New York City is the mecca of cement and metal with its skyscrapers, huge buildings, subway stations and bridges. In fairness, there are also some nice green areas like the gigantic Central Park. However, did you know that actual farms that grow any sort of vegetables have been appearing right in the middle of the city? Yes! The trend has picked up fast and there are now almost 20 farms in the City alone of which 4 just in the Manhattan area. They are appropriately called urban farms.

Urban farms are all very different in terms of size, location, and purpose. Some are on roof tops, some others are in between buildings. Some are owned by a small group of individuals, others by companies. However, all urban farms have few things in common that make them unique:

-They exist to connect to the community that they serve and they are proud of that;
-They teach community kids about agriculture, the respect for nature’s beauty, its pace and the seasons cycle
-They tend to use recycled materials and they are almost entirely organic
-The largest ones even sell their produce to local markets and restaurants

Visiting them during weekends is really a breath of fresh air and authenticity and somehow you forget that you are still in the middle of the chaotic New York City.

So, next time you are walking around the five boroughs of New York City and you want to know how vegetables should really taste, remember that you are never too far from a urban farm. Find it, immerse yourself in it, and enjoy it.

Stay tuned for new trends from New York City and until next time, go out there and see the world.