Red Hook Initiative
Red Hook Farms is a youth-centered urban agriculture and food justice program operating one of Brooklyn’s largest farms.
Why Food Access Matters
Despite the exciting development of Red Hook as a culinary destination, the majority of the neighborhood remains geographically isolated and poorly served by public transportation. The section of Red Hook in which public housing is concentrated is a “food desert” with very few opportunities to purchase affordable fresh produce.
This lack of access to healthy affordable fresh produce has created public health inequities including high rates of obesity, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and other health issues that are caused or exacerbated by diets that are low in vegetables and fruit. In the Red Hook Houses, for example, 18% of residents are reportedly suffering from diabetes, as compared to 11% in New York City overall.
Increasing access to fresh, affordable produce and providing nutrition education that introduces vegetables, fruit and healthy, delicious ways to prepare them, are concrete ways we are meeting the basic needs of Red Hook’s public housing residents and combating this public health crisis.
Programs & Produce Distribution
Youth Farmers Program
The Youth Farmers program is a paid apprenticeship for youth, ages 14-19 years old, living in Red Hook, Brooklyn. Apprentices are involved in all parts of running the Farms – planting, weeding, harvesting, composting, marketing, outreach, and more. You will become an urban farmer, develop your professional and leadership skills and positively engage with your peers, the community and the environment.
Composting
Bring us your food scraps, and we’ll turn them into fertile compost. Location: 108 Otsego Street At the corner of Beard and Otsego Streets We accept: Fruit and vegetables, cooked or uncooked; bread and grains; pasta; eggshells; coffee grounds and filters; and food-soiled paper. Please do not drop off: Food packaging, plastic bags, meat or bones, cheese, or milk.
Volunteer
Individual Volunteering: Work alongside our staff and/or youth farmers on a variety of tasks at one of our two urban farm sites in Red Hook. Activities may include composting, weeding, harvesting, planting, mulching, site maintenance, and beautification. Farm work often includes moving objects around the site and working close to the ground for extended periods of time. Group Volunteering: We are able to host groups of up to 20 volunteers to tackle a variety of tasks – turning windrows, pulling weeds, and harvesting, all while getting dirty in our outdoor classroom! If your team has experience with construction, that’s a major plus. We request a donation to support staff time and materials and offer an opportunity to partner with our team to further the work being done on the farms. The 2026 Red Hook Farms season has limited group sessions. Please email volunteers@rhicenter.org with the subject “Group Volunteering” to reserve your spot this year!
Red Hook Farm Stand
Fresh, affordable produce grown right here in Red Hook! S a t u r d a y s / S á b a d o s, 10 am-2 pm Jun 6-Nov 14, 2026 | 560 Columbia Street (Farm across from Ikea) 20% discount for NYCHA residents. Sliding scale pricing! Pay with cash, card, Venmo, or EBT. Farmstands closed / no puestos / 没有农场摊位: 7/4, 8/28 and 8/29!
Free Farmstand
FREE for NYCHA Residents! Thursdays / Jueves, 1 pm-3 pm Jun 11-Nov 12, 2026 | 30 Wolcott Street Farm across from the library!
Food as Medicine
We connect Red Hook families to fresh, locally grown produce and nutrition education that supports long-term health and wellness. Through this program, participants receive produce vouchers to use at Red Hook Farms while building knowledge around healthy, affordable meals. The program is closed for the year but please reach out here to be added to the our mailing list for next year
The Farms
Columbia Street Farm
Formerly a concrete baseball field, the Columbia Street Farm was founded in 2001 and is now a thriving 2.75 acre produce production, compost site and outdoor classroom that supplies our farms stands and CSA. We harvest over 15,000 pounds of produce each year, welcome hundreds of volunteers and host community events throughout the growing season.
560 Columbia Street
Brooklyn,
NY
11231
Red Hook Houses Farm
One of the first urban farms built on public housing land, the Red Hook Houses Farm (also referred to as Wolcott Farm) is a 1.1 acre operation based at Red Hook Houses West. The Farm was built in 2013 through a collaboration with Green City Force, the Mayor’s Office, and the NYC Housing Authority and harvests over 5,000 pounds of produce each year. Residents of public housing take home produce for free by caring for the farm or by bringing in food scraps for us to compost.
30 Wolcott Street
Brooklyn,
NY
11231
