Westchester Urban Farm – The Journey from Wasteland to Wholesome

June 28, 2012 | Mary Lissone

The following is a post by Mary Lissone, a veteran gardener and one of the first to be recruited by longtime friend Karen George to help set up the Westchester Urban Farm (WUF) in Los Angeles, CA.  Lissone provides advice, content and design for the project, communicating the WUF story in multiple formats to get people excited.

As with all journeys, a reason for taking the first step is always needed. None could have been more earnestly felt than one mother’s wish to help rehabilitate the reputation of her son’s local high school.

Much was already in progress – in 2011 it became a magnet school, Westchester  Enriched Sciences Magnet (WESM), specializing in Aviation & Aerospace, Environmental & Natural Science and Health & Sports Medicine; but it was receiving little attention as most of the community had already “decided” on its image and nothing short of an ET landing and benediction would change it. Even the impressive solar panel project in the parking lot (highly visible) didn’t seem to elicit any response. Read More

Rouses Markets Creates Sustainable Aeroponic Rooftop Garden Above Downtown New Orleans Store

May 21, 2012 | seedstock

News Release – NEW ORLEANS /PRNewswire/ – The new rooftop garden on the Rouses Market in downtown New Orleans doesn’t look like your typical herb garden; but this isn’t your typical grocery store. Parsley, basil and cilantro are among the herbs the company is growing to package and sell on the building’s ground floor.

Rouses Markets is the first grocer in the country to develop its own aeroponic urban farm on its own rooftop, says managing partner Donny Rouse. And they could not have picked a more picturesque location. “The flat rooftop on this store is perfect for urban farming,” says Rouse. “And the view of downtown is postcard-perfect. I imagine we will do a lot of dinners up here on the farm.” Rouses Markets downtown store sits just blocks Read More

Sustainable Ag Startup Sees Aeroponic Technology as Key to Re-integrating Agriculture into Urban Environs

February 14, 2012 | Danny Jensen

Eating locally within a hundred mile radius is certainly an impressive feat. But imagine the convenience of picking fresh produce from a farm that’s only a hundred feet away, or even ten, while still living in a crowded city.

The Waters Wheel, a Los Angeles-based company, aims to do just that by bringing the farm to your doorstep or rooftop by using aeroponic tower farms – recirculating systems that use clean recycled water in place of soil to grow food. Read More

AMPS Builds New Orleans’ First “Aeroponic” Recirculating Farm, Demonstrates Sustainable Urban Agriculture

February 9, 2012 | seedstock

Press Release – NEW ORLEANS, Feb. 9, 2012 – Today, urban agriculture development company Aquaponic Modular Production Systems (AMPS) debuted its new project – the very first aeroponic farm in New Orleans. Hollygrove Farm and Market is hosting the AMPS design to showcase an innovative way to grow fresh produce for the community sustainably – recirculating farming. Recirculating farms use clean recycled water in place of soil to grow food. “Aeroponics” is one type of these farms, where plants grow in vertical towers. AMPS plans to build many other recirculating farms throughout New Orleans to provide more local sources of healthy food. Read More

Video – Presentation by Seth Burns of Biogas & Electric on Tech to Improve Anaerobic Digestion

December 13, 2011 | Robert Puro

Seth Burns, CEO and CFO of Biogas & Electric, discusses the ability of his NOx reduction technology to significantly improve the anaerobic digestion process, thereby increasing the economic viability, sustainability, and social impact of agricultural industries.

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