“Up on the Roof” is a song written by Gerry Goffin and Carole King and it was recorded in 1962 by The Drifters. The song title and some of the lyrics are apropos to the topic being discussed about green roofs and agrihoods.
When this old world starts getting me down
And people are just too much for me to face (Up on the roof)
I climb way up to the top of the stairs
And all my cares just drift right into space (Up on the roof)
On the roof, it’s peaceful as can be
And there, the world below can’t bother me
So let’s talk about other things that are up on the roof and as well as on the ground, including gardens which integrate agriculture into residential neighborhoods. There are agrihoods in cities, as well as in communities in urban, suburban and rural settings. These argihoods provide fresh food and a sense of community in areas that are often underserved. Detroit is a prime example of where a growing agrihood movement is taking place. There is a nonprofit community garden just north of the gentrified Midtown area, which calls itself America’s First Sustainable Urban Agrihood. It was founded in 2012 and gained its development designation in 2016. The co-founder of the garden, Tyson Gersh said that “the project has grown from an urban garden that provides fresh produce for our residents to a diverse, agricultural campus that has helped sustain the neighborhood, attracted new residents and area investment.” In Los Angeles, Ron Finley, ‘GANGSTER GARDENER’ and agrihood proponent, is creating growing spaces in food deserts by planting everywhere, including uninhabitable soils. He is growing a “food forest” in the city and he wants to make all this “sexy” and “gangsta” — growing food, creating urban forests, building beautiful soil …” this according to a recent LA Times article by Jeanette Marantos. As for Up on the Roof, there are green spaces sprouting up in at Hunters Point South, an affordable housing complex in Long Island City, Queens, with a garden club which has about 100 members who help tend a 2,300-square-foot communal garden on the 14th floor of one of two buildings. There are also crops being grown at Brooklyn Grange which is a leading rooftop farming and intensive green roofing business in the US, fostering more livable and climate adapted cities. Brooklyn Grange has two locations, one at the Brooklyn Navy Yard and one in Sunset Park. Our monthly TMSOG guest commentator, eco-activist, eco-artist and sexy astrologist Charlotte Ghiorse discusses agrihoods, rooftop gardens, cool roofs and the connection between people and the natural world through food, education, and more. We also get some Astrology updates plus much, much more. Go to houseofchoclet.com and Sexy Astrology (@SexyAstrology) on YouTube for more info.
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