Fifth Street Farm
A NYC Public School Green Roof Project
About Fifth Street Farm
Here are some recent pics from the farm...
Fifth Street Farm is a collaborative educational project serving three New York City public schools on the rooftop of the Robert Simon Complex in the East Village. Fifth Street Farm was created as a tool for providing inner-city children a greater awareness and understanding of the natural world, especially the role plants play in the food web.
The rooftop garden allows students from pre-K through 8th grade to experience the benefits and pleasures of growing and eating fresh, whole, sustainable foods.
Construction of Fifth Street Farm was made possible by the generous support of Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer, City Council Member Rosie Méndez, and State Senator Daniel Squadron.
Fifth Street Farm is dedicated to the education and enjoyment of the children and families who attend the schools of the Earth School, PS 64, and Tompkins Square Middle School.
Planting, growing, and harvesting food on the roof of a New York City public school building!
The primary goal of Fifth Street Farm is to furnish the means for children to plant, harvest, prepare, and share the bounty of nutritious food they grow. We hope this initiative will lead to greater awareness and understanding for our children of the role nature plays in our lives, and specifically how plants are necessary to all life on earth.
Hands-on engagement with plants, from seed to table will also reinforce urban students’ power to make the connection between fresh, unprocessed foods and healthy eating choices.
We also want to use the farm for learning about and implementing sustainable practices, such as ways to reduce storm-water runoff and reduce the urban heat island effect.
In addition to fostering food awareness and environmental stewardship, Fifth Street Farm will provide learning opportunities in science, math, and other core curricula through the study of natural systems, climate change, and environmental sustainability.
A comprehensive transferable curriculum is also being developed to incorporate city and state science standards, with the idea of opening the rooftop garden to professional development opportunities for educators beyond those of the Robert Simon Complex.
Our Goals
News & Events
We have received 501(c)(3) status!
Tremendous appreciation to the attorneys of the Community Development Project of the Urban Justice Center who volunteered their valuable services toward this goal!
The Community Development Project (CDP) of the Urban Justice Center strengthens the impact of grassroots organizations in New York City’s low-income and other excluded communities. We partner with community organizations to win legal cases, publish community-driven research reports, assist with the formation of new organizations and cooperatives, and provide technical and transactional assistance in support of their work towards social justice.
WE NEED YOUR HELP!
It is planting season! We need to install an irrigation system, buy benches, tools and supplies for our young farmers, provide sheltered work stations, and much more. Any amount you can donate will be greatly appreciated!
It takes many hands to keep our farm functioning smoothly!
We thank all the students, teachers and parents who volunteered!
Kids and adults in our community worked hard to get the farm ready for a new season! New soil and sand needs to be carried up 4 flights of stairs. The wind and weather takes a toll on our roof and our garden shed doors needed replacing. Beds are weeded, turned, and prepared for planting. Starts and seeds are planted, soil is ammended with our homemade Earth School compost. It's just the first day of summer and we are harvesting many things!
Fifth Street Farm thanks all our partners!
Manhattan Sustainability Coordinator Gathering
Discovering sustainability through hands-on gardening
Please join NYC Eco-Schools, the Earth School, and the 5th Street Farm
Wednesday, May 25 from 4:00pm to 6:00pm
See news page for full details
