It was a busy spring, even though the weather was really cold and odd. We had a stretch in April or May where we had constant rain and cool temps and then we got hit with summer-like temps. Of course all the trees started to blossom and then in early May we had the biggest snowfall of the entire winter....4". Since then it's been very dry. We've had 9.72 inches of rain so far for the year and we should be around 11.57" by now. That 2" shortfall sure makes a huge difference if you are a soil-based grower. If you grow aquaponically, you know you don't have to worry about irrigating (or weeding) and you are going to use up to 90% less water to grow your products.
We only have a tiny amount of land that we can "use" at this point. Most of our land is still in CREP (conservation program) and we can't do a thing with it. Most days I've cursed that I can't use that land for something but it's taught me a really important lesson in this first year of growing. Weeding is a time consuming job and when it's just one person that is taking care of everything, every minute counts. It takes so much water (especially this year) to irrigate and keep things growing as they should. Like many households in our area, we operate off of a well and you cannot do a lot of watering without drawing too much off your well. Ask me how I know this... Even though we capture all of the rainwater that comes off the barn and greenhouse roof and can hold 750 gallons, it can't get you through long dry periods. It sure helps but if you're doing a lot of soil based growing, you're going to have to run a bunch of irrigation lines and drill another well. That is why I love growing aquaponically. No weeding and No watering!
We finished off the outside trough in early spring and got it up and running in April. We purchased 37 fish from the guy we usually get our fish from in the Williamsport area. With an outside system the fish density needs to be greater due to dilution from rainwater in the outside trough. We put the fish tank inside of the greenhouse, hoping that would extend our growing season even longer, since that space will stay warmer than being outside in the elements. We plumbed everything outside so that we just have to undo two clamps and we can pull the pump off and not have any freeze-ups. We have a clean-out on the other line so we can take a shop vac to suck out any remaining water after we cap the line coming out of the trough. Time will tell this winter if I thought through everything. We're hoping to be able to grow in that trough into later fall/early winter months (maybe November).
In June we started selling at Farm Days, on Fridays from 3 - 6 p.m. It's a collaboration with our neighbor who has a yarn and spinning shop. It's just the two of us for now. Yorkshire Meadows (my neighbor) sells all sorts of baked goods, jams and jellies, lemon and lime curd and yarn supplies. We sell on Fridays, at 9646 N. Elk Run Rd., Mansfield, which is the location of Yorkshire Meadows. We also sell our products here on the farm and have a wonderful following of folks for the honey and maple syrup products, along with the eggs and produce that we raise ourselves. Farm Days will run until the end of August.
It's hard to believe how far we've come in our first year. We've learned so much about growing aquaponically and in extreme weather conditions. I think every day there is something new to learn. Right now I am experimenting with a new fish food in our smaller system. The tried and true fish food comes from Idaho and the shipping cost is outrageous (3x the cost of the food itself). I found a local aquafeed company and I am testing their food to see if the plants like it. Yes, you read that correctly. The fish sure do by the splashing I hear when I feed them. The most important aspect is whether the waste that the fish create is something that the plant roots can uptake nutrients from. If the roots turn black and the plants die off, then it's a no go. If the roots stay white and the plants continue to thrive, then it's a winner. See what I mean about learning new things. Always something to expand our minds and our comfort zones. Information like this will be in the commercial training that we just announced that we'll be hosting Sept 26 - 30. For anyone wanting to learn about aquaponics, this is your chance. For more information, go here .
Till next time, enjoy your summer!
Friday, July 1, 2016
Commercial Aquaponic Training - Pennsylvania
We’re excited to announce that we’ll be hosting a commercial
aquaponic training September 26-30, 2016…just like the one that Linda and I
attended. All the nuts and bolts of starting a system for anyone that wants to
grow food, whether it be just for your family or to do it on a commercial scale.
This is a must attend if:
- You’d like control over how your food is grown and want to grow food for your family in your backyard without weeding and watering.
- You want to make money selling food
- You want organic produce without paying organic prices
- You want a small tabletop system for your apartment or condo
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