Here at Harvest Moon Garlic we are interested in learning anything and everything we can when it comes to growing our own food. We are always on the lookout for new and innovative ways to grow fresh, healthy, and chemical free produce. Last week we were fortunate to attend the aquaponics classes held at the Urban Farm Project, which are available through the Permaculture Research Institute; http://www.pricoldclimate.org. Chad Herbert led the classes and was a wealth of information about every aspect of aquaponics systems.
The first class we attended was a general introduction to aquaponics and concluded with a tour of the Urban Farm Project’s aquaponics operations. We were impressed by their efficient setup. Each 2,000 gallon system requires only 62 square feet of floor space, and following permaculture designs, allows for 1000s of Yellow Perch and various plant species to live and grow together.
The second class was a practicum focused on the parts required to build an aquaponics system. A system was partially constructed during the class, and the function and placement of each component was explained in detail. Materials safe for the construction of aquaponics systems were also covered. During this class Chad and his business partner John offered advice and answered individual’s questions about how to design their own aquaponics system; as each person’s specific situation (location, accessibility, labor potential, level of financial investment) is different and so everyone’s design will ideally end up uniquely suited to their own needs.
We hope to attend more of the Urban Farm Project’s classes. If you are curious about learning more, or plan to set up your own aquaponics system, we highly recommend attending any class held at the Urban Farm Project.
You can learn more about the Urban Farm Project at their website: http://www.urbanfarmmpls.com
