Earlier this summer, the garden committee contacted Whole Foods regarding potential fundraising opportunities. When we called to follow up, they put us in touch with the folks at Gotham Greens, the company behind the rooftop farm that supplies greens and veggies to the 3rd and 3rd locations (along with several other stores). When marketing manager Nicole Baum said they’d like to donate some plant starts, Liz and I headed over. We were pleasantly surprised to get a behind-the-scenes tour (tough to score—the farm is sterile and customers, and germs they carry, aren’t permitted entry.) Learn more about Gotham Greens’ operations via their Twitter, Instagram or Facebook accounts. –Denise Maher
Want to help cultivate the seedlings? Or pick tomatoes? Click here–>
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- Nicole Baum, right, of Gotham Greens, shares seedlings.
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- Gotham Green’s farm is on the WF roof; you may have seen the “No Customers Beyond This Point” sign.
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- Greens such as lettuces and basil grow hydroponically.
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- Tomato plants grow up, guided by strings.
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- Gotham Greens is a soil-less farm; seedlings start in a growing medium comprised of lava rock.
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- The volcanic ash medium can keep water on the roots.
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- I placed six-packs of the starts in empty spots and invited classes to come down and plant them.
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- Afterwards Benji and I rearranged a few plants.
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- The ash made the seedlings surprisingly sturdy. In some classes, students just examined them in the classroom.