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Comment by Sheri Schmeckpeper on November 3, 2013 at 11:43am

No, we have a hose attached to a valve coming off to the main pipe from the pump, so we just open that valve and use the system water wash off the plants. I don't worry about it being flooded first, I just wash them into the media & hose down the media.

Comment by Jim Fisk on November 2, 2013 at 10:05am

Great advice Sheri, I will try that here. Do you flood the bed first? Easy to do here by placing a short 2" long x 2" pipe extension in the siphon funnel so I may do that first.

And Pat, good feeling to be harvesting after all the hard but fun work setting up

Comment by Pat James on November 2, 2013 at 8:57am

Well,I have finally put away a few items from my system. The first was dehydrated basil.

Last weekend I got around to putting a few pounds of fish in the freezer. I vacuum-sealed them into packs just big enough for a single meal.

Comment by Sheri Schmeckpeper on September 1, 2013 at 4:34pm

Great group idea!

I dry my mint and use it in recipes, teas, and as a stomach remedy. It's great for tummy aches!

I wash my white flies down into the system. Same with aphids and spider mites. They drown. I do that every couple days when a heavy infestation hits, and in a week or so they're gone, or at least down to a manageable number. Can't do that in a soil garden!

Comment by Jim Fisk on August 22, 2013 at 1:05pm

I will have to try that myself. Still plagued with the little white critters here as well and I am about to recover the GH so good time to get rid of them. I also grew mint that took over one ibc gb and that is where they gravitated to but they sure seem to like the tomatoes as well.

As far as surplus is concerned I have been harvesting 6 trout at a time and we love it cold the next day. Like a whole new treat from the freshly cooked we enjoyed the night before and it keeps very well in the fridge (covered) for a few days. Scrumptious.

Comment by Jim Troyer on August 21, 2013 at 9:12pm

White flies like Mint and Basil for sure.  I'm spraying a soapy solution over the grow bed with a garden pump sprayer.  I hear Neem Oil solution works too

Comment by Carolyn Quinones on August 20, 2013 at 3:41pm

I am hoping this will be an active group!
We are currently dealing with white flies. Does anyone know if mint attracts them?
And, since we have alot of mint in our flood & drain system, we made mint jelly last night. The amount of mint used made no dent in the mint available. I think the beautiful green jelly will make wonderful gifts.....homemade and organic! :) Any other suggestions for mint ( other then iced tea)?

Comment by Jim Troyer on May 25, 2013 at 10:37pm

This is a great group idea Pat! 

We have a thing here called 'food share' it's put on by the LDS folks I think.  It's a good idea anyway. 

They make up boxes of surplus grocery items.  You pay $15 last week for this week and they see what they can purchase.  One year I more Kiwi Fruit than I could ever imagine.  Burnt out on them actually.

I have been thinking I should go to the farmers market that is so popular now.

Comment by Pat James on May 25, 2013 at 4:53pm

LOL , I am hoping to find a use for the hundreds if not thousands of minnows I am raising. I KNOW I am going to have a pile of fillets come late fall....

Comment by Jim Fisk on May 25, 2013 at 4:06pm

You did it. I like it. Pat's cook house.

Trout on the barby sounds pretty good right about now but I'll have to settle for our lamburgers.