Tag Archives: KCC Urban Farm

NRC Culinary Arts Students Visit KCC Urban Farm

Earlier this month students from the NRC Culinary Arts job training program at Kingsborough visited KCC Urban Farm to get a hands-on lesson on the value of fresh, organic produce. Students, many of whom mentioned already having experience with their own gardens, were surprised to learn how easy it is to grow delicious food without using pesticides. Linking this visit to their work in the kitchen, students compared tomatoes grown on the Farm to store-bought ones, realizing the rich color, appealing texture, and vibrant flavor would be so much more appealing to customers.

Through NRC training, students learn about the of fundamentals of food industry jobs including cooking terminology and techniques, they’re given an introduction into what they’ll experience once they’re in a professional kitchen, and most importantly for NRC, they’ll develop a background for what it means to be resilient individuals, both in their personal and professional lives. Our program’s partnership with Kingsborough Community College provides classes that are taught by KCC faculty, through KCC’s Culinary Arts program, and access to many of the college’s perks, including the KCC Urban Farm.

If you’re interested in getting more info about NRC’s Culinary Arts program, fill out this quick online survey and a representative will get back to you with everything you need to know.

A Project Rise Graduate

I sat down with Natalie, a recent Project Rise graduate, to talk about her experiences with the program.

Me: How did you hear about Project Rise and what made you sign up?

Natalie: My mother. She saw the Project Rise advertisement in the Kingsborough Community College Brochure. My family is run on tough-love so she basically threw the brochure at me and told me I needed to get my G.E.D (I swear she is a very kind and funny woman). But I did like how they offered a paid internship and work readiness. Heaven knows I had no job experience.

Me: You just graduated. Congratulations! What did you like most about the program?

Natalie: Generally I liked the whole package. The fact that I was going to be able to study and take the G.E.D. for free and have a paid internship along with obtaining college credits not to forget we had the chance to work on the Urban Farm, it was great…still is.

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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

It’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 Distribution

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:

Urban Farm distribution

a packed Single Stop office distribution

Single Stop distribution

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.

CEWD Fall Open House

The Center for Economic and Workforce Development is having another Open House on Monday, August 25th and Wednesday, August 27th at Kingsborough Community College, Call 718.368.4637 speak with a CEWD representative about signing up for a session. Refreshments will be served!

Information sessions begin at 9:00am and 12:00pm. Reserve your spot today!

Are you interested in a career in the food industry? Maybe a career as a Community Health Worker? At this open house, you’ll get information about (and even sign up for!) our affordable career training programs, CUNY CareerPATH and the Northeast Resiliency Consortium. In addition to career-specific training, our programs offer FREE supportive services including career advice, resume and cover letter assistance, job placement assistance, academic advisement and so much more!

Training Programs for Fall of 2014:

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Fall KCC Urban Farm Classes

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

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.