Cities are known for crowded streets, sky-scraping towers, and people on top of people. If there's one thing city dwellers are good at, it's thinking about how to maximize space and build up--but what about connecting to the land? One group has taken an innovative approach to both.

Brooklyn Grange is a commercial organic farm located on New York City rooftops. The first rooftop soil farm in NYC, the farmers grow vegetables in the city and sell them to local people and businesses, supplying everyone from local vendors and restaurants to home cooks through their local markets.

But more than that, the goal of the farm is to improve access to very good food, to connect city people more closely to farms and food production, and to make urban farming a viable enterprise and livelihood. The Grange has become a Character Approved staple in the community, opening itself up to the public to visit, participate and learn.

[Images: Jennifer May, Brooklyn Grange]