Wednesday, May 15, 2013

The Horticultural Society of NY Hosts 3rd Annual Urban Ag Conference: Reception, Talks & Urban Farm Visits



Brooklyn Grange Rooftop Farm, Queens, NY © Anastasia Plakias

The road from the farm to the plate meets at the crossroads of The Hort. Starting tonight through Friday's tours of local urban farms, this is THE place to be to learn about our connections to our food.

See you at the Hort!



The Horticultural Society of New York (The Hort) Hossts the Third Annual Urban Agriculture Conference (UAC)

Visit NYC Urban Farms Hear International Speakers

Field tours include Brooklyn Grange rooftop farms, Randall’s Island Farm and the beehives and garden atop the Waldorf Astoria; discussions will highlight known food movement leaders.

From Wednesday, May 15 through Friday, May 17, The Horticultural Society of New York (The Hort) will present its third annual and largest ever Urban Agricultural Conference (UAC).

The UAC will open with an evening reception and work-in-progress screening of “Growing Cities,” a documentary that examines the role of urban farming urban farming in America and its power to revitalize cities and change the way we eat. 
The following morning, Thursday, May 16th, keynote speaker Manhattan Borough President Scott M. Stringer will kick-off a day of innovative panel discussions and lectures led by some of the most prominent organizations and individuals in the movement.

 “The Hort has been committed to urban gardening for over 100 years, yet the focus has evolved and expanded with changing social and environmental issues, says The Hort’s Director of Horticulture and Public Programs George Pisegna. “With 80% of all people living in cities, we need to increase awareness of food sovereignty and food deserts food and discover ways that food production in urban environments can emerge as a prominent and viable alternative,” George Pisegna, The Hort.

On the final day, conference participants will visit farms in Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Queens.  Among the sites to be visited are Brooklyn Grange (in the Brooklyn Navy Yard), a 65,000 sq ft rooftop farm hovering eleven stories over the East River; Eagle Street Rooftop Farm, the nation’s first commercial rooftop farm; Randall’s Island Park Farm, NYC’s only working rice paddy operation; Window Farms in the Global Kitchen Exhibition at the Natural History Museum; the Waldorf Astoria kitchen garden and beehives; and Battery Urban Farm at the southern tip of Manhattan.

“Growing Cities” filmmaker Dan Susman notes, “Urban farming connects people to their food, strengthens communities, creates jobs, revitalizes blighted areas. It allows us to reimagine what’s possible in cities. It challenges us to get beyond the urban/rural divide — to really think about how we can all be producers in a society driven by consumption.”

UAC panelist, Carolyn Dimitri of NYU, an applied economist with expertise in food systems and food policy who is studying urban agriculture in 15 US cities says, “In a city like New York… urban farms are a reminder, or perhaps an awakening … that our food does come from the tending of soil and seeds, and not the supermarket.” She notes though that solutions are not easy: “One concern I have is that we are asking too much of urban agriculture. Is urban agriculture the panacea for our urban food problems, such as uneven food access and poor health? And is it possible for our urban farmers to make a living, tending the soil in our cities?” These questions, and more, will be explored over three days.

Wednesday, May 15 – Opening reception and work-in-progress screening of Growing Cities at Brooklyn Lyceum, 6 pm to 8:30 pm
Here is the trailer:



Thursday, May 16 – Panel discussions at NYU Kimmel Center, 9 am to 4 pm.

Friday, May 17 – Field tours of urban farms in Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Queens, 10 am to 4 pm.

For a complete agenda of the UAC, visit: http://thehort.org/UAC/





10 comments:

  1. I like the helpful information you provide in your articles.
    I will bookmark your blog and check again here frequently.

    I'm quite certain I'll learn many new stuff right here!

    Best of luck for the next!

    Take a look at my webpage; Louis Vuitton Handbags Outlet

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hello colleagues, its great post concerning educationand completely explained, keep it
    up all the time.

    my webpage - Abercrombie Et Fitch

    ReplyDelete
  3. Asking questions are genuinely good thing if you are not understanding anything fully, however this piece of writing offers nice understanding
    even.

    my web blog check this out

    ReplyDelete
  4. Hello there, You have done a great job. I will certainly digg it
    and personally recommend to my friends. I'm confident they'll be benefited
    from this website.

    Check out my blog post; New LeBron Shoes

    ReplyDelete
  5. Have you ever considered about adding a little bit
    more than just your articles? I mean, what you say is valuable and everything.
    Nevertheless imagine if you added some great photos or videos
    to give your posts more, "pop"! Your content is excellent but with pics and clips, this website
    could undeniably be one of the most beneficial
    in its niche. Amazing blog!

    Feel free to visit my webpage ... Air Max Pas Cher

    ReplyDelete
  6. Every weekend i used to go to see this web site, for the reason that i want enjoyment,
    since this this web page conations actually pleasant funny stuff too.


    Take a look at my page: Kobe Bryant Shoes

    ReplyDelete
  7. Hello mates, its great post about tutoringand completely explained, keep it up all the time.



    Also visit my web blog Nike Free Tilbud

    ReplyDelete
  8. Fantastic post however I was wanting to know if you could write a litte
    more on this subject? I'd be very thankful if you could elaborate a little bit further. Thanks!

    Feel free to surf to my web page: Louis Vuitton Pas Cher

    ReplyDelete