with squash in September , there are wonderful , fresh meals available year-round . The herbs and produce grown are so plentiful that they must be grown in stages so that the options can be there for a full menu almost all year . ( Most of the garden ’ s lettuce strains will finish in less than two months from seed , compared to soil where it takes a full three months to grow .) The produce starts as seedlings that are planted in a soilless medium such as rockwool . Then , once sprouted and strong , they are transplanted to one of the restaurant ’ s 60 aeroponic towers . Each of BB & C ’ s towers are six feet tall , with up to 20 growing slots on top of a nutrient water reservoir . The towers are all connected via water lines with an internal built-in float device that shuts off the intake once the reservoir is full . This lets the nutrient-rich water go on to the next tower . A small solar-powered pump is needed to move water to the larger tank , which is higher and uses gravity to feed the towers . That pump , however , is the tower ’ s only point of energy consumption .
At Bell , Book & Candle , Mooney and O ’ Sullivan have created not only a successful restaurant , they have created a sustainable rooftop garden that is ecofriendly and preferred by customers . Dubbed the Garden of Earthly Delights , this rooftop success story will become “ the way America grows produce ,” claims Mooney . For more information on Bell , Book & Candle , visit bbandcnyc . com or email info @ bbandcnyc . com .
The towers receive three minutes of watering time every twelve minutes . The water is fed into the top of the towers and , just like a shower head , sprayed inside the tower for roots to absorb . Outside , the towers are open to the elements , so ladybugs and netting are used for pest control . The rooftop garden is located up six flights of narrow stairs , which makes it difficult to move heavy things such as bags of soil around . Also , since the building is more than 100 years old , adding too much extra weight to the roof is not recommended . As a result , a small pulley system is employed to raise and lower either buckets or large trays from the rooftop to the kitchen window below , eliminating the need carry items up and down those stairs when something from the rooftop is needed . Renovating the old building took some time , thought , and talent , but once complete , Bell , Book & Candle opened to rave reviews and outstanding customer support . With their ability to provide sustainable produce , Mooney and O ’ Sullivan have done what others in large cities have only dreamt of . Mooney is well-known in the culinary world and has received numerous awards for his ability to not only to provide gourmet meals , but also for his forward-thinking business ideas such as Bell , Book & Candle ’ s rooftop garden . For his efforts , the visionary chef received the Best Hotel Chefs award by the James Beard Foundation in 2011 . The foundation honors leaders in the culinary world that makes America ’ s food culture more diverse and sustainable .
“ BY USING aeroponic towers on his restaurant ’ s roof in New York City ’ s West Village , Mooney is taking responsibly sourced produce to new heights .”
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