Winner! Feedback Farms
Awarded $1000 grant at FEAST #13, April 14, 2012
Feedback Farms
Feedback Farms transforms vacant lots and stalled construction sites into productive temporary farms. The economic downturn of 2008 left many developers unable to break ground or complete construction projects in the five boroughs. While in limbo, these lots often become impromptu trash dumps and rat warrens. Feedback Farms will take over lots at the behest of private landowners and public agencies, maintain and keep them clean, and grow vegetables while improving the aesthetics and safety of the neighborhood. The lots also will become a place for the community to gather, volunteer and learn.
To make mobile farming on small plots feasible, Feedback Farms is conducting research into utilizing labor and resources in the most efficient way. This season we will conduct field experiments, evaluating the labor inputs and yield outputs of growing vegetables in different types of mobile, sub irrigated planters (SIPs) and soil mediums.
These SIPs will have integrated remote monitoring capability and be equipped with tensiometers (moisture sensors), temperature and photo sensors to enable tracking of ambient light, moisture and temperature as well as location, planting date, variety, watering schedule, harvest time, and yield. We hope to learn which SIPs and growing mediums are optimal for urban farming.
[...] the future of urban agriculture in NYC. If you weren't there, you can read all about it: http://feastinbklyn.org/?p=768 . We'll be putting the funds we received to good use on materials for our sub irrigated [...]
The lots themselves had been vacant for decades and with their mixed ownership it was always unclear who was responsible for clean-up and maintenance. With just a few weeks of work by the organizations, neighbors and many other volunteers the three lots are already transformed. The garden community space is using participatory planning to develop its layout and the ways in which it will be used.