Gotham Greens

There’s nothing like a good Batman reference to start off your day. What does Batman have to do with gardening? Well…to be honest, not a lot. He’s not an avid gardener from what I can tell but Gotham Greens, a company based in New York, is picking up the slack.

According to their website, “Gotham Greens designs, builds and operates commercial scale greenhouse facilities in urban areas for fresh vegetable production.” Since 2010 they have completed 3 greenhouse projects totaling 90,000 square feet. The first two projects produce over 300 tonnes of veggies annually with the third project is scheduled to see crop production begin soon.

I guess I should also mention that these are rooftop greenhouses.

Rooftop greenhouses that capture and re-use water, don’t use pesticides or chemicals of any kind, employ beneficial insects and integrated pest management, and offset their electrical needs with solar panels. I could go on and on with the innovative qualities featured in these three projects. It’s truly incredible.

And the fact that it takes up no extra square footage is an added bonus.

The fresh produce is packaged and sold in stores across New York – including several Whole Foods Markets. One of these Whole Foods Markets is also the home of a 20,000 square foot greenhouse. Now that’s local produce!

As I prepare my greenhouse for another season, I’ll be thinking about Gotham Greens’ future projects and how they are bettering their communities by providing fresh, local, chemical-free produce. If you’re planning a vegetable garden this year, consider planting an extra row for the less fortunate. Donate to your local food bank and help feed your community.

I’ll be donating my extra tomatoes to Ted at Mother’s Deli again this year and I couldn’t be happier about it. It’s a great feeling knowing that together we can provide nutritious food to those who may otherwise be hungry.