What does the Ag Soils of the City team do?
We are working together to study locally produced compost, compost mixtures with clean soil and sediments, and soils already in use in urban farms and gardens. Our aim is to learn about the biology, chemistry and physical qualities of soils in urban farms and gardens to help support successful Ag Soils of the City and the many benefits they bring to our cities.
The increasing popularity of urban agriculture has resulted in the rising demand for clean and safe topsoil to support food production. More cities across New York State are reducing landfill wastes by creating composts from food waste and clean landscape materials. Our goal is to develop soil mixtures sourced from the city to be used in farms, gardens, rooftops, and other green spaces around the city.
We are broadly interested in:
Urban soil biology
Organic matter dynamics in urban soils
Sustainable agriculture practices
Education and outreach
Our project goals include:
- Survey NYC crop systems
- Evaluate best practices for creating and maintaining soil mixtures for urban farms and gardens
- Develop an app system to match compost supplies with recipients in need of clean composts
- Conduct cooperative research with urban farmers, gardeners, and compost producers based on their needs and interests
- Create a shareable dataset for growers
- Develop factsheets, videos, presentations, and other resources to support food production and sustainable landscapes around the city
Interested in learning more or participating in our research? Contact us
