The Gardens at Tanger Outlets
In Spring of 2023, Tanger Outlet Centers and Up Top Acres partnered to open three rooftop gardens at centers in Maryland, Georgia, and New Jersey. The rooftop gardens will provide habitat for bees from hives also located on the roofs, as well as food to non-profit partners local to each site. The gardens also provide ecological benefits such as increased local biodiversity and reduced emissions and heat-island effect.
Garden Updates
Tanger Outlet
Savannah, GA
Here’s the Up Top Acres team installing the garden at Tanger Outlets Savannah. This rooftop garden is managed by farmer Jovan Sage and is planted in both food staples such as kale, peppers, and tomatoes, as well as regional delicacies. The produce grown on this roof will be donated to nonprofit organizations working to address food insecurity in the region.
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Jovan Sage is a plant tender, facilitator, and teacher who leads people back to themselves with practices that center the mind, breath, energy, and plants. Sage’s land work has centered on sustainability, food, and agriculture. Sage’s current heartwork focuses on medicinal herbs and culturally relevant plants that connect us to Savannah and the cultures of the Georgia Coast.
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All of the produce grown at the Tanger Savannah Garden will be harvested weekly and donated to Loaves & Fishes Food Pantry, a local non-profit that works to provide food assistance to community members in need.
Tanger Outlet
Atlantic City, NJ
The garden at Tanger Outlets Atlantic City is looking great in its first growing season! After the installation and plant-out in May, the kale, basil, eggplant (and more!) have grown under the care of farmer Alison Domanic. You can see the bees in the background who are sure to love all the flowers coming their way. Most fruiting plants put out flowers that need to be pollinated in order to form the fruits and vegetables we all enjoy. This is the basis for the mutually beneficial relationship between bees & food crops - the bees harvest food for themselves, while providing an essential pollination service to the farmer and gardener!
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Gardening has been a passion of Alison’s since her father helped her start her own garden at home when she was young. Years later, Alison took part in her college community garden at Rutgers where she appreciated the shared love, guidance, and knowledge of growing plants within that community. Domanic then embarked on a project in Costa Rica where she reforested a three-acre pasture implementing agroforestry and permaculture methodologies to successfully reconnect native animals from the mountain to the sea. Alison joined the Up Top Acres team in 2023 to use her knowledge and experience in agriculture to benefit the local community. She believes that keeping our hands in the dirt is a very potent act that benefits all.
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All of the produce grown at the Tanger Atlantic City Garden is harvested weekly and donated to C.R.O.P.S, a local non-profit that works to increase access to fresh and healthy food for their community.
Tanger Outlet
National Harbor, MD
The garden at Tanger Outlets National Harbor was built in April of 2023. The crop list includes kale, swiss chard, eggplant, peppers, tomatoes, parsley, basil, thyme, and various flowers for the existing beehive. The gardener for this location is Kristof Grina, one of the founders of Up Top Acres. The produce grown on this roof is distributed to Dreaming Out Loud, a local social enterprise that works with marginalized communities in food insecure parts of the region. They use the vegetables in their farmers markets and CSA programs.
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Kristof grew up in the District of Columbia and co-founded Up Top Acres in 2014. He got his start farming at an organic farm in Potomac, Maryland, and brought his expertise to the rooftops. Kristof is an active member of the DC Urban Agriculture working group, and previously worked installing green roofs for one of the top green roofing companies in DC. He graduated from the University of Vermont with a Bachelors Degree in Plant and Soil Science focusing on sustainable agriculture.
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All of the produce grown at the Tanger National Harbor Garden is harvested weekly and donated to Dreaming Out Loud, a local non-profit that works to fight food insecurity.
Tanger Outlet - Savannah, GA
Tanger Outlet - Savannah, GA
Tanger Outlet - Savannah, GA
Tanger Outlet - Savannah, GA
Tanger Outlet - Atlantic City, NJ
Tanger Outlet - Atlantic City, NJ
Tanger Outlet - Atlantic City, NJ
Tanger Outlet - Atlantic City, NJ
Tanger Outlet - Atlantic City, NJ
Tanger Outlet - Atlantic City, NJ
Tanger Outlet - Atlantic City, NJ
Tanger Outlet - Atlantic City, NJ
Tanger Outlet - National Harbor, MD
Tanger Outlet - National Harbor, MD
Tanger Outlet - National Harbor, MD
Tanger Outlet - National Harbor, MD
Tanger Outlet - National Harbor, MD
2023 Recap
The Tanger Gardens had an awesome first growing season! Collectively they produced:
498 bunches of kale
432 bunches of chard
215 bunches of scallions
175 bunches of parsley
63 pounds of basil
290 pounds of peppers
383 pounds of eggplant
15 pounds of tomatoes
36 bunches of thyme
24 bunches of rosemary
10 Varieties
of veggies and herbs grown
1,217 pounds
of produce grown in 2023
15,086 servings
of produce distributed
61,169 miles
In food distribution reduced
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"Tanger Outlets Savannah partners to launch new rooftop garden. Here's what it will offer"
ABC WJCL
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"Tanger Outlets and Up Top Acres partner for rooftop garden"
Savannah Morning News
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