ABOUT US

BK Farmyards is a collective of experienced urban farmers dedicated to expanding food justice through agricultural production & education in Brooklyn. 

Since 2009, we have kickstarted 2.0 acres of new farmyards spread across several farm sites in Brooklyn. In addition to managing our flagship farm, the Youth Farm, we consult on new urban farm development. We specialize in building production farms with an educational and training component for those who want to learn more about how to grow their own food.

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Some of our current projects include: 

The Youth Farm is an educational production farm in central Brooklyn that offers New Yorkers opportunities to increase their knowledge of the food system and build high level organic growing skills to share with their communities. 

 The Youth Farm grows organic food and flowers on one acre for the community and beyond, and offers advanced farm training and leadership opportunities for youth and adults.

Learn more about the Youth Farm, check out their website.

BK Farmyards is bringing our sustainable agriculture education online with the Sustainable Small Farms Summit. The free conference features speakers from all aspects of what it takes to make your farm sustainable, from managing soil fertility, keeping better books, and finding support from other small farmers. 

Free and open to everyone! Whether you are a new farmer, or just interested in knowing what it takes. 

Please join us!

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COLLECTIVE MEMBERS

Stacey Murphy 

Founder, bk farmyards

Director, Small Farm Summit

Stacey is leading efforts to build BK Farmyards capacity to grow lots of food and flowers in Brooklyn through the development of new urban farms and organization of community resources. As a real food advocate, she speaks to audiences of all ages about food, farming, and culture. Stacey also runs a backyard farm CSA with a Backyard Farmer Training Program.

Anita Singh

Educator & Program Developer

Past, Summer Youth Coordinator, The Youth Farm

Anita Singh is an educator, urban farmer, cyclist and activist. She has seven years of experience as classroom and farm educator in NYC and abroad. In 2014 she started the first educational farm in Cartagena, Colombia in collaboration with her students. She has also developed and managed youth programing at The Youth Farm, where she ran the Summer Youth Farm Leaders program. She is currently teaching and developing a program at Arts & Letters middle school with City Growers.

Molly Culver

Farm Manager, Director Urban Farm Training Program, The Youth Farm

Owner Molly Oliver Flowers

Molly has farmed vegetables and flowers since 2005, and holds a degree in Ecological Horticulture from the Center for Agroecology and Sustainable Food Systems, UC-Santa Cruz (2008). She has been working in urban food systems as both a community organizer and farmer since 2005, and has managed the Youth Farm since 2011. She also teaches the Growing Soils and Propagation courses for Farm School NYC, and runs her own sustainable floral design company, Molly Oliver Flowers. Find out more about Molly Oliver Flowers HERE.

Patricia Noto

Farm to School Liaison, The Youth Farm

When not blending green smoothies and desperately trying to grow tomatoes on her tiny roof, Patricia has been working for Green Guerillas in Brooklyn, Queens and Manhattan in the past year. She was the Youth Farm's Market Manager for the summer of 2012 as an Americorps Volunteer and is excited to join the team again this fall!  

Liz Dowd

Assistant Farm Manager, Volunteer/Intern Coordinator, The Youth Farm

Liz completed the Urban Farm Training Program in 2012 and is in her third season on The Youth Farm. Liz grew-up in Vermont, working on equestrian farms, and moved to NYC over ten years ago to study photography.  She struggled to strike a balance living in the city, having been raised in the woods.  Farming in Brooklyn proved to be the perfect negotiation of nature and culture. When Liz is not dragging hoses around the farm, she enjoys sugaring with her family on their farm and taking her Great Dane for a hike in the woods.

Tari Ayala

Crew Leader, Urban Farm Training Program, The Youth Farm

Owner, Tierra Sana Holistics
Tari graduated from the Youth Farm's Urban Farm Training Program in 2013, and is the owner and founder of Tierra Sana Holistics, a health and wellness practice providing holistic guidance for both individuals and groups in the following areas: nutrition, detoxing your home & body, and urban farming & gardening. Findout more about Tierra Sana Holistics HERE. 

Elizabeth Bee Ayer

Farm Manager, Tiny Hearts Flower Farm

Past Project Director & Co-Farm Manager, The Youth Farm

Bee loves raw okra, growing food and flowers and working towards food justice. She spent eight years growing food and teaching in NYC. She has started and managed various school and community gardens in NY and MI. As an educator she has developed curriculum and taught pre-school students through adults; topics ranging from worm composting dances to planning long-term farm budgets. She co-founded and teaches for Farm School NYC.

Find out more about Bee HERE.

Martha Jackson

Past, Market & Outreach Assistant, Assistant Farm Manager, The Youth Farm

Owner & Manager, Graylight Farms
Martha joined BK Farmyards in 2011 after volunteering at the Youth Farm during its first season. She served as the farm's Outreach Assistant, and then as Assistant Farm Manager. She also co-managed BK Farmyard's chicken operation. Martha recently started Graylight Farm in Hillsdale, NY. Find out more about Matha’s Farm HERE