Urban Farming, Education and Environmental Stewardship in Brooklyn, NY
Oko Farms’ activities began in 2013 as a volunteer-run initiative with the conversion of a rundown 2,500 square foot lot in Bushwick, Brooklyn into The Oko Farms Aquaponics Farm & Education Center. The farm was built in collaboration with the Moore Street, Brooklyn community and a diverse group of individuals interested in bringing an outdoor aquaponics farm to Brooklyn.
The word “oko” pays homage to our founder’s Yoruba heritage. Oko is a Yoruba word which loosely translates to farm in English. A more accurate definition of the word is a province or place where agriculture is at the center of socio-economic life, daily activities, and cultural traditions.
MISSION
Oko Farms’ mission is to promote aquaponics as an ecological farming method that mitigates the impact of climate change and increases food security for urban residents while demystifying aquaponics through awareness and education.
WHAT WE GROW
We cultivate a wide variety of vegetables, herbs, fruits, medicinal plants and flowers that demonstrate the range of plants capable of growing in an aquaponics system. Some of the crops we grow include cabbage, onions, leeks, carrots, sweet potatoes, lemongrass, cilantro, millet sorghum, okra, peas, peppers, tomatoes, indigo, cosmos, marigolds, lemon balm, marshmallow etc.
Our fish include mirror carp, catfish, goldfish, koi, bluegill, crawfish and freshwater prawns.
HOW WE GROW
Our farming practice is rooted in Traditional Ecological Knowledge i.e. we use low-tech, easily adaptable and accessible growing techniques rooted in symbiosis. We rely primarily on fish waste to fertilize our plants so we feed our fish a varied diet including watercress, water hyacinth and other leafy greens grown on the farm, black soldier fly larvae, and fish pellets. To manage pests and diseases, we utilize Integrated Pest Management (IPM) techniques. We work closely with Cornell Cooperative Extension whose staff support us with pest management practices.