Roof top gardens are quickly becoming one of the most popular ways that urban dwellers are bringing much needed green space into cities. Whether it is hipsters in Brooklyn or environmentally responsible citizens in Chicago, roof top gardens are sprouting up all around the country. St. Louis is no different, and while St. Louis may not have as many green roofs as Brooklyn or Chicago, Food Roof is doing its part to bring fresh produce to the people of the downtown area.
About Food Roof
Food Roof is a community garden located downtown at Convention Plaza. It has been operating for two years in its current location, on top of a self-storage facility. Unlike other roof top gardens, which primarily focus on producing fruits and vegetables, Food Roof has taken an interest in its surrounding community. Food Roof is dedicated to bringing fresh and healthy produce into local communities, who may otherwise not have access to fresh food. After speaking with owner Mary Ostafi, I learned that 70% of Food Roof’s annual yield, about 3000 pounds of food, is donated to local community partners.
Community Impact
Food Roof partners with Metro Market and Fit and Food. Metro Market is a grocery store on wheels. It is a converted city bus packed with fresh fruits and vegetables that travels around to different communities in St. Louis. The primary focus of Metro Market is to provide fresh produce to food deserts. A food desert is an area lacking any sort of healthful whole foods, including fresh fruits and vegetables.
Food deserts arise due to a lack of grocery stores and local markets. Through Metro Market, Food Roof is bringing fresh healthy food into food deserts. Every Saturday, Metro Market stops at Food Roof to stock up on Fresh, healthy foods. Similarly, Fit and Food works with local communities throughout the St. Louis area that are considered food deserts. While Metro Market is strictly a mobile farmers market, Fit and Food also works to improve the overall health and fitness of local residents. Fit and Food provides food, but also teaches residents how to eat healthy and practice healthy lifestyles.
Sustainability
Food Roof’s impact on the community doesn’t end there either. Food Roof currently has twenty interns working on their farm and learning about environmental sustainability. Interns range from high school students with a passion for growing their own food, to college and graduate students looking to hone their farming skills in preperation for a future career in agriculture. The practice of responsible farming practices, such as the use of marigolds and basil instead of pesticides, are essential to environmentally conscious farming.
Food Roof prides itself on its positive impact on the youth of the surrounding area. For Dameian Duwe, the lead farmer at Food Roof, there is nothing more important than teaching local residents about sustainable farming practices. Dameian has been working on urban farms for the past fifteen years and is an expert when it comes to farming in the city. Whether it be educating students on field trips or working with student interns in the garden, Food Roof is taking an active role in the local community and helping local residents take pride in where they live.