commercial course

[Kim]

Who has the best commercial aquaponics training course?

Also, I watched some videos from Santa Cruz Aquaponics on YouTube, but can't seem to find any contact information about them? Does anyone know?

Thanks, Kim

[adam harwood]

we are currently making over 4000 lbs amonth in leaf and 1200 lbs of fillets, i pay the butcher 17 hour and 2 staff 11 dollars and hour , also paying all the bills here!!!! debt reduction also

[Japan Aquaponics - アクアポニックス 日本]

I have also heard very good things about Nelson & Pade, and considering how long they have been in the business, the facilities that they have, and their tie-in with a local University I would imagine that they run a great course, and all reports about them seem to be extremely positive.

[adam harwood]

Hello, we have zero night lights, this is a passive approach, also there is zero landscaping surrounding the farm portions,We have a 8 foot ground cover all around to discourage ground bugs, also the (2) filter boxes produce a blood worm that is a knat that eats white bugs by day and sleeps in the semi square tanks at night ,,, my recent luck also has me under film surrounding the entire green  house,. While under shade cloth (spring and summer), we have OUTRUN THE BUGS, WE ARE LONGER TO GERMINATE AND SHORTER  SPRINTS IN TH E GROW BED'S ,so we just out run the little enemies, a lot of caterpillars have come, we pinch them dead, also a wiggle ant that we encourage to roost in no more than 4-6 plants, we let them invade just several net pots, then compost that exact plant, it works,We  think the darkness helps and the blood worm is my friend, thank you for the read, enjoy... currently in central Texas longest drought, means very low bug population by and large,,, sorry for the long response,

Peter Shaw said:

Adam,

your site claims you never use pesticides. 

wow, can you really say you have no aphid problems that need attention? 

are you really able to keep them out?

I would love to hear about pest control from commercial folks as aphids on lettuce and even white fly on basil is a pain.

[adam harwood]

Thank you for the read, Lettuce is now over 10.50 the pound in a (glassene snap lid  box)  ,Marked  Texas spring mix, current price is 3.48 for a 5-6 ounce box, you can do the math, We  ask and get  2,3,4 dollars for a 10 ounce head, also we get 5-6 7 for basil that is 1 pound in size, Current wholesale here  is 9 dollars a pound local grocer price,  Also this is " proacts" price not mine, there is no end in site for the future prices  will raise the price 1.3 percent per month,History dictates this statement,  In the poor economy, and more in the good economy!  This is the next 3 decades for food to go crazy ,crazy high. there ARE price HIKE  agreements with the wholesale delivery Co.'s prices hooked to fuel, cost.

Peter Shaw said:

Adam, your set up is awesome, and your production rates are beyond, 6 weeks for basil from seed to finish is way beyond what we have been able to do.

I also mentioned that Texas was one of a few states I think it can fly, you have access to the right fish species and produce it expensive. Also with the proper greenhouse design you can use little energy cooling as  you have huge thermal mass,  and heating is not as critical as the northern states.

I heard butterhead lettuce, live and in a clam shell sells retail for over $4 each in the Austin area, way more than around here.

We could grow and sell lots of leaf but the sales cost is so low it is not possible to make any money with any sort of overhead.

One of the really big issues for start ups is the long down time, low produce production rates till the system gets fully charged. Little revenue and lots of costs mean deep pockets.

Do you butcher on site or do your journey man do it off site?

Curious what it costs per pound of filet to harvest.

[Jonathan Kadish NYC AA Chair]

I attended Nelson & Pade and it was a good experience and I learned a lot being a novice. They have modeled their education and systems around the UVI system much like you see at Adam's farm. To be clear, in a 3 day workshop you will only learn the basics and for sure the underlying purpose of Nelson & Pade's workshops is to sell their systems.  They are having some success at it with 173,000 SF of installations. If you buy a system they have an intensive which is a week or more of training. John & Rebecca come from a background of hydroponic veggie growing in greenhouses in CA and are also experts in Controlled Environment Agriculture and cover some of that in the workshop. So if you are in the market to buy a system or just want some hands on experience with AP then N&P is a good choice. The one thing I didn't like was that the food was terrible!

[Jon Parr]

Kim, tilapia are legal here in NorCal, too, just not for aquaculture permits for sales as human consumption. If you're not going commercial, then tilapia are fine. I raise them and sell them in Santa Cruz.

Santa Cruz Aquaponics, according to some rumors and local experience, simply never made a profit. They had exactly two items. Water cress and carp. Carp doesn't yield much for profit anyways, and the water cress had sales for only about half of production. The biological filtration was apparently never sufficient, and regular water changes were required. They had some striped bass, too, but disease led to some toxic treatments, leaving the bass in pretty bad shape. electricity was also a major expense, in part because they got 20k lb of food all at once, and placed it in the greenhouse. Heat and humidity threatened to spoil it, so they built an AC cooled room around it, INSIDE the greenhouse. I tried to have a look and purchase any remaining assets, but the GH owners are uncooperative, wouldn't let me see and wouldn't tell me yes or no as to whether there was any fish, equipment, or plants left behind. I'm guessing the GH owners are going to have a go of the AP business, and they don't want help or company. Something a little shady going on, I felt.

I don't know Chris or Todd, and I would never presume to guess as to why the business didn't last. Most all businesses here are failing or struggling, so why should AP be any different? It's a piss-poor economy for working stiffs here in the most expensive place in the country to live.

Peter, I'd like to visit and hear Chris talk at your class, if guests are welcome. I traded a few emails with Chris trying to get an appt to tour SCAP almost a year ago, but he was too busy at the time and I've been too busy ever since.

Nate and Adam, thanks so much for your experience. Adam, are the bloodworms something you cultivated for white fly control, or natural to your area? What species are they. I know peter uses some white fly predators, wasps, right Peter? But they are expensive and really never get the upper hand?

[Rob Nash]

correct me if im wrong folks, but Adam has offered more numbers than any other commercial outfit.

is this an example of a profiting AP farm? I hope so... and this is in Texas, we are still in the worst drought in our recent history, with no end in sight. Adam produced and sold lettuce all summer long! we had temps above 105 several times. He was the only person selling lettuce at the markets this summer.

as was stated above, we do have some of the best farmers markets in the country, two in Austin have over 3,000 guests each Saturday, and are full of "high-raw-foodies" that can afford top dollar lettuce. so the profit margins may be different.

But the key to success like Adam said is Production, production, production. with output like that, your biggest challenge will be marketing the stuff. ...it has been said before -the best AP coach wont make you a "good business man" i think Adam has done a great job on all aspects of the business. and, with a minimalist, get-er-done approach, which is really what people need to know, even if they dont know it yet. its clear hes not trying to "slow-sell" anyone on overpriced systems or support. 

...as for the education side carrying the farm side, i dont believe thats the case here. you may have noticed, Adam charges less than $500 for a 2 day class. thats the best deal going. ...Hmm, sign me up for the next session!

Adam has been and continues to be an inspiration to me, I wish him the best of luck. keep rockin sir!

 

 

[adam harwood]

 Hey , everybody, keep in mind this a work where you live Concept, and this is the truth of the matter, so only build what you can, and grow your business.

 This is counter intuitive , yet it holds a lot of  actual knowledge, for me to say. Aquaponics is a life style not a  Whirl wind idea!

 Please remember it takes 5 skill sets to complete the Journey.

 I took learning from 4 teachers at once, Plus they were not business minded.

 Getting things in place at the office is also art form based. Truth is the answer, and not fooling yourself? I mean it!!!!!!

   So with all of that. keep up your numbers, and Blessings and Love, "Positive is how we Live" from One world

[Jon Parr]

Thanks, Peter.  I have white fly issues too right now, never had them before. 

[Matt Sandoval]

I have heard good things about the UVI  course and will attend this June for the 3-day workshop. Anyone else attending this June?

[Bruce Watson]

We have attended a seminar at Greater Growth in Knoxville, TN.  We were the first class through, and they had some start up problems, but was informative. They do have Charlie Schultz from UVI presenting, and an entomologist from the University of Tennessee. 

My two cents.

http://www.greatergrowth.com/

[Brent Kliesen]

http://greenacreaquaponics.com/