The building at 214 Starr St. will become the groups headquarters and will also house a community events space. The space will hold nutrition workshops, fitness classes, and Yoga . “(It’s) indoors for a lot of classes,” Cheney said. “It’s very a multipurpose (space).” Fourteen young people will also be employed to build and run Farm- In-The-Sky, through the food justice team, a paid summer internship entering its fourth year, the organization’s Kickstarter page said. The “Farm-In-The-Sky will be a combined 10,000 sq. ft. of terrace and rooftop garden utilizing traditional and experimental DIY growing techniques. It will also serve as a center for learning about urban agriculture, and food justice issues.” The Kickstarter campaign began June, 10 and will close July, 10. EcoStation also works with community organizations and local high schools on the Bushwick Campus, which houses five separate high schools. Food grown in the community is sold in the neighborhood after it is harvested. “Our primary focus is the five Bushwick farmers markets,” Cheney said. One community partner, Make the Road NY will rent space from EcoStation to hold English classes for second language learners. The organization will also help educate the community on healthy eating habits, proper nutrition and food justice issues. Health concerns like “diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure are all tied to diet,” Cheney said. To help people eat healthier foods and learn to prepare meals for themselves, EcoStation will hold culturally appropriate cooking demonstrations designed to get Bushwick’s diverse cultures excited about cooking and eating healthy foods. EcoStation held 125 cooking demonstrations in 2013, according to Cheney. The demonstrations will focus of African-American and Dominican food styles and incorporate the cultural heritages of those living in Bushwick, Cheney stated. “Bushwick is an incredibly vibrant neighborhood filled with different cultures,” she said. “So it’s not just all about kale chips and brown rice,” she said. The plot at Bushwick Campus is a quarter of an acre and grows 100 varieties of crops, according to Cheney. It is maintained by EcoStation with the help of high school students that learn about farming urban, and agriculture and how to grow healthy, fresh foods. “With Farm-In-The-Sky, we will increase access to healthy food in the low income neighborhood of Bushwick, and create opportunities for people––especially women, people of color and recent immigrants–to grow food for themselves,” EcoStation stated. Food grown at Farm-In-The-Sky will also be donated to young people, community organizations and senior citizens, the group said. The organizations vows to keep with EcoStation’s focus on human and environmental health, employing “sustainable practices.” To Irrigate the rooftop garden, a rainwater harvesting system, powered by solar panels will be used, and organic waste will be composted, then put back into the garden. TIMES, THURSDAY, JUNE 19, 2014 • 57 EcoStation NY Launches Bid To Fund Rooftop Garden -CONTINUED FROM PG. 19- Welcome Summer In Style At The Garden Solstice Event through Saturday, June 28, and from 10 a.m. through noon on June 28. The event schedule for solstice/festival is as follows: • noon to 5 p.m.: displays of Silletas, Floral Tapestry and botanical sculptures; • noon to 5 p.m.: craft vendors and food vendors; • noon to 5 p.m.: old fashioned children’s games; • noon to 5 p.m.: botanical crafts and activities; • noon to 4 p.m.: face painting by SillyCheeks (additional fee applies); • noon to 4 p.m.: petting zoo and miniature horse rides; • 1 to 1:45 p.m. and 3 to 3:45 p.m.: bilingual storytime; • 2 to 5 p.m.: live music by Rebollu and the fusion band Boca. The lead sponsor of the Festival is Asocolflores, the Association of Colombian Flower Exporters. Additional sponsors include Avianca Airlines, White Rose Food, El Especialito, Univision, Radio WADO and Storage Deluxe. Queens Botanical Garden is located at 43-50 Main St. in Flushing. Entry to the Summer Solstice/Festival de las Flores is free with garden admission ($4 for adults; $3 for seniors; $2 for students and children; free for QBG members). Onsite parking available for $6. The garden is also accessible via the Q44 and the Q22 busses or the 7 subway or LIRR train to Main Street/Flushing. For more information, visit www.queensbotanical.org or call 1- 718-886-3800. -CONTINUED FROM PG. 25-
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