596 Acres is an organization in New York City that builds online tools to identify and facilitate community access to vacant public land. The result–– 16 new community gardens and urban agriculture projects in Brooklyn.

Is there an empty lot in your life that you'd like to know more about? Tell us about it and we'll look into it!

596 Acres maps are being afixed to vacant public lots throughout the borough and made available at select locations. If you have a suggestion for where maps should be made available, let us know.

Are you working on getting access to a vacant public lot? We can help. Contact us and let us know what you are doing.

They are involved in partnerships with similar programs in Philadelphia, Los Angeles and New Orleans.

The blog Civil Eats has an information packed article about this mapping movement.

Lunch today: sunflower micro greens, shredded cabbage, avocado, sunflower seeds, hemp seeds, giant white lima beans dressed with olive oil and cider vinegar––

Yesterday a friend brought us a bag of sunflower micro greens from a 2.75 acre farm within the city limits of Columbia, South Carolina called City Roots. I had never heard of it before but it looks incredible– In addition to intensive production of fruit and vegetables they have bees for honey and pollination, chickens for eggs and enriching the soil and an aquaponic system which produces tilapia and hydroponically grown vegetables. Inspirational!

Their stated mission:

Our vision is to produce clean, healthy, sustainably grown products while enhancing and educating our community about the benefits of locally grown food, composting, vermicomposting and other environmentally friendly farming practices.