The system
One loop, explained stage by stage.
Every stage on our farm runs on what the one before it leaves behind. Follow the water from the well and back round again.
01 / 08
Our own well
Our water rises from our own well, so the farm never waits on the public supply.
How it works
A pump draws water from our own well into the main pipe that runs round the farm. It fills the fish ponds and tops up whatever evaporates.
Why it matters
The farm never waits on the public supply. And because the water is reused round the loop, the well only has to top it up.
02 / 08
Aquaponic ponds
Nila, lele, mujaer and patin grow in ponds plumbed straight into the gardens.
How it works
Nila, lele, mujaer and patin live in ponds plumbed into the gardens. Pond water runs to the biofilter, then to the plants, then back to the ponds.
Why it matters
The fish feed the plants and the plants clean the water for the fish. One supply of water grows two harvests.
03 / 08
Biofilter
Good bacteria turn the ammonia in fish waste into nitrite, then into the nitrate plants feed on.
How it works
Fish waste releases ammonia into the water. In the biofilter, Nitrosomonas bacteria turn ammonia into nitrite, then Nitrobacter bacteria turn nitrite into nitrate.
Why it matters
Ammonia and nitrite are toxic to fish, while nitrate is the best natural fertiliser for greens. The biofilter turns a problem into food.
04 / 08
Vertical hydroponics
Greens grow on flowing water, stacked upwards, indoors or out.
How it works
Greens grow on upright towers fed with the nitrate-rich water from the biofilter. Their roots take up the nitrate, and the water leaving the towers is clean.
Why it matters
Growing upwards saves land, and the towers work indoors or out. No chemical fertiliser is needed, because the fish already provide it.
05 / 08
Poultry
Our layers and broilers give fresh eggs and poultry meat.
How it works
Layers give eggs and broilers give meat. They are kept in coops with open yards beside the gardens.
Why it matters
The poultry adds to what the same land produces, and its manure becomes compost for the next stage.
06 / 08
Zero waste
Plant scraps and manure become compost and organic fertiliser. Nothing is thrown away.
How it works
Plant scraps, trimmings and manure are gathered in compost bays and turned until they become crumbly soil.
Why it matters
What would usually be thrown away becomes compost and organic fertiliser, for our own gardens and for other farms.
07 / 08
Packed in-house
We pack our own fish, eggs, meat and greens, then send them to distributors, markets and businesses.
How it works
Fish, eggs, poultry and greens are sorted and packed in our own packing house, then sent to distributors, markets and businesses.
Why it matters
The harvest does not change hands before it reaches the buyer, so we look after its freshness and presentation ourselves.
08 / 08
Solar power
Solar panels run the lamps, the water pumps and the rest of the farm.
How it works
Solar panels make the power for the water pumps, the lamps and the farm’s equipment.
Why it matters
The pumps that drive the whole loop run on the sun, so the farm does not depend on outside power.
Then the loop starts again.
The water returns to the ponds, the compost goes back into the soil and the sun rises over the panels again. If your business needs supply from a farm like this, let’s talk.