SEEDS TO FEED ROOFTOP FARM

much of this past week was spent transplanting various seedlings into the remaining beds.  we were able to accommodate most of the brassicas, (cabbage, brussels sprouts, and cauliflower we got from our friends at bbg), you can see a picture one of the little babies attached.  these were bred to withstand extreme heat, which is perfect for the roof.  when transplanting seedlings, or moving any plant, it is most desirable to move as much of the soil surrounding them as well so that they feel the least amount of separation anxiety as possible. 

there were also bean seedlings that were out growing their plastic cups, (one even beginning to flower), that needed to be moved outside so we relocated them to their permanent home in the boxes with their friends.

yemi and i, mostly yemi and a resident, also moved some things around, transplanting some of the viney peas and beans into places were they would be able to wind around stakes and reach for the sun.  also, we have recognized that some of the youngsters would be better of in different places than where they were originally planted.  there was a need to consolidate like-plants that were spread out in different beds. 

so now, everything seems in order and the world is good.

last week we planted seedlings with the help of some residents and co-worker’s children, some that yemi had started in the office, some that we got from the brooklyn botanic garden, some we got from  farmer lee of sang lee farms, and some we got from john from hsny.  john also helped us re-pot seedling that were getting too big for their egg cartons. 

he brought some tomato plants, and, since tomatoes are vines, (who knew?), you can just cut off branches of the plant and plant those.  the branches feel fuzzy, and john informed us that that fuzziness is really potential roots waiting to dig their way into the soil.  we also potted some tomatoes using this method.

well, in the past weeks we have learned a mixed bag of things.  the wind has wreaked havoc with our seedlings, mainly denuding the basil plants of their leaves.  we will probably have to buy more basil seedlings.  since we are up so high, it seems the danger of destruction due to wind is inevitable, and hard to fight.  yemi had the ingenious idea of cutting out the bottom of some paper cups and placing them over the tender young plants creating a wind shield of sorts.

we also are coming to the conclusion that maybe there is such a thing as too much rain as our trays are not getting a chance to dry at all creating very moist conditions.  since the trays are sitting on a layer of felt, which has stayed soaked for the past week, even when the rain pauses, the felt does not get time to dry, trapping the moisture.  we are thinking of raising some of the beds with the ballast to let air underneath, (although that would be a colossal, unpleasant task).

we will keep you posted… 

today two of our residents most devoted to tending the farm pursued yemi and i during the day because they felt the urge to water, (see preceding picture).  with all the glorious sunlight, there was a definite need.  as we were heading up to the roof, i was stopped by another resident who wanted to complain about something.  she accompanied us in the elevator to the roof, moaning about some perceived slight.  once we got to the roof, she followed us out to the farm, continuing to blither.

mind you, this resident is an older woman, on crutches, long history of mental illness, drug use, and homelessness.  she has asthma that is so severe that she cannot tolerate any strong smell, (perfume, detergent, grass clippings, etc.), and cannot walk even to the bodega across the street without taking a break.

once on the roof, under the spectacular azure brooklyn skies, with a slight breeze easing the sun’s rays, she began watching the other resident water, and bravely made her way farther out onto the roof.  she quickly forgot about her issues and spoke about a memory of her grandmother, with a watering can and a salt shaker (?), chasing her and her siblings out of her garden, chastising them for picking the fresh tomatoes before they were ready.  in her eyes i could see her travel back in time.

she stayed on the roof for about a half hour and raved about the view and how her asthma was better for her time spent there.  the resident watering invited her to come back.  when she left she said, “thank you david, and have a blessed day.”  yemi encouraged her to make it a part of her day from now on.  i imagine she will…

many of us city-dwellers wake with dread to overcast skies.  it is as if rain lays a damp blanket across our days.  it is a battle between us and the falling drops and we curse as we run from shelter to subway to shelter.  for us on the roof farm, it is a different story. we urban farmers smile knowingly at the rainy forecasts.

since we have but one water source on the roof, watering is a laborious 3 hour task.  in years past, with our original beds, we lugged five-gallon buckets from the laundry room and watered with empty planing pots.  now we have upgraded to a spigot and hose, and the magical watering wand, (i will post a picture tomorrow).  we still fill watering cans and bring them out to assist in the process and as homage to our history.

obviously, the young plants on the farm are exposed to severe conditions.  the full force of the sun already dries beds quickly, just imagine in the heat of the summer months how daily watering is crucial.  john, from hsny, also explained that the ever-present wind also quickens evaporation, (which we never thought of before).

we have embraced watering and standing with the wand, gently showering the beds is meditative and peaceful.  the sound of the city is faint, and the wide open brooklyn sky inspires awe and reverence.  yemi is the queen of the watering and has strict rules about soaking the beds.  we first wet the beds, letting the water moisten the soil, and then come back another time to properly soak the soil.

csa volunteers and our residents have joined the cause, and we could use more help if any reader wants to get involved. 

so now, when you wake to find grey skies above threatening rain, think of the plants.  what seems an obstacle to city folk is a blessing to the farm, and a necessary part of the cycle.  

just check out yemi’s blog, www.mybrooklynrooftopfarm.tumblr.com for more info and coolness…we will symbiotically be re-posting each other

so, the grant we received from united way for the farm also includes funding for four residents to get stipend money for their time on the roof.  they are required to work at least three hours per week on the farm.  the idea is to rotate the residents getting the stipends on a monthly basis to allow maximum participation.  initially, we have had minimal response, (but that may be due to the tasks required to get things up and running such as hauling the trays and manure), but now that everything is in place the residents are becoming increasingly curious.

our core four residents, (including a 73 year old african-american man, a thirty-something puerto rican man, a white woman from seattle, and an african-american man of jamaican descent), have become entranced and are getting increasingly excited about their participation.  after their planting of the seeds and now the emergence of tiny, burgeoning leafy greens, they are beginning to experience the miracle of germination, and are a part of the cultivation of our plants.  it is hard not to be moved by the rapid growth of the greens, (i am resisting referencing the miracle of life).

for some of these residents, we have assigned them areas of the roof that they are responsible for.  this has led to a fierce and proud nurturing of their plot.

the 73 year old resident planted twenty trays of spinach seed, (as well as remarkably helping with the majority of compost hauling), and has seen them seed spring to life due to his careful watering.  he recently spoke to me about how great it was to be learning a skill, (gardening), that enriches his life and that he can take away and use for the rest of his life.  he is a spiritual man, and this connection with the earth was a natural progression for him, he expressed his thankfulness for having an opportunity to advance himself via the roof farm, ( sigh…tearing up).

the puerto rican man was watering the peas and early tomatoes that he planted by seed, and i tried to take over when he stated he needed to have a smoke.  i took the watering can from him and he took a few steps toward the door then hesitated…”i gotta finish what i started, it’s up to me to take care of these things”.  he took back the watering can and forestalled his smoke for the sake of the vegetables. 

that is the power of the farm.