Turning that Green House into a food house?

[Nick Rizzo]

Well three months ago I dropped my daughter off at soccer practice and on the way back to the field I passed the old green house that is attached to the school with broken windows and junk just piled up. So I dropped her off and walked over to the green house to look inside. For the average person it looked like junk but for me I seen potential to bring this green house back alive and to use it for food production. Not just any food but fish and Veggies.  Stuff the kids can learn just in this place from simple planting plants to the more advanced biology of cells and animals.

    Now the question I asked myself why are they not using this resource? I wonder if I could use this greenhouse myself? The next step was to approach  the school and find out what was going on. I made an appointment with the principal to discuss what can be done to use this green house.  I had a week before my meeting and I wanted to gather as much information as I could to convince the principal that I had a vision to reserrect the greenhouse into a living  thriving place.

    Mean while I made an hour drive to an aquaculture farm and asked lots of questions about the fish and asked about aquaponics. Well didn't get alot of answers there but it was a start. I then found another aqua culture farmer who just started working with aquaponics and had done very well during the warmers months but didn't have his system setup for the cold months ahead here in South West Ohio.  This was the guy I needed to help me move forward with my vision of teaching aquaponics to middle school children.

  The 1st meeting has come and gone and the principal seemed very interested in my proposed aquaponic program. Now our second  meeting is setup to happen January 28,2011. This meeting will hopefully seal the deal to move forward with fixing the greenhouse and the start of construction for the new system. Funding Im sure is going to be an issue but I have faith it will come. http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=31126045&l=e7dddd93fa&...

[k edmonds]

I am sitting here with a bit of envy and a lot of admiration.  What a great thing for the kid's at your school.  Good Luck with the process.

[Molly Stanek]

Wow! Sounds amazing.  If your school is a bit skeptical and needs more convincing, feel free to contact us.  We have a wonderful teacher working with us by the name of Matt Ray who has been successfully running an aquaponics greenhouse in a Montessori school nearby.  He's a busy guy but I'm sure I could at least get some pictures and testimonials to you!

[Nick Rizzo]

Update from Yesterday .. I was dropping the kids off at school yesterday and the principal stopped me to confirm our meeting and to let me know that he has the High School Science teacher on board and will be joining us and he wants to get the program started for the middle school first. So I think everything is falling into place will keep you posted. One other Noted to show what aquaponic does I had my daughter start her 10gal aquaponic science project last month so it will be ready to go by next month.Aquaponic science project

[Raychel A Watkins]

What a beautiful piece of JUNK.  I am with you all the way with this one.  What a find.  The only way to change the world is through our children.  If they learn young they will carry it on.  I come from the generation that grew everything and canned or froze the produce.  My prayers will be with you on this.  Take Sylvia up on her offer.  She has the knowledge, wisdom and the connections to help you go forward.  Keep us updated.

[James J. Godsil]

C

Congratulations Nick!  And thanks to Sylvia and the Aquaponic Gardening partners for creating this wonderful collaborative space. Please know that Sweet Water's cascading teams and projects hope to accelerate the movement toward the day when 10% of our nation's schools have aquaponics miniatures, say by 2020, and 10% of the world's schools have them, say by 2025?  There are a number of people in Milwaukee who are eager to share their stories about aquaponics in our schools, neighborhoods, restaurants, and urban farms with you and yours!  Viva, aquaponics in our schools!

[Sylvia Bernstein]

Wow, Nick, that story sends chills down my spine and I'm wiping up my drool from the greenhouse photo.  What an incredible opportunity you have to make a real difference!  Please let me know if there is anything I can do to help you with your presentation on the 28th....