Ben Flanner - Farming Vegetables and Running a Business on New York City’s Roofs

MHG Meetings

Sponsored By: Metro Hort Group

Brooklyn Grange is a widely recognized leader in urban agriculture and rooftop vegetable farms. They
operate the world’s largest rooftop soil farms located on two roofs in New York City, and grow over 50,000
lbs of organically-cultivated vegetables, herbs and honey each year on a total of 2.5 acres. Their products

are sold to restaurants, farmer’s markets and CSAs. Brooklyn Grange received the LICBDC Green Business
Award in 2010, the Green Roofs for Healthy Cities Award of Excellence in 2011, and Queens Community
Business Award from Mayor Bloomberg’s office in 2012. Ben Flanner, head farmer, CEO and co-founder
will talk about founding and managing this pioneering rooftop farm operation in New York City and the
many aspects of its operations, including crops, tools, and lessons learned.
Prior to founding the Brooklyn Grange, Ben co-founded and managed the Eagle Street Rooftop Farm
located in Greenpoint. He has a BS degree in Industrial Engineering from the University of Wisconsin, and
prior experience in management consulting and marketing. Ben was born and raised in Milwaukee,
Wisconsin and currently resides in Brooklyn, NY. He has an unwavering drive to develop the urban
farm industry as an exceptionally green and community-minded business.

For more information: http://brooklyngrangefarm.com