Brownsville Farm Brooklyn

The Brownsville Farm, a formerly vacant lot turned into a half-acre of urban agriculture, is hosting its first harvest festival this weekend.

Built to rejuvenate adjacent housing complex the Marcus Garvey Apartments, the farm includes 22 raised beds and a greenhouse, where kale, lettuce and other greens have been rooting since the summer.

The farm was created in an effort to revitalize the apartments, while keeping them affordable, through a partnership between urban farming initiative Project EATS and management company L+M Development Partners.

The Brownsville Harvest Festival goes from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday October 17. The event will include free health screenings and a fitness demonstration, as well as a neighborhood cook-off.

To RSVP, email Rachel Roseneck at rachel@marathonstrategies.com.

The Brownsville Farm is one of six Project EATS farms in Brooklyn; the nonprofit has two other farms in Brownsville, as well as locations in East New York and Crown Heights.

L&M Development Partners bought the 625-unit Marcus Garvey Apartments, a Mitchell Lama property, from DeMatteis Organizations for $98,600,000 in 2014. They now plan a $50,000,000 renovation of the complex. The vacant lot where the farm sits, on the corner of Dumont at 251 Chester Street, was included in the purchase.

[Photo: Project EATS]

Related Stories
More Than Trees Grow In Brooklyn: Check out These Five Working Farms
For Less Than $1 Million, You Can Own a Famous 18th-Century Brooklyn Farmhouse
Brownsville Locals Vow to “Gentrify” on Own Terms


What's Your Take? Leave a Comment