Is Aquaponics the Way We’ll Farm In the Future?
Aquaponics has been on my “Must Learn More About This” list for a long while. So when I found out Garden Fresh Farms in nearby Maplewood was giving free tours of their aquaponics facility, I signed right up to go. The tour was scheduled for the middle of a week day and Maplewood is a pretty long drive out of the Twin Cities, so I didn’t expect much of a crowd. Whew! I was so wrong.
All of the tour dates booked up fast and when we arrived, the back room of the building where the tour started was already bustling with people eating cookies and waiting to head inside. If you don’t know much about aquaponics, no worry. I’ll do my best to explain, albeit simply because goodness known I am no expert on this.
Essentially, plants are grown in water rather than soil. Lights do the work of the sun, and fertilizer is provided by fish in the water (tilapia and trout in this case) who generously contribute their nutrient-rich poo. In turn, the plants’ roots help filter the water for the fish.
Aquaponics systems vary, but Garden Fresh Farms, which is owned by Dave Roeser and his wife D.J., uses a re-circulating system, so there is no waste water. Lettuce, basil and other crops are grown in cylinders that rotate around a cluster of fluorescent bulbs. Each little plant plug fits into a peat-filled hole in the cylinder’s detachable panels.
The cylinders rotate nearly imperceptibly around the lights, allowing plant roots a quick dip in the water at some point in the cycle. When the fish grow large enough they are harvested like any other crop. Some are sold to local restaurants and others are given to CSA members. Dave, who hosted our tour, hopes to expand fish sales as time goes on.
There’s no pesticide, no weeding, and part of the operation is powered by solar panels on the nondescript industrial building’s roof. (I would definitely like to know more about the electricity operations like this require.) Sustainability is the goal and comparisons can be made to hydroponics, except with hydroponics there are no fish involved.
Their facility was a cool thing to see, but during this summer of heat waves, drought, floods, tornadoes, fires and who knows what else is on the way, it was impossible not to wonder whether this is how we will farm one day. Dave made my buzzkill worse when he suggested that this type of system just might be the future or urban farming.
Honestly, I know there are lots of good things about aquaponic and hydroponic systems that can run indoors all year round. But the idea that we may one day turn to growing plant indoors away from the sun and soil, safe from the elements that threaten to destroy us, makes me queasy. I don’t really want to think about it. But I have to say that I’m grateful to people like Dave and D.J. for doing so.
Carolyn
I think this is cool but a bit complicated for most residences. Yet there are some applications I’ve seen on You Tube that with just a little land, it can be done. I “farm” in my Aerogardens and wish I had more than the 4 which I have. I have been growing herbs, lettuces (leaf and mesculun), flowers that are edible, and just put in 2 tomato plants. I have planted starts to remove to the outdoor garden. I planted 2 oblong pots with water on the bottom and dirt between the water and the plants. I bought 2 more of those (smaller than earth boxes) for a beginning gardener. My husband waters and I take care of the inside gardening. I have found the lettuces and flowers are very tender as they are not buffeted by the winds or rains as they are inside. They haven’t needed pesticides though I do need to do something for outside. Ants ate my sweet corn all up. I’ll spray with soapy water next time. May put some ant stakes on the outside of the boxes on the ground. my gardening season is all turned around as we are in Florida (SO) but the indoor plants are not affected adversely.
Meleah
Carolyn,
Thanks very much for your interesting comments. If you have photos of your “aerogardens”, I would love to see some if you wouldn’t mind emailing a couple. – m
Gene
Looks cool and I like mixing the fish with the herbs. Looks costly though.
rickngentilly
you might enjoy this story.
http://wwno.org/post/innovative-garden-and-delightful-cajun-restaurant
Meleah
Hey Rick,
Thanks! Very cool story.