The Green House Project: Sustainable Agriculture in Urban Areas

The Green House Project: Sustainable Agriculture in Urban Areas

Objectives/Performance Targets

The Green House Project believes that participatory education coupled with research and evaluation is a key to putting agriculture back into urban and suburban areas. To meet this goal Elliot Coleman’s passive solar greenhouse design is utilized to produce fresh organic vegetables year-round at two locations. The Green House Project addresses the difficult task of integrating sustainable agriculture into the urban environment through education efforts targeted at the next generation of urban citizens. Our objectives are to: 1) Create two passive solar greenhouse sites that demonstrate to local farmers the economic potential of marketing to local residents, 2) Integrate demonstration sites into local grade school, high school, university and adult training programs, 3) Provide training and materials to those responsible for continuing education of present and future farmers, 4) Evaluate the potential of solar greenhouse technologies as an alternative production system for the northeast region.

Accomplishments/Milestones

Development of a model year-round production system in the second year of The Green House Project resulted in: 1) completion of two enclosed 30 x 48 greenhouses, 2) production of cold-hardy crops (braising mix, spinach, spicy salad mix, oriental salad mix, greens salad mix, upland cress, mache greens, arugula, mustard greens, tatsoi, red Russian kale, and mibuna) from September to March, 3) Production of heat loving crops (tomatoes, melons, eggplant, and peppers) from March to August, 4) initial development of a 20,000 square foot demonstration site planted with raspberries, elderberries, sage, catnip, wormwood, hibiscus, asparagus, Bittermellon, chamomile, mint, sorrel, chervil, chives, Echinacea, lemon grass, oregano, thyme, tarragon, basil, rosemary, calendula, marigold, violets, northern sea oats, Indian grass, summer savory, onions, tomatoes, melons, peppers, eggplants, and cucumbers, and 5) development of an irrigation system for each greenhouse.

Education efforts focus on several fronts resulting in: 1) 4 Culinary Arts graduating classes with a total of 28 students all of whom had starting positions in the local food industry, 2) integration of written curriculum in K-2 class at Greater Brunswick Charter School, 3) instruction on urban agriculture and season extension in two courses at Rutgers University with enrollment of 37 students, 4) continued development of an intern training program with local organic farmers, 5) a workshop on season extension attended by 5 local farm interns, 6) a workshop with over 36 students from The University of Puerto Rico on organic crop production in temperate regions, 7) a workshop for over 35 high school students, 8) an evening workshop season extension and sustainable cuisine attended by 25 people, and 8) development of NOFA-NJ Winter Conference on season extension attended by over 250 people from the Northeast region.

Assessment of this project is ongoing. We are currently developing growth and production curves for cold-hardy crops grown during the winter months. Data collected includes: 1) growth rates at different planting dates, 2) germination rates, 3) climatic information, 4) expected harvests and 5) market prices for the New Jersey area.

Impacts and Contributions/Outcomes

The second year of The Green House Project has had a direct impact on the New Brunswick community. A total of 182 students at all levels of training have taken formal instruction on urban agriculture, season extension and organic food production. Our workshops have exposed another 275 people to the importance of urban agriculture in the urban/ suburban setting. Efforts at market development progressed well this year. We are currently developing an extensive research plan for new crop with Chef Pierre of Stage Left in New Brunswick.

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