The GrowNYC Teaching Garden on Governors Island is a one-acre urban farm dedicated to educating children about food, agriculture, and healthy eating. Run by GrowNYC in partnership with the Trust for Governors Island, the farm grows over 48 varieties of produce and edible flowers, all tended in part by NYC public school students during weekday programming.
On weekends from May through late September, the garden is open to the public with drop-in family programming including scavenger hunts, self-guided tours, garden art workshops, and a beloved dig bed where little ones can get their hands truly dirty. A donation-based farm stand (most items $0–$3) sells fresh produce, herbs, and flowers grown on-site. Nearby, the Soil Start Farm composting facility adds a bonus encounter with chickens and a lesson in food waste.
The garden is located on the Parade Ground near Comfort Road, across from Colonel's Row Building 405. Governors Island is accessible by ferry from the Battery Maritime Building at 10 South Street in Lower Manhattan, and seasonally from Pier 6 at Brooklyn Bridge Park and Red Hook/Atlantic Basin in Brooklyn. The ferry costs $5 round-trip and is free before 11:00 AM on Saturdays and Sundays. Island paths are flat and stroller-friendly, restrooms are available and wheelchair accessible, and families are welcome to bring their own picnic or enjoy food from the island's vendors.
Visit
Governors Island, Parade Ground near Comfort Road (accessible by ferry from 10 South Street, Lower Manhattan)
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