Urban Farm at Battery Park

Urban Farm at Battery Park

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Posted 2011-08-11 by Cristina Dimenfollow
While it's true that the Big Apple offers an array of attractions and activities, many tourists and local residents traveling to Lower Manhattan may be surprised to find that a farm is now part of their must-see places to visit. Launched in April 2011, Urban Farm at the Battery is the island's first farm in the area since Dutch settlers tilled the soil and planted their crops in 1625.



Bamboo poles originally used in the "Big Bambu" sculpture atop the Metropolitan Museum of Art's roof garden surround the farm, forming the shape of a turkey—in honor of the area's resident turkey, Zelda.



Fruits and vegetables, such as tomatoes, broccoli, beets, peppers, collard greens and herbs are growing on a one-acre stretch of land in Battery Park.



Colorful flower blossoms accent the greenery, including towering sunflowers with cheery bright-orange petals.



The farm grew from a request by Millennium High School students who approached the Battery Park Conservancy with their desire for a vegetable garden. Today, nearly 700 students from neighboring schools lend their green thumbs to the program. Students from each participating school take care of their plot, and can harvest their crops for school use.



Likewise, city folks of all ages can dig into the soil as a volunteer, or even adopt a plot to grow their own fruits and vegetables. It's a great way to foster a budding farmer's lifelong appreciation for locally grown produce—to see mini eggplants dangle until they've grown big enough to be plucked.



Visit the onsite farmstand on Thursdays from noon to 6 p.m., and take home a bag of freshly harvested vegetables or fruits. Pay the suggested price, or donate the amount you wish. Proceeds from the farmstand support continued seasonal work.

#family
#free
#markets
#parks
#fun_for_children
#fun_things_to_do
#gardening
#nature
#volunteering
%wnnewyork
198213 - 2023-06-16 04:34:57

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