This is an update on Maribou's aquaponic and podcasting travels, podcast publication dates, website development, ratings and reviews, blog, and hashtag contest! If you like the podcast and want to move aquaponics forward as a movement, please leave a rating and review in iTunes here: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/visionary-aquaponics-maribou/id987950467 We love you! Thanks for listening to the Visionary Aquaponics podcast!
“What can you do today that’s gonna get you one step closer?” said Kate Wildrick--who used to own and operate a town in Oregon--to Aaron Imhof, a self-taught innovator…This is a truly inspiring story about how these two people met after the nightmare economic crash of 2009, the trials and tribulations of surviving while living frugally, and how this gave birth to an idea to create a center for sustainable solutions and whole systems education--all the while having only limited resources and pushing through the fear of “not knowing." This story isn’t just about aquaponics, it’s about innovations shared with the community, systems thinking, building connections, sourcing community knowledge and applying it in a mutually beneficial way, and finding ways to bring the dream alive for all. Kate and Aaron’s vision for Ingenuity Innovation Center at St. Helens, Oregon, is to be “a community-supported innovation center that is focused on building sustainable solutions using an open-source platform. We are about connection, creation, and collaboration. We believe that together we can solve our world’s most challenging issues by igniting our own inner spark of passion.”
Listen as they talk about what inspired them in this vision and how they got here, from Murray Hallam's CHOP-2 system, getting land they didn't initially have, and finally making a 1,500 sq.ft. greenhouse out of re-purposed materials and resources. Kate and Aaron also reveal how they became partners with Murray Hallam, the "Godfather of Aquaponics," as well as what's in store at the up-coming training classes, revolving around Murray's INDY23 system: a hybrid system with media beds, deep water culture, and wicking beds using the CHOP-2 method. They also share with us Murray Hallam's "legacy plan," a curriculum on aquaponics that is set to revolutionize aquaponics today. Part of that is building a new greenhouse with a bubble wrap-style covering that can last up to 30 years and which will be one of Ingenuity Innovation's two R&D sites. Learn more about the 4-day Living the Dream: Commercial and Small Farm Aquaponic Training Seminar, how they're weaving in B Corps into aquaponics, and how they're bringing in the change-makers together in order to build the connections needed to support other local aquaponic projects. More topics around cool technologies such as spa heaters, solar hot water cells, solar PVs, hydrosonic pumps, automation, and Raspberry Pi (a credit card-sized computer!) as well as community applications such as the Adopt-A-Grow Bed program. We also talk about a disaster that annihilated all their fish instantly, and unique business models that could change the future of aquaponics!
Located in Half Moon Bay, San Francisco Bay Area, California, Ouroboros Farms carries out its mission to partner with nature by combining the principles of aquaponics and permaculture to bring to customers the freshest, healthiest, chemical-free produce on the planet! Ken is the founder and owner of 3-year-old Ouroboros Farms. Jessica is part-owner of Ouroboros farms and working there since it started, with a background in soil farming and hydroponics on a hobbyist level. She also has experience with medicinal herbs. Listen up as they talk about how they started up with a 20,000-gallon farm! They discuss the different kinds of plants and fish they're growing, their various distribution channels, the online grocery store they sell through (a great tip for future aquaponic growers!!!). They also describe their use of channel catfish, their top-selling crops, hybrid UVI systems, biochar, and the constant drain method they use for growing and selling hops (which are drier-loving plants). Listen as we also talk about their market research process, starting with 121 varieties of lettuce to see what grew best under different seasonal conditions, how they found what people wanted, and what they could have done in hindsight in terms of sales! Also checkout other challenges they've dealt with: water quality, light, temperature, location, and marketing issues. They talk about what not to do when running a commercial aquaponic system, how you can effectively sell to your distribution lines, food processing laws, and permaculture practices they've integrated into the farm such as beneficial insect hedges, rainwater collection, vermicompost, wormcastings, compost teas, and EM (effective microorganisms!), as well as all the other value-added products they're selling in the retail space right next to their greenhouse! Check out more at http://www.ouroborosfarms.com
Listen to Part 3 of my talk with Rob Torcellini of Bigelow Brook Farm. What differentiates Rob from other innovators, how Rob responds to some negative comments, the cost related to setting up a backyard greenhouse and aquaponic system, expanded shale, liners, how to set up portable systems, deep water beds, and supplemental feeding such as salvinia, duckweed, scrap lettuce, and insects. We also talk about how Rob has automated his aquaponic system (which is a hot topic right now!) including automated 24/7 fish feeder, vents, and what type of cylinders you need to stay away from. He also talks about red wigglers, swirl filters, and mineralization tank for capturing and processing solids. Also find out how a swirl filter is different from a radio flow filter and discover which one is better. More topics such as longevity of lettuce with live roots on, food safety, value added products, and food safety laws. Subscribe to Rob’s YouTube channel on https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnSxSWSpUWwHpr_2WKIF9Xg