One of the great things about the The New York Produce Show and Conference is that attendees have an opportunity to broaden their horizons — intellectually and physically — because, in addition to the trade show and conference, the event also includes community exploration in the form of incredible tours. One tour is to the Hunts Point Market, the epicenter of the produce trade in greater New York. Another tour heads down to give attendees a sneak preview of the new Philadelphia Market, a state-of-the art-facility redefining what it means to be a wholesale market – that tour offers an extra dose of sweetness in the form of a visit to a Wegmans store.
TWe also have a tour of suburban New Jersey retailers and a fantastic New York City tour that includes prominent and innovative retailers and a visit to a unique urban rooftop farm.his is the next big thing with specialized companies now approaching supermarkets to build such facilities on their roofs.
We thought a visit to the Brooklyn Grange — an acre rooftop farm growing commercially in Queens — would be just the kind of “only in New York” experience attendees would value, so we arranged to include it in our Manhattan tour – even though it is just over the bridge in Queens.. The New York Times has written about the farm in a piece titled, Six Stories Above Queens, a Fine Spot for a little Farming, and we asked Pundit Investigator and Special Projects Editor Mira Slott to visit the farm and get us a little preview of what we can expect to see on the tour:
Ben Flanner
Head Farmer
Brooklyn Grange
Long Island City, New York
Q: What inspired you to develop this innovative and expansive urban rooftop farm project? Spanning close to an acre, dozens of varieties of vegetables, fruits and herbs are growing and thriving from a rooftop with a breath-taking view of the Manhattan skyline in the background. Was there a notable moment, or a confluence of different circumstances that pushed you forward in your mission?
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