The Learning Garden

Randall's island Learning Garden, created as a result of the combined efforts of the Randall's Island Park Alliance and GrowNYC is a 15,000 square foot urban farm that aims to provide schools and groups who lack on-site or proximal open space with the experience of environmental education and nutritional learning by growing, harvesting, cooking and eating garden-fresh produce.

The garden grows a wide variety of produce, including lacinato kale, leeks, purple and green broccoli, Cheddar cauliflower, lettuce of all varieties, beans, peppers, cucumbers, squash, several heirloom varieties of tomatoes, corn, eggplant, carrots, beets, and beans.

Each year, the garden featurs a specail vegetable, fruit or grain.  In 2011, The Learning Garden built a rice paddy, propagated the rice on site with volunteers and children and eventually threshed and winnowed the rice using traditional methods.  20 lbs. of rice was harvested and cooked.  In 2012, The Learning Garden added another rice paddy and a cranberry bed.  In addition the 10 chickens are part of the Urban Farm experience.

Schools and non-profit groups are welcome from April to November.  Visits last about two hours.  If you are interested in visiting the garden, please contact:  phyllis.odessey@parks.nyc.gov.