Getting to the Roots of the Problem in Aquaponics.

After about a month of not visiting this aquaponics system, I found the plants over-running it, which they seem to do when I don't bother them. The problem was was wasn't cycling well. Fish were okay and plants got water that wicked up through the cinder, but the ants love to move in and nest in the cinder if the water isn't rising to a flood level in the cinder bed.
The tomato sent roots down through about 8 feet of pipe and had slowed the water flow. A little roto root type work and water is flowing again.

Midwest Farming Gangnam Style

These farmers are a great example of how to have fun farming or doing any job, when you take time to make it that way.

Expect this to go viral.

Farming Gangnam Style via scoop.it

Farmer Style (Gangnam Style Parody)by ThePetersonFarmBros107,762 views on youtube 12-5-12

No Tractor Needed Farming

Getting ready to clear some roots from my siphon pipes, my okra gets out of hand. Leeks are doing pretty good, maybe it's their roots. Suspecting roots because the siphon isn't kicking in as often, which in the past has usually meant that the roots had grown from the grow bed, down through the siphon.

Looking at making a space to move my celery (in bucket) from it's last place among the taro plants in the flow bed of my jacuzzi aquaponics system. 

My grandson's old electric John Deere tractor had me reflecting on how many farm type tools and equipment aren't needed with aquaponics.

  
Check out my earlier post for the Christmas specials going on. The Online Aquaponics Gardening Course and Sylvia Bernstein's Aquaponic Gardening book. Some think of it like the bible for aquaponics.

Aquaponics Online Course and Book for Christmas

Great News in time for Christmas!

 

Sylvia Bernstein's Aquaponic Gardening Online Course, along with her book Aquaponic Gardening are now bundled and priced for Christmas.

 

The course is a great way to see all the steps involved with building and maintaining an aquaponics system at home. Sylvia`s book has become a reference book for many people I know, myself included.

 

One day I heard a friend was getting into aquaponics and when I stopped by to see him, there he was eating his lunch and reading his copy of the Aquaponics Gardening he had just gotten.

Here is Sylvia Bernstein giving an intro on the course. You can order your course and book or any combination of them through the links in the video.

Maui Venture Forum- Moving Forward

Maui Venture Forum - Moving Forward! - Eventbrite
Community-minded entrepreneurs, investors, and professional service providers interested in innovative new ventures will want to participate in the return of the Maui Venture Forum on Friday, November 16th at the Maui Tropical Plantation from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. featuring a locavore lunch, interactive presentations, and lots of networking.
Michael Snyder will introduce the Hawaii Electric Vehicle Network which expects to launch in the first quarter of 2013. Lynn Rasmussen will demonstrate a prototype of SkillStory.com, a system to first quarter of 2013.
Lynn Rasmussen will demonstrate a prototype of SkillStory.com, a system to organize and get credit for non-institutional learning experiences.
Vince Mina will present on how very small scale agriculture can be economically viable on Maui.

Event organizer David Fisher will provide an update on the Hawaii Community Exchange which will soon launch and help match-make entrepreneurs with accredited investors.

David LeFevre will introduce the Regenerative Community Initiative, a part of a new national movement to connect grass roots support with impactful projects building sustainable local economies. LeFevre's first focus here on Maui is on building added value market economies for organic farmers so they are incentivized, without the need for subsidies, to grow more food for communities.
The event will be free of charge, although there will be a $25 charge for lunch. Registration is at http://mauiventureforum.eventbrite.com
Videos from past venture forums including presentations by Pacific Biodiesel, Bamboo Technologies, International Underwater Explorations, and Icanology are at http://CoolProjectsMaui.com, click on "venture forums".

Maui Farmers Union United November Meeting

Maui Farmers Union United

Tuesday Nov. 20th 2012

Haiku Community Center

Doors open at 5:30

Dinner and mtg. 6pm sharp

Meeting Agenda

6:40-6:50 Vincent Mina Announcements
6:50-7pm Bill Greenleaf MFUU report
7:00-7:15 Justin Pardo- Chef Corner- Creative Thanksgiving Leftovers
7:15-7:30 Ryan Eareheart- Squashes Varieties Planting and Consuming.
7:30-7:40 Harriet Witt- Cycles of light and Life
7:40-8pm Jayanti Nand- Mulching it 101
Networking 8:00 to 9pm

Locavore Potluck Bring your favorite locally grown dish to share

Potluck is 10$ for non members and 5$ for members.

Dinner is on us if you sign up as a voting member. ($30 a year!)

If possible, label your dish and ingredients.

Produce Swap Bring your home grown produce, seeds or plant starts to share and go home with what someone else brought.

Please label your produce for the lesser known items.

Trash free event Remember to bring your own vessel and utensils or purchase our recyclable ones at a nominal cost.

Produce Swap Table MFUU October Meeting

 HFUU: http://www.hawaiifarmersunionunited.org/

MFUU: http://mauifarmersunionunited.weebly.com/