Growing your own food has many benefits. This blog has information about some of the biggest food producing rooftop farms in the world.
Rooftop farming could be one of the easiest ways of growing your own food if you live in a high rise building. You could easily feed your friends and family as well as make some extra money. It’s possible to grow food indoors in containers, on your patio, balcony, rooftops, and virtually anywhere, where you have some extra space.
The idea of growing food indoors in tower gardens or high rise buildings is becoming very popular around the world because of the rapid urbanization and limited farming space, and so, urban farming is also becoming very popular.
Urban Rooftop Gardening – The Benefits
Urban farmers have used vacant lots, vertical towers, and have started growing food on roof tops.
By 2050, about 80% of the global population will be living in the cities. When food is transported from farms far away from the cities, there are chances of degradation to the food when carrying food from producers to consumers. It also impacts the environment through greenhouse gases. A lot of packing materials and energy are also wasted when food is packaged, processed, preserved or sorted. Processed and stored food may also lose its quality and value. We could avoid all that wastage and produce fresh food in the cities with urban food farming systems.
World’s best rooftop gardens
“Rockefeller Center Rooftop Gardens 2 by David Shankbone” by David Shankbone – David Shankbone. Licensed under CC BY 2.5 via Wikimedia Commons.
The reason why rooftop is gaining popularity is because rooftops can have all the advantages of urban conditions. It provide enough sunlight, irrigation and privacy that the urban farmers need, and all the facilities of an urban lifestyle that they want. Here is a list of 5 of the world’s greatest rooftop gardens.
1. Brooklyn Grange (New York City)
Brooklyn Grange in New York City is one of the largest rooftop gardens in the world, with 2.5 acres, or about 108,000 square feet of rooftop under cultivation. They offer organically grown fresh fruits and vegetables to the neighborhood. They also keep egg laying chicken and bees for honey. Brooklyn Grange sells fruits and veggies to restaurants, CSA members and the public via weekly farm stands.
2. HK Farm (Hong Kong)
HK Farm is located in the densely populated city of Hong Kong. HK Farm focuses on offering urban farming-related services, designing products and supplying locally grown produce in the city of Hong Kong.
3. City Farm (Tokyo)
City Farm is a rooftop farm that is a bit different from the rooftop farms in the United States. The major differences are their activities and the types of food they grow. They organize activities that allow the general population to witness their food growing. Their food is focused on Japanese eating habits. They grow a lot of rice and also vegetables like egg plants and soybeans.
4. Dakakker (Rotterdam)
Dakakker was initiated by an architecture firm called ZUS. They reclaimed an old building in the middle of the city of Rotterdam and started using its roof as a farm for growing food. They sell fruits and veggies to restaurants and shops in their local communities, and also in Amsterdam.
5. Lufa Farms (Montreal)
“Kyoto-Ryoan-Ji MG 4512” by Cquest – Own work. Licensed under CC BY-SA 2.5 via Wikimedia Commons.
Lufa Farms is located in Montreal, Canada on the top of a two story building. They have built a 31,000-square-foot greenhouse that can withstand the harsh winter of Canada. They are growing over 40 different types of crops, year round, in that greenhouse. Luna Farms truly utilizes all the advantages of the urban conditions including an irrigation system.
Growing food in the middle of the city is becoming a very popular idea. No matter where you live, you could easily grow some food anywhere, indoors, on rooftops or around your house. Even if you don’t want to start farming, you could easily grow some food for your friends and family. It would produce some extra food, take some of the pressure off your grocery bills and also help the environment.
To learn more about urban farming please contact us at 303-495-3705 or Click here to book a meeting with us.
Have you tried growing any food on the rooftop? We’d love to hear from you, so please leave a comment and let us know, or visit our Facebook Page
Source: Nourish the Planet
It’s really cool how many people are installing rooftop gardens. I’m wondering how I might be able to convert the roof over my garage into one of these. Would I be able to hire a regular roofing contractor for this job?
If you have a flat roof on your garage, you might be able to work yourself. for slanted roof, you might consider hiring a landscaping contractor.
Just amazing. I really can’t wait to build a rooftop garden in my apartment. Thanks again for sharing your knowledge with us.