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Hippie urban farmers to get evicted from NYC plot before they can harvest crops — as new luxury development breaking ground

hippie-urban-farmers-to-get-evicted-from-nyc-plot-before-they-can-harvest-crops-—-as-new-luxury-development-breaking-ground
Hippie urban farmers to get evicted from NYC plot before they can harvest crops — as new luxury development breaking ground

About 600 urban farmers say they are being evicted from their Williamsburg plot so suddenly that they won’t even be able to harvest their last batch of crops.

The volunteer gardeners toiling for Oko Farms — which provides fresh produce to low-income Brooklynites — was warned by Two Trees Management in August that they would need to pack up the hippie operation by November.

The sustainable farmers had been borrowing the real-estate company’s vacant plot along the East River between Metropolitan Avenue and North Third Street since May 2021 as the developer awaited approval to break ground on the final piece of its luxury megadevelopment.

Oko Farms in Williamsburg is set to be evicted from its location in November.

Oko Farms in Williamsburg is set to be evicted from its location in November. okofarms/Instagram

The urban farm has been on Two Trees Management's vacant lot near the East River since 2021.

The urban farm has been on Two Trees Management’s vacant lot near the East River since 2021. Oko Farms/Facebook

Oko Farms was using the space rent-free until the developer gained approval for a luxury development.

Oko Farms was using the space rent-free until the developer gained approval for a luxury development. Oko Farms/Facebook

As part of the deal, Oko Farms was granted free rent, but Two Trees retained the right to kick it out with just three months’ notice.

“While we understood that this site would not be permanent, the abruptness of the termination of our lease is unfortunate,” Oko leadership wrote in an online statement.

“However, this is neither surprising nor unusual as far as urban farming is concerned. Land access is one of the, if not the biggest roadblock for urban farms and it has been a constant challenge for us since our inception.”

Oko is asking that Two Trees reconsider the sudden eviction and allow the group to stay through the mid-winter so it can reap the benefits of its harvest, as well as find a new home for its volunteer gardeners.

A rendering of the River Ring development.

A rendering of the River Ring development. Max Touhey | http://www.metouhey.com

The development will have two luxury apartment buildings and a beach with a nature walk.

The development will have two luxury apartment buildings and a beach with a nature walk. James Corner Field Operations/Bjarke Ingels Group

A rendering of River Ring's nature walk.

A rendering of River Ring’s nature walk. James Corner Field Operations/Bjarke Ingels Group

The River Ring project has 1,000 planned units.

The River Ring project has 1,000 planned units. James Corner Field Operations/Bjarke Ingels Group

The makeshift farmers use a unique aquaponic system that relies on fish waste to fertilize plants. Those plants then help to filter water for the fish in a closed-loop system that uses 80% less water than traditional soil farming.

But Two Trees says the requested extension is out of the question. The company has instead offered one extra week on the plot and to store the group’s equipment in a nearby structure until March.

“Two Trees has a long history of providing space for interim community use at its construction sites, and we have been able to host OKO rent-free for four years, longer than initially planned,” a rep for the company told The Post.

Volunteers working at Oko Farms.

Volunteers working at Oko Farms. Oko Farms/Facebook

Oko Farms will have to leave the lot before getting to harvest its latest batch of crops.

Oko Farms will have to leave the lot before getting to harvest its latest batch of crops. Oko Farms/Facebook

“We are now preparing to begin construction on the last building at Domino, which will deliver more than 250 units of affordable housing, and require use of the site.”

The new building will be the second site of the River Ring development, which will consist of two luxury waterfront apartment buildings that will include beaches and a sprawling nature walk.

Most of the project’s 1,000 planned units will be sold at market rate — which for the trendy area means one-bedroom pads going for around $7,000 per month and two-bedrooms netting $11,000 monthly, according to StreetEasy listings.

The farmers’ eviction marks the second time in 10 years that Oko Farms will be forced to move, the group said. The farm operated an original location in Bushwick for a decade until it completely moved to the Williamsburg lot last year.

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