After a morning in Queens we headed to Bushwick, Brooklyn… To Roberta’s for a bite of lunch and then a tour of the Garden. We were joined by a third intern Nikki.
This place is crazy wonderful. I learned a bunch from Melissa, the farm manager, who is a curious, adventurous and talented gardener.
Roberta’s garden is in elevated containers.
Apple Trees
Today I visited the Queens location of Brooklyn Grange with Ariel and Charlotte, 2 interns who volunteer with me at Brooklyn Grange Navy Yard.
The two farms are very different… but kinda the same.
Many of the same veggies are grown. The soil composition looks the same. The veggies are growing differently… some faster and some slower… other bigger or smaller.
For example the Queens tomatoes are almost ready while Navy Yard are just coming along. But maybe that was a business decision the Grange will have tomatoes to sell for a longer time if the crops are staggered, or maybe it is because the Queens location seems hotter.
The Queens location also seems a little more rural or tradition farm like… although it is on the roof of a 7 storey building next to a major rail hub… while Navy Yard feels very urban.
The Queens location also has a lot of weeds. The weed pressure can effect the growth of the veggies (light and nutrients) and can eat up man hours of labour trying to remove them.
Navy Yard does not have many weeds yet. But we do weed walks a few times a week and weed the beds and walkways… to stop the weeds from bolting?
Queen location has a gravel path.
Rainbow Chard
Flowers CSA
Solar power air blower composter
Dragon flies in the USA
Under the supervision of beekeeper Chase we extracted about 12 gal of unfiltered honey (some bits and pieces, dead bees, and wax) from about 100 lb of capped honey filled frames.
Long and hot day today. We started early… 6:00 a.m. to beat the heat and the sun on one of our three harvest days.
I don’t seem to mind the early morning now. My commute is about 25 to 30 mins. I am super tired when I get home so I am in bed and asleep by 10. Maybe when return to my job at the Ministry I will keep these hours… or not!
We harvested beans, mustards, rocket, head lettuce, basil and other lovely herbs.
Also, this morning a photographer from National Geographic came and took a few pics and then later a LL Bean showed up with a film crew. They are producing an online video program about Chase the farm’s beekeeper.
Ariel picking beans
French Fillet Beans
Farmer Ben (hat) and National Geographic photographer
LLBean crew and some farms people
Did a little bit of everything today. Seeded, weeded, transplanted, watered, and cleaned.
Temperature: hot
Compost Temperature: 170F. Too hot!
Honey spinner… Extractor. 26 hives checked and 100 lbs taken.
Farm manager Matt and 3 month old son Max
Hind seeding bed. Hind is an intern as well and is visiting from Kuwait.
Micro Greens
Seed knowledge… Bolting… When a plant flowers and goes to seed.
Tasty mustard seed. They are also harvested and sold
These pea seeds look like robin’s eggs.
In the stairwell before you enter the roof top farm you will encounter these couple of signs.
With such a harsh warning who could believe that on the other side of the door there is this beautiful oasis. When you are on the farm… farms in general really… but maybe more this one because of the hard contrast of the city, it is so peaceful and quiet and lovely.
It is gonna be really hard leaving this place. 12 days and counting in Brooklyn… 10 of which are at Brooklyn Grange days.
Today we spread cocoa husk (Chocolate!!!) as mulch on the tomato plants, kale, and rainbow chard.
The spent husks will help hold in moisture, prevent weeds, and offer nutrients to the plants!
We are covered head to toe in chocolate dust and we smell great!
Earlier this week I learned how to “sucker” a tomato plant.
Suckering is a method of removing second, third, four… stems from a tomato plant. Sucker stems are kinda like branches… but they are not branches… cus the branches are not removed.
Apparently, those suckers suck the energy that would otherwise be allocated for the growth of the tomato plant.
Suckers are their own plant and can be transplanted. Just shove the stems in the soil and they should grow!
Some farmers/gardeners don’t believe in suckering. But removing them will help air circulation around the plants which helps prevent disease. Removing suckers may result in more fruit having a better quality.
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