SKY FARM LIC

VBGCQ acquired a rooftop farm in the summer of 2023! Sky Farm LIC (SFLIC) is a 1 acre rooftop educational farm. In it’s inaugural season of 2024, SFLIC grew, harvested and distributed over 3,000lbs of produce to the Western Queens community for free. The farm offers free after-school programming to the families enrolled in VBGCQ programs, as well as free school day field trips to NYC schools. Stay tuned to hear about our 2025 programming offerings!

Questions about the program? Reach out to Site Director Alexa Curnutte at acurnutte@varietyboysandgirlsclub.org

Afterschool on the Farm

Afterschool students had the opportunity to visit the farm for programming this fall. Activities included:

Pumpkin painting
Flower bouquet making
Seed harvesting
Flower Bulb planting
Farm related arts and crafts!

Interested in having your child participate in future After School programming at the farm? Email Yoselyn Vega at yvega@varietyboysandgirlsclub.org

STAY TUNED FOR AFTER SCHOOL SPRING 2025 SCHEDULING

Afterschool Produce Distribution

Every Wednesday during our farm season May-November, until produce runs out, we distribute our produce for free to families participating in VBGCQ programming at the Astoria Clubhouse.

When: Wednesdays, 5:00 - 6:00

Where: Variety Boys and Girls Club of Queens Entryway

Distribution Guidelines

To ensure that everyone gets food, we ask that families limit themselves to one bag of produce per pickup. Please do not take more than one of each item.
Distribution will begin at 5:00pm and will be first come first serve.
Produce will be bagged by farm staff that is at the table to ensure food safety

Questions? Reach out to Farm Manager, Alexa Curnutte at acurnutte@varietyboysandgirlsclub.org

School Field Trips

Sky Farm LIC is happy to offer free field trips to public schools in Queens through the end of the 2024-2025 school year! Our curriculum is inquiry based, experiential, and aligned with state standards. We offer a mix of arts and science lessons, with an emphasis on hands-on farming and farm centered arts and crafts activities. We ensure a safe and fun learning environment in a unique space.

Farm Field Trips run for 1.5 hours and include:

A comprehensive farm tour
A farm activity (weather permitting) OR a farm themed craft activity
A farm snack (season permitting)

Spring 2025 scheduling opens this winter. Reach out to Farm Manager, Alexa Curnutte, at acurnutte@varietyboysandgirlsclub.org to be put on the waitlist to schedule a field trip for Spring 2025. There is limited availability.

Meet the Farm Team

Farm Manager, Alexa Curnutte (she/her)

Alexa Curnutte has been farming for nearly 5 years both on rooftops and on the ground, from the high desert of Central Oregon to the coastal edges of Long Island. Born in North Carolina, Alexa traveled to Northern Michigan where she majored in Creative Writing at Interlochen Arts Academy, and was a Presidential Scholar in the Arts in 2017. After that she traveled to Hawaii and Oregon, and finally New York where she gained years of experiential knowledge in the world of food from being a grill and pastry cook, produce and flower farmer, tractor operator, chicken wrangler, and more. While pursuing these passions she completed a degree in Food Culture and Media from The New School. When not at the farm Alexa enjoys cooking and candle making.

Assistant Farm Manager, Abby Avital (she/her)

Abby is a New York native with three years of farming experience and cumulative 2 years of experience in outdoor and experiential education. Before coming to Sky Farm, she worked for Brooklyn Grange as a rooftop farmer and for Green Guerillas, as an urban gardening specialist and youth coordinator. Born and raised in Washington Heights, she has a long time appreciation for accessible green spaces in New York. When she is not farming, she enjoys country line dancing and climbing.

Farm Crew, Eithan David (he/him)

Farm Crew, Grace Ward (she/they)

What is a rooftop farm?

A farm on a rooftop! Using organic farming techniques and special lightweight “soil” otherwise known as a growing medium, we grow vegetables, herbs, and flowers from May to November.

How much food do you grow up there? Where does it go?

In our inaugural season, we grew more than 3,000 lbs of food! More than 75% was given to the Boys and Girls Club. Excess was given away to Laguardia Community College and Astoria Food Pantry.