If you don't need an explanation of aquaponics and just want to see why it's better than organic, feel free to skip on down to the bottom of this post. If you're new to aquaponics and want to learn more about it, read on...
Our friend Todd recently started aquaponic farming and invited us to take a first hand look at his incredible floating grow bed greenhouse. I have to say, getting to see this mini ecosystem at work was pretty incredible. If you're new to the idea of aquaponics, here's how it works: Fish are placed in large retention pond or tank. These fish produce nutrient-rich droppings which are circulated through water pipes into plant beds full of water. These plant beds have floating boards with holes in which seeds and soil sit. The roots grow into the water and the plants use the nutrients that are toxic to the fish to grow, effectively cleaning it to be returned to the retention pond holding the fish. It's a pretty incredible undertaking with delicious results!
Fresh kale sprouting up!
Todd has over 1000 fish in his talapia pond.
After taking a tour of the greenhouse, we decided to team up with Todd to bring this delicious food to the Winter Park and Orlando community. We're happy to announce that we will be offering to our patients and their friends aquaponic vegetables. Here's how it will work. Todd will forward us a list of available produce at the beginning of the week. We'll post this on our facebook page. You can call our office (407-286-5926) by Thursday and we'll get him your orders. You can then pick up your orders from us the following Monday. We're excited to help our community try something new that's healthy for you too. Here's to your health!
Our delicious goody bag we took home with us. It was packed full of Kale, Bok Choy and Celery!
6 reasons Aguaponics is better than Organic
1) Insecticides are guaranteed to never be used because it's poisonous to the fish. Basically if you want food that is 100% guaranteed insecticide free, aquaponics is the way to go!
2) The veggies are grown in a greenhouse, so you'll never get cross-contamination blown over from insecticides from a neighboring farm.
3) The fish that produce fertilizer for the aquaponic ponds are fed vegetable diets that are grown on the water they live in, making it an incredibly sustainable ecosystem.
4) Aquaponic farms require 90% less water than regular farms because the water can be recycled rather than being absorbed in the ground or evaporating.
5) Plants Grows Twice As Fast! This is due to the naturally fortified water from the fish and because the root systems of the plant don't have to reach as deeply into the ground.
And last but especially not least...
6) It tastes delicious! If you've never experienced the rich flavors of aquaponic greens, you're in for a treat. They have an incredibly full flavor and taste so much lighter than your regular kale or lettuce.