The Farm on the Roof: What Brooklyn Grange Taught Us About Entrepreneurship, Community, and Growing a Sustainable Business

Description

Filled with colorful anecdotes about the ups and downs of farming in the middle of New York City, this story is not just about rooftop farming; it's about utilizing whatever resources you have to turn your backyard idea into a sky-high success. In their effort to build the world's first and largest commercial green rooftop farm, the founders of Brooklyn Grange learned a lot about building and sustaining a business while never losing sight of their mission-to serve their community by providing delicious organic food and changing the way people think about what they eat. But their story is about more than just farming. It serves as an inspirational and instructional guide for anyone looking to start a business that is successful while making a positive impact. In The Farm on the Roof, the team behind Brooklyn Grange tell the complete story of how their "farmily" made their dream a reality. Along the way, they share valuable lessons about finding the right partners, seeking funding, expanding, and identifying potential sources of revenue without compromising your core values-lessons any socially conscious entrepreneur can apply toward his or her own venture. Filled with colorful anecdotes about the ups and downs of farming in the middle of New York City, this story is not just about rooftop farming; it's about utilizing whatever resources you have to turn your backyard idea into a sky-high success.

Anastasia Cole-Plakias is Vice President and Founding Partner of Brooklyn Grange. A published writer and veteran of the NYC restaurant industry, her passion for food politics is outweighed only by her knowledge of obscure vegetable-related trivia, which she shares on her Heritage Radio Network segment, Anastasia's Fridge. A born-and-raised New Yorker, Anastasia is dedicated to making her native city a greener and more sustainable place to live.

"This is a sweet and inspiring story about what can be accomplished by a group of smart, idealistic young people dedicated to environmental and business goals..." -Publishers Weekly "Brooklyn Grange is the incredible rooftop farm I dream of seeing in every city across the country." -Alice Waters, Owner Chez Panisse Restaurant, Founder the Edible Schoolyard Project "Brooklyn Grange represents the best of passion and purity, and every page of this book oozes the sweet nectar of creativity, community, and commercial wisdom. That the story reads like a fast-paced novel simply confirms the power of visionary sustainable businesses." -Joel Salatin, author, farmer, and owner of Polyface Farm "The Farm on the Roof tells an unvarnished and gritty tale about what it takes to build a business with purpose and profit. This book is jammed with inspirational stories of overcoming entrepreneurial challenges and provides endless lessons that can be applied to any organization." -Eric Ryan, cofounder of Method and Olly "The remarkable tale of how a bunch of savvy do-gooders turned their socially conscious dreams into an innovative and economically thriving reality. The Farm on the Roof is an engrossing story of how hard work, ingenuity and an utter refusal to settle for the status quo led to the largest for profit green roof farm in the world." -Joe Bastianich, author of Restaurant Man, restauranteur, and TV personality "This book answers the big, tormenting question: how can a small, organic, local farm become financially independent? It's a blue print for sustainable agriculture, which requires not only that we don't pollute Mother Earth, but that we find ways to make farming work financially in order to perpetuate and sustain it." -Isabella Rossellini, actress, filmmaker, and conservationist "The Farm on the Roof is not just a heartwarming success story about how a group of young people with a shared dream faced every challenge head on to reach their goal. It's also the story of the search for a new way of living, one that makes the reader reflect on the endless opportunities sprouting in the streets of our cities." -Carlo Petrini, founder of the international Slow Food movement