Category Archives: KCC Urban Farm

Student Success Story: Maya Stansberry at KCC Urban Farm

CEWD KCC Urban Farm 1 9.15.14If you’ve read any of our recent posts about KCC Urban Farm, you’ve probably seen photos of one of our most dedicated and energetic student aides: Maya Stansberry. Before the holidays I sat down with Maya to talk about her work on the farm and her future plans in urban agriculture.

What is your interest in urban farming and where did it come from?

Growing up, gardening was a pastime that my mother and relatives eagerly shared, and something that I learned to appreciate as well as enjoy. While my family has no professional/educational background with gardening, we always had gardens or small, indoor greenhouses going on somewhere. As a result, and I feel like a hippie saying this, I love being outside and connecting with the earth. There’s something exciting about putting something in the earth and getting something else back.

I wouldn’t say that my interest in urban farming comes from growing up in Baltimore, but more comes from growing up in a family with a southern/country heritage where gardening/farming incidentally runs in the family (my fraternal grandfather, who grew up on a farm, has his own vegetable garden which I helped tend to in my early teens; my maternal grandmother has a vegetable garden at her church; my mom encouraged my siblings and I to attempt to grow things, etc.).

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CEWD’s Presentation at CUNY IT

CEWD at the CUNY IT ConferenceOn Thursday, December 4th, 2014 CEWD presented at the 13th Annual CUNY IT Conference at John Jay College. The presentation was moderated by Dr. Edgar Troudt, CEWD Director of Technology, with speakers including Christopher Pileggi, Min-Kyung Park, Gillian Gooding, Christine Zagari-LoPorto and Jessie Cinelli (read our full bios here).  Workforce Development Supported by Strategic IT Investments detailed our multi-faceted use of technology that supports CEWD’s many programs and initiatives.  

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CEWD at the CUNY IT Conference

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Come meet CEWD staff as we talk “Workforce Development Supported By Strategic IT Investments” at the CUNY IT Conference. The panel, including Edgar Troudt, Babette Audant, Christoper Pileggi, Gillian Gooding, Min-Kyung Park, Christine Zagari-LoPorto and Jessie Cinelli (Don’t know us? Check us out here), will discuss how CEWD harnesses smart information technology in the areas of Participant Tracking, Data Quality Assurance, Trends Analysis, Partner Management and Outreach. Our presentation will cover a broad range of topics from participant tracking and data analysis to marketing and communications in use throughout all of our programs.

Conference registration is free so sign up today and join us on Thursday, December 4th at 2:15 pm at John Jay College. See you at the conference!

Healthy Eating at KCC

Last semester, Kingsborough Community Health Ambassadors produced videos about different ways to make KCC a healthier campus. Check out this one from Briana Palmieri (currently attending St. Francis for a B.S. in Health Promotion) as she asks students about healthy eating at KCC. It features students, faculty and staff from Brooklyn’s own KCC Urban Farm:

Briana Palmieri – Spring 2014 – Healthier Eating at KCC from Jose Nanin on Vimeo.

Urban Farming in Brooklyn

urban farming in BrooklynIt’s Friday and it’s beautiful out! A perfect time to share photos of KCC Urban Farm. A recap for new visitors: KCC Urban Farm is the first urban farm on a CUNY college campus. We work with faculty members, students, and community members to develop programming around urban farming. We seek to prepare students for green careers, use fresh fruits and vegetables to encourage an understanding of local and global food systems, and educate students on the benefits of leading healthy lifestyles.

Urban farming in Brooklyn is getting a whole lot smarter!

 

KCC Urban Farm Produce Distributions

Now that school is back in session, it’s a good time to remind everyone about the KCC Urban Farm/Single Stop produce distributions.

We will continue to distribute free farm-fresh produce to KCC students with valid ID (this event is only open to students with a valid KCC ID) every Thursday until the end of the season. In addition to produce, this event will also host cooking demonstrations that showcase some of what is being given out. Check our events page to see where these distributions will happen.

Note: this distribution is open to KCC students, only. If you’re not currently a student, sign up for one of our Continuing Education classes that are held year round.

Here’s a snapshot of past distributions:

KCC Urban Farm Summer 2014 Newsletter

Are you curious about we’re doing on the Farm? Here’s a sneak peek at the KCC Urban Farm Summer 2014 Newsletter:

Sign up for our newsletter to stay up-to-date with everything that’s happening on our urban farm…or just keep following us here.

Fall KCC Urban Farm Classes

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Urban Farmers at Kingsborough, Brooklyn, NY

Are you curious about organic gardening? Do you want to learn about organic gardening on an urban farm from professionals? You don’t have to be an enrolled student to take urban farm classes at Kingsborough! Our classes are offered through the Office of Continuing Education, so check us out! Call 718-368-5050 to register today!

 

 

Intro to Organic Vegetable Gardening
Tuesdays, 5:30-8:30pm, September 9 – October 28, 2014
Course code: NHB 08
$100 + $15 materials fee

This course covers all of the basics of urban gardening from soil to seed to table. Learn how to grow edible crops organically, start plants from seed, manage pests, and more at KCC Urban Farm. Students will gain skills in soil conditioning, crop planning, composting, planting, and harvesting to get on their way to producing their own fresh herbs, greens, fruits, and vegetables. This course also covers finding land for gardening in NYC and building a garden from scratch.

Advanced Organic Vegetable Gardening
Saturdays, 11am-2pm, September 13 – November 1, 2014
Course code: NHB 60
$100 + $15 materials fee

Prepare yourself for the 2015 growing season this fall at KCC Urban Farm. This class is for students who have taken Intro to Vegetable Gardening or who have some experience gardening already. Class will be a hands-on immersion into growing food organically, with lots of hands-on practice at KCC Urban Farm and communal space to grow your own fresh produce. We will go deeper into soil science, propagation, crop planning, plant care, harvesting, pest management, and botany, leaving students confident and well-equipped to grow small-scale vegetable gardens. This course will also cover season-extension and seed-saving.

 

Produce Distribution at KCC Urban Farm

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KCC Urban Farm produce distribution. Brooklyn, NY

 

Kingsborough students, did you know you can get free Farm-fresh produce every Thursday this summer! In addition to produce distribution, these events will also host cooking demonstrations that showcase some of what is being given out. Free food AND we tell you what to do with it! Can it get much better?

Note: this distribution is open to KCC students, only. If you’re not currently a student, sign up for one of our summer classes or check in for future Continuing Education classes that are held year round.