permaculture

[KAKerby@aol.com]

One more note along the lines below: yes there  are a variety of small  
scale, scalable, low-tech, "starter" systems out there.  One of the best is  
called Barrelponics, because it relies on using a few 55  gallon barrels for 
both the growing containers, the tank and the  reservoir.  The creator of 
that system, a man named Travis Hughey, set up a  Yahoo discussion group also 
called Barrelponics, to disseminate information  about this system, and to 
share information amongst small-scale aquaponics  practioners in general.  
Much of what I've relayed in the last few days, I  learned while a member 
there.  Travis' main job is doing missionary work to  bring self-reliant food 
production to various areas without such  abilities.  It has been his work 
which has taught me that so many peoples  are in desperate need of low-tech, 
inexpensive, diversified, scalable food  solutions.  For whatever combination 
of reasons, far too many people  don't have the ability to grow their own 
food otherwise.  He's  literally gone around the world setting up these 
systems 
and teaching folks how  to produce their own food, then ensuring they have 
enough information and  training to keep it going themselves.  The work he 
does, and the design he  uses, is all documented on the 
_Barrelponics@YahooGroups.com_ (mailto:Barrelponics@YahooGroups.com)  and  is 
free for download.  
If anyone on this list wanted to learn not only how  to build a small 
system, but also what it's capable of producing, that would be  an excellent 
place to start.
Kathryn Kerby
frogchorusfarm.com
Snohomish, WA
 
 
In a message dated 10/10/2012 11:36:54 A.M. Pacific Daylight Time,  
lfljvenaura@gmail.com writes:

In the  interest of locally-grown, local food systems and community gardens
any  aquaponics or  hydroponics system should be scalable so that at least  
a
simple system can be installed and used by anyone with a backyard  garden
and, in cold season, a greenhouse, attached or freestanding. There  must be
locally available, affordable, off the shelf components and  materials that
could be used to put together a functioning system that  works reliability,
even for entry-level people and groups. The  "neighborhood fish and
vegetable water gardens" sounds  appealing.