Affordable Supplies

Por ryancloverowens | 26 de septiembre de 2025

Getting supplies is a potential barrier to beginning and maintaining urban farms; tools can be expensive and difficult to store, and there is often a lack of training in using equipment. This fact sheet addresses these issues by providing resources and alternatives for acquiring affordable supplies in urban settings. 

Tools and Equipment

In New York City, the GrowNYC Grow Truck tool loan program traverses all five boroughs and loans out both common and specialized garden tools, as well as other garden supplies.  More information and an application to borrow tools are available. For more information, email growtruck@grownyc.org or call (212) 788-7935.

Farmer Pirates, an urban farmer cooperative in Buffalo, shares knowledge and equipment, makes bulk supply purchases, and facilitates shared ownership of land.

Also consider shopping for tools and equipment at sites such as Craigslist,  Freecycle, or Facebook Marketplace or rummaging at salvage stores (see below).

Tool Libraries

Tool libraries are often affiliated with public libraries, and provide tool loan services.  Tool libraries in New York include:

Salvage and Re-Use Stores

Salvage and re-use stores can be great sources of affordable construction materials and tools.

  • Build it Green! NYC
    Astoria Warehouse, 3-17 26th Avenue, Queens, NY, (718) 777-0132, Astoria@bignyc.org
    Gowanus Center, 69 9th Street, Brooklyn, NY, (718) 725-8925, gowanus@bignyc.org
  • ReHouse Architectural Salvage
    469 W. Ridge Road, Rochester, NY, (585) 288-3080, rehouseinfo@rehouseny.com
  • Buffalo ReUse Store
    980 Northampton Street, Buffalo, NY, (716) 218-9401, info@buffaloreuse.org
  • Fingerlakes ReUse
    2255 North Triphammer Road, Ithaca, NY, (607) 257-9699

The Green Eco Services website provides a list of stores that sell reclaimed wood, salvaged building materials, and used architectural elements in New York. This listing, however, is not maintained and businesses should be called before visiting.

Equipment Tips

End of Season Combine Clean Out is a helpful factsheet from the North Central Agriculture and Natural Resource Academy that offers tips and advice on how to clean out combines at the end of the season.

Iowa State University – Estimating the Field Capacity of Farm Machines provides farmers with tables breaking down the field capacity of various agricultural machines based on size, speed and efficiency.

Iowa State University – Farm Machinery Selection provides farmers with many components for them to consider when choosing the machines they chose to invest in for their operation.

Fuel Required for Field Operations from Iowa State University Extensions provides a short factsheet on table that reflects fuel required, in gallons per acre, and about fuel used for agricultural machines.
 

Funding

For information on grants and financial opportunities for your farming operation, visit the ‘Grant and financial Opportunities’ fact sheet.

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