grew up in rural Western Missouri. The nearest town was miles away so being self-sufficient was a must. What they did not eat from their garden was canned and frozen. Meat was often hunted in nearby timber and milk was provided by two Jersey cows. My father had farm chores, but it was his father who hand-milked the cows twice a day—early in the morning and at dusk.

The most rewarding feeling, while selling herbs, fruits and vegetables at NYC farmers’ markets, is when a customer walks away excited about a their purchase, especially if it’s something they have never tried before. But before this happy end result, a quick Q & A between the customer and me typically unfolds.