Square Roots is an urban farming accelerator located on the site of the former Pfizer factory in Bushwick, Brooklyn.

Unlike other urban farms, Square Roots works with a year-long cohort of ten aspiring farmer entrepreneurs, who each raise the crops of their choosing inside converted, engineered shipping containers. Some of the farmers participate in a subscription program, where they deliver just-harvested greens to workers at local companies on a weekly basis. Others focus on selling to a specific restaurant or market. The venture is supported by Kimbal Musk (brother of Elon), who is focused on changing the way Americans eat through a "real food revolution."

I love it when technology enables practical solutions to tangible problems, such as access to fresh food in an urban environment. I met Nabeela, one of the Square Roots farmer-entrepreneurs, when she came to my office to pitch their subscription program and let us sample the spicy mustard greens she grows. I love that for $15 a week I can get just-harvested greens and support a new wave of sustainable agriculture. Total win-win. 

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Eleanor Whitney is a writer, educator, and creative programmer living in Brooklyn, NY. Connect with her at: eleanorcwhitney.com