Tap dancing on the competitors toes?

[Douglas Becker]

Someone has dreamed about starting up an aquaponic business but was afraid of upsetting a competitor. “I don’t want to step on anyones toes,” he says

 

My response:

 

Don’t worry and Just Do It!

 

When I received my blueprints for an aquaponic greenhouse. I was stunned when Doug told me that owners of commercial aquaponic greenhouses do not like to share their knowledge that they have gained from experience.  Why not?  Fear of competition.    

 

This is a terrible misconception that has crept into this generation of Americans.  Over 90% of seafood comes from outside of this country and we’re worried about competition from our neighbor?  

 

Tell me what’s better, one dairy farmer suppling all the milk for NE Ohio or 100’s of dairy farmers.   You see this is where America has gone... one giant corporation supplying the masses.  Instead of many small businesses suppyling our neighbors. That’s why the farm bill was passed in December.  It’s giants trying to push out the small farmers.  What for? CONTROL! 

 

Can there be something bigger then an greenhouse in your adventure?  How about an ethanol greenhouse.  ADM did it.  ADM processed corn, made ethanol, and did aquaponic.  ADM found that making ethanol and aquaponic was a powerful combination.  The synergism of the two made both very profitable and I believe this can be done on a small scale.

 

Ethanol making can provide;

1. food for your fish, 
2. heat for your greenhouse  
3. electricity for operations 
4. CO2 to enhance the production of your plants.  

 

You see for every 10,000 gallons of ethanol produced, it can equal 100,000 pounds of food (fish, mushrooms and vegetables).

 

Now is the time to push back the giants. By working together we could build 10-20 small ethanol greenhouses in lets say Greenville, South Carolina and this could provide a whole new industry there.  Did you notice I said a whole new industry and not competition?

 

Yes, you can build a greenhouse and be successful or you can be a part of a new industry helping the community as a whole.

     

Thanks

 

Fatherbeck

[Raychel A Watkins]

There is an even worse disease in America laziness.  Why  grow it if I can buy it in the store.  Garden that is a job for the lower class I might get my texting fingers dirty.  I heard a nurse at work say that she would never subject here children to gardening as her parents did when they didn't need to.  Maybe you can afford it now but have you taken a good look at rising prices.   We need to wake up and realize that hard times could be coming down the road.  I am not trying to be a prophet but do some reading.

 I live on an island and 90% of our food is imported.  Our Gov said that Israel does not import any food and they live in a desert.  I realy don't want to go commercial in a big way but there are not any toes to step on.  

We have a long way to go to  be competitive  with any one.  Lets get out there and don't stop till you find some toes to step on.  And lets share with everyone as we go.  Life us not good with out sharing.  Sharing is the greatest joy I have in life and I am not stopping now.  Walk with me and I won,t step on your toes

[Sylvia Bernstein]

TC is exactly right.  This is exactly what a blog is for - interesting discussions and soapboxes.  And your blog continues to be extremely interesting.  I checked out the David Blume book on Amazon.  A bit pricey, but it looks excellent.  Now on my wish list...

 

You will also find that this community not only values interesting discussions, but the free exchange of information is our raison d'etre.  You won't find those that are tightlipped with information in here - they just aren't interested in joining.  You have found a group of like minded compadres.  

[TCLynx]

Well Douglas, that is what a BLOG is for, getting up on your soapbox and sharing your ideas, view, opinions or whatever.  Give us more seems you have some interesting ideas and we would love some details.  I am also put off by those that get all "secret" about information.  I'm into sharing and working together.  I believe that even in situations where there might be some competition, it doesn't have to be a problem especially where we can use slight variations to create a niche and work in concert.

Welcome.

[Douglas Becker]

Sorry if I sounded vague with my blog entry. That was not my intent.  Just didn’t want to be boring everyone by standing on my soapbox for too long.  

 

December 27th 2010 I saw a post from John Murrow from South Carolina.  He was interested in a possible start up in aquaponic but was asking if anyone else was doing this in his part of South Carolina (he likes this group and didn’t want to step on anyone’s toes).  My response of encouragement was too lengthy,  so I put it in a blog in hopes that he would read this. 

 

COMPETITION:  I had a carpet cleaning business in Canton Ohio for over 20 years.  This industry tends to beat each other up saying “their system of cleaning is best” (dry cleaning - bonnet cleaning - steam cleaning and the list goes on).  If everyone in town had their carpets cleaned there would be more work than what all the cleaners could do.   So why beat each other up?  I just view two neighbors with greenhouses can be part of the community and not competitors.

 

So who did I get from cleaning to the fascination of aquaponic?  The book “Alcohol Can Be A Gas!”  by David Blume.  I came across this book from Knowledge Publication.com.  This book was huge and heavily documented... it had - history of the fuel alcohol  - fuel crops (not just corn but from fodder beets, prickly pear cactus, mesquite trees, cattails algae, and much more) still making - ethanol permits - engine conversion, and the best part integrating ethanol with aquaponic.  What David Blume talked about from ADM’s operations. Chapters 10,11,12 was mind blowing. I thought I bought this book for fuel making, but what I found was a new industry for small businesses. For me it was aquaponic.

 

I meet with Doug Burdette from Global Aquatics for lunch at the IHop restaurant in Akron, Ohio. Two hours went by quickly.  As Doug handed me the blue prints (for building an aquaponic greenhouse) he said “it’s curious that when someone builds a greenhouse like this, they become tightlipped about how its done” he continued saying “are you going to be like them?”

 

That’s just not me.  I grow up in a Amish community and I saw first hand on how a working community can be incredible.  Why can’t the same principles work for the aquaponic field?  By stumbling a cross this web site on December 27th, My confidence in people is starting to changing back. I’m finding this refreshing.   

 

P.S. I’ll try to keep posting info without being too long-winded 

 

Thanks

Doug   

[Sahib Punjabi]

Hello Douglas,

 

I am, as is Dan & Sylvia, also interested in finding out further details about the ADM setup. So please do share the knowledge & experience for one and all. We are an "open source" Community :-)

 

God bless,

[Sylvia Bernstein]

I was just about to say what Dan said when I saw his comment.  Very interesting post, Doug, or Fatherbeck.  I think you will find that commercial aquaponics is probably pretty similar to most commercial endeavors - there are those who stay close to the vest and those who feel a sense of obligation to work towards solving larger food problems and help out those who are up and coming.  The very notion of competition from another operation that isn't selling in your region is crazy, you are right about that.  Murray Hallam, Joel Malcolm and I have all discussed the fact that even though we are all serving the home aquaponic gardening market we don't compete with each other - it makes no sense from Australia - so we might as well cooperate for the greater good.  It improves everyone's business, and advances aquaponics in general.

 

I too am interested in hearing more about the ADM setup.  First I've heard it mentioned.  My skepticism comes in when the assertion is made that you can feed fish from ethanol creating sources (corn?) alone.  Fish feeding is a complex subject, and what goes into the fish is what comes out as aquaponic nutrients.  I find it hard to believe that it can be simplified like that.  That said, I'm open to hearing more and seeing the article.

 

Thanks for starting this discussion. 

[Dan Brown]

Hello Doug.  I like the enthusiasm here, but I'm perplexed by the information delivery.  I found you change of voice in this blog to be confusing.  Who is the Doug you're referring to, is that the third person?  

If the desire to avoid closed information sources on aquaponics has brought you to this point then you're headed the right direction.  This site is very open, unlike aquaponics in academics, where it's a much more protected scientific endeavor.  The idea that information is more powerful if kept to one's self is goofy, I completely agree.

I assume you're talking about Archer Daniels Midland.  Can you please tell me where this operation is located, and/or where you found information about it?  The numbers that you're throwing out need support if I'm meant to believe them, and I'd like to know what type of biomass is being used for the ethanol you're talking about.