Aquaponics Ann
Posted on | November 26, 2011 | Comments Off
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| From the Picasa Album online: Farmer Ann |
My partner, Ann Torke, is an artist that’s been evolving into the area of growing and farming. Specifically, she’s invested in the practice of Aquaponics. This is a holisitic approach to self-sustaining farming, with an eye towards clean food production, sustainable growth practice, organic treatment, and healthy food production. The system involves using fish (tilapia usually) in a water flow system that sends the fish fertilized water into the plant growth zone, which is designed much like a hydroponics system. The roots of the plants have fertilized water streaming past, and the plants themselves transform the water, reducing nitrogen. A filtering system for any unneeded fertilizer involves either a gravel bed or more formal filters in barrels.
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| From Farmer Ann |
The group that she’s exploring this with, the New Urban Farmers, is testing 2 main techniques side-by-side, in order to compare the benefits and trouble spots.They have all been to training workshops, conferences, and visited established Aquaponics/Community focused farms. Some of Ann’s main inspirations and training have been from Will Allen’s Growing Power and Nelson and Pade.
In the meantime, they are already growing plants for food, which are being sold at the Providence Winter Farmer’s Market, alongside additional micro-greens that are grown more conventionally in soil. The fish in an aquaponics system also become available for food. The fish in their system are not yet at this stage, and are still rather young.
And all of this is accomplished in some really beautiful greenhouse domes.
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| From Farmer Ann |