New York City imports $1 billion in vegetables every year to feed the city's constantly growing population. In the future, the majority of the city's produce might be grown a little closer to home if Gotham Greens [2] gets its way.The start-up, which recently won the grand prize in New York's Green Business Competition [3], is building NYC's first hydroponic rooftop farm on top of a church in Jamaica, Queens.

Gotham Greens' $1.4 million, 12,000-square-foot hydroponic rooftop farm will produce 30 tons of fruits and vegetables every year using a water-based, soil-free method of farming. The farm will be powered by 2,000 square feet of solar panels located on a neighboring roof, and the operation will use rainwater gathered from a giant sistern. Gotham Greens plans on delivering its produce in a biodiesel van, cutting out middle men who often charge farmers a 10% to 15% markup. 

Construction of the Gotham Greens farm will begin in the fall, with the first harvest expected early next year. The start-up's first customer is Whole Foods--70% of the farm's produce will go to its New York stores--but Gotham Greens also hopes to deliver produce to farmer's markets around the city.

New York Sun Works estimates [4] that hydroponic farms installed in NYC's 14,000 acres of unshaded rooftops could feed up to 20 million people in the city and surrounding suburbs, so don't be surprised if a Gotham Greens garden pops up on a rooftop near you.

[Via NY Daily News [5]]