The Bushwick City Farms, two community gardens on squatted land just off a very busy urban commercial street, are run by a rotating group of community-minded volunteers.

The farms, which together cover 12,500 sq. ft. of land, are filled with fowl—chickens, ducks, guinea hens, and turkeys—and copious elevated garden beds. They grow an eclectic assortment of crops—more than 50 different fruits, vegetables, and plants. The yield is then used to bring neighbors together, its entirety given out to the community on Sunday mornings, from eggs to arugula to tomatoes.

The space is also a gathering place for people to get to know each other, as well as an opportunity for food education, especially for children who live in the nearby housing projects. In the past they’ve offered ESL classes. The project is entirely volunteer-run, and nearly everything has been donated. 

*Adapted with permission from this piece on Brooklyn Spaces.