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Friday at 12:00 pm - 12:30 pm

Fields

The unfinished story of urban agriculture

Fields brings you the stories of people who are working in urban agriculture—for money, for fun, to feed the hungry, and for entirely other reasons. In each episode, hosts Melissa Metrick and Wythe Marschall delve into different foods grown in cities. Moreover, we investigate the whys behind getting up in the morning and working as a farmer in the shadow of skyscrapers. You don’t need to be a farmer to enjoy this podcast, or even a foodie! With their expert guests, Melissa and Wythe break down the realities and possible futures of urban farming to their elements.

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Engineered by HRN Staff

Produced by Melissa Metrick and Wythe Marschall

Hosted by

Melissa Metrick

Melissa Metrick is an NYU Adjunct Professor and manages the NYU Urban Farm Lab. Metrick teaches a hands-on Urban Agriculture class at the farm, where students learn how to grow food and implement sustainable urban agriculture practices. Metrick has upwards of a decade of experience in urban agriculture, from teaching children how to grow food at the New York Botanical Gardens to managing the garden at Roberta’s, where she designed and created the on-site kitchen garden. A graduate of the Master’s Program in Food Studies, she also holds a Horticultural Certificate from Brooklyn Botanic Gardens and is a Master Composter.  

Wythe Marschall

Wythe Marschall is a Ph.D. candidate in the Department of the History of Science at Harvard University and a research associate in controlled environment agriculture at Cornell University. He is also a socialist and avid sci-fi reader. His research explores the intersection of millennial labor precarity and techno-utopian visions for greening cities. His first book project examines the rise of commercial indoor farming in New York City.

Latest Episodes

Mayoral Candidate Kathryn Garcia Talks Urban Ag

Season # 1
Episode 15, Aired: May 14, 2021

How will Garcia’s ambitious green infrastructure plans promote urban farming in NYC? The Fields team reached out to all of the major candidates for mayor of New York regarding their urban agriculture plans. Kathryn Garcia gave us an hour of her time to discuss her highly relevant background as well...

Alex Rewagan: Craft Cannabis

Season # 1
Episode 14, Aired: April 9, 2021

How will cannabis legalization play out in different cities? Will legalization give rise to a craft weed industry? With cannabis laws fluctuating every year, Melissa and Wythe have a lot of questions about the home-growing of this popular plant, its regulation by the government, and its use by...

Prepping with Delicious Microbes

Season # 1
Episode 13, Aired: April 2, 2021

What are ways that the pandemic is nudging us to work with delicious microbes?” During a time when antibacterial soaps and wipes are flying off shelves, why are people cultivating microbes at home? Melissa Metrick (NYU Urban Farm Lab/Nutrition and Food Studies Department) and Wythe Marschall talk...

Alexis Mena: Universe City and Afro-Indigenous Food Sovereignty

Season # 1
Episode 12, Aired: March 26, 2021

How are Universe City and Grow Brownsville helping community members grow their own food, invent their own technologies, and push back against gentrification? In this episode, Melissa and Wythe learn about the inspiring farm-tech co-op Universe City from one of its founders—multidisciplinary farmer...

Candace Thompson: Foraging in Cities

Season # 1
Episode 11, Aired: March 19, 2021

How can we learn to forage in cities—and use Instagram to get to know the living world around us? Artist, organizer, urban forager, and social media ninja Candace Thompson (Collaborative Urban Resilience Banquet) joins Wythe and Melissa to dig into a variety of practical and visionary topics about...

Maya Kutz: Urban Ag and Mutual Aid

Season # 1
Episode 10, Aired: March 12, 2021

What’s it like, farming on a roof next to a jail in Brooklyn during a pandemic? How have urban farms responded to the pandemic? Melissa and Wythe catch up with their friend Maya Kutz, greenhouse manager at the Brooklyn Grange’s newest rooftop farm in Sunset Park. Maya is an experienced grower and...