Visitations

[TCLynx]

Just had a visit from Greg Tarver and his wife today, they wanted to see an Aquaponic system in person before they start trying to build one of their own.  How lucky that they happened to be visiting Florida since where they currently live doesn't have too many Backyard aquaponics systems yet.

Too bad it rained on them but at least it was only a very light rain for part of the visit.

I was glad to meet them and am usually very happy to give tours around the farm to those who are interested.

[Rob Torcellini]

Very cool. It's always exciting to show people how simple it really is. I've had a few visitors come and see my setup too. Did I ever tell you the story about one of my visitors? ....it involved the police!

[TCLynx]

I'm not sure if you did Rob? Did they think you might be growing something not yet legal in your state?

[Rob Torcellini]

This spring we had a bunch of robberies in town…some were armed so everyone was on the lookout. I was at work one day and my wife was home. She looked out the window and there was an out-of-state car parked half-way up the driveway (our driveway is 300’ long). He then proceeded to drive up and down a few times, then along the road, then came up the drive again. She called at work to tell me about the stranger. I told her to call the police instead but she didn’t want to “cry wolf” since she called them the prior week about another suspicious car. I promptly called the state police (no local police here, we’re out in the boonies) while I kept her on the phone and they said they would be right out. In the meantime, the guy got out of his car and started wandering around the house….which really freaked my wife out. Within 5 minutes the police show up and started to interrogate our visitor. (5 minutes is excellent time and we later found out he was on his way to another break-in!)

Come to find out, the visitor had read about our system in the NY Times article and wanted to see it…..neglecting to call us first! He was driving up and down the driveway so he could get a cell signal and call. He was a Chinese professor visiting from Missouri State Univ. and was on spring break. He had nothing else to do and decided to fly into Providence and rent a car and come see the greenhouse. My wife still didn’t want him at the house while she was alone so he had to leave with the trooper without getting a good look at the greenhouse (and no, we didn’t have him arrested!)

I felt terrible about sending him away. He had left his phone number so I called him and invited him back the next day. He stayed for a couple of hours examining every detail of the system and had 3 pages of questions to ask! It was a good visit and I’m glad everything worked out in the end.

[Jim Tinker]

I've been throwing gh and ap tours..... been getting an average of 12 people per tour... its free and I have one every 3-4 weeks..... just trying to get the word out..Next tour is november 6th

JT

[TCLynx]

Now that's a story Rob. Kinda freaky. Glad the guy got a good tour finally though.

JT, I might have to start doing that sort of thing though I'm not sure that having groups would make it any easier as explaining the flow of my big system seems easiest to only about 3 people at a time. The times I've had larger groups I usually wind up having to go over it several times since the people further away from me seem to get distracted and need another go around.

the backyard 300 gallon system is much easier as it is really just the tank in ground and the indexing valve feeding the grow beds.

[Sahib Punjabi]

Great job fellow Aquaponic friends. Just keep Liability Insurance in mind. You home insurance may not cover such if they consider it to be a "business" and you have no endorsement for such. Not trying to be a scarecrow...just trying to help CYA. Worth checking :-)



TCLynx said:

Now that's a story Rob. Kinda freaky. Glad the guy got a good tour finally though.

JT, I might have to start doing that sort of thing though I'm not sure that having groups would make it any easier as explaining the flow of my big system seems easiest to only about 3 people at a time. The times I've had larger groups I usually wind up having to go over it several times since the people further away from me seem to get distracted and need another go around.

the backyard 300 gallon system is much easier as it is really just the tank in ground and the indexing valve feeding the grow beds.

[TCLynx]

Well the way things work around here. My business is in the computer and on the internet, anything outside my home is my personal garden since the business license doesn't allow for anything to do with my business outside the house nor does it allow for customers to come to the house.

[Michelle Silva]

I filed as an LLC ,so I think I would be covered..but good point, will check on that. It's kind of the same for me, not supposed to have customers come to the house. I been giving tours as well. I had an intern start today, a senior from a local high school, but they provide insurance for him. They have an aquaculture class and he wanted to learn about aquaponics! So cool!

Also, I want to thank Rachel for turning me onto wwoof!! What an awesome organization!!.First "wwoofer" as they call it, arrived today..a French woman, retired nurse who has been traveling around to different countries volunteering and learning. Finally getting some much needed help. After her a Beligum couple then a German woman.

[Sahib Punjabi]

Thank you Michelle & Rachel,

I too will join Wwoof as a Host Farm once I start my small commercial aquaponic farm :-)





Michelle Silva said:

I filed as an LLC ,so I think I would be covered..but good point, will check on that. It's kind of the same for me, not supposed to have customers come to the house. I been giving tours as well. I had an intern start today, a senior from a local high school, but they provide insurance for him. They have an aquaculture class and he wanted to learn about aquaponics! So cool!

Also, I want to thank Rachel for turning me onto wwoof!! What an awesome organization!!.First "wwoofer" as they call it, arrived today..a French woman, retired nurse who has been traveling around to different countries volunteering and learning. Finally getting some much needed help. After her a Beligum couple then a German woman.

[matt]

Sahib Punjabi said:

Great job fellow Aquaponic friends. Just keep Liability Insurance in mind. You home insurance may not cover such if they consider it to be a "business" and you have no endorsement for such. Not trying to be a scarecrow...just trying to help CYA. Worth checking :-)



TCLynx said:

Now that's a story Rob. Kinda freaky. Glad the guy got a good tour finally though.

JT, I might have to start doing that sort of thing though I'm not sure that having groups would make it any easier as explaining the flow of my big system seems easiest to only about 3 people at a time. The times I've had larger groups I usually wind up having to go over it several times since the people further away from me seem to get distracted and need another go around.

the backyard 300 gallon system is much easier as it is really just the tank in ground and the indexing valve feeding the grow beds.

[matt]

Do you happen to know of any insurance companies that cover commercial aquaponics for the sale of produce and fish?  I have spoken to several insurance companies and they have all said they have never heard of this and can't cover me.  Thanks,

Matt

Sahib Punjabi said:

Great job fellow Aquaponic friends. Just keep Liability Insurance in mind. You home insurance may not cover such if they consider it to be a "business" and you have no endorsement for such. Not trying to be a scarecrow...just trying to help CYA. Worth checking :-)



TCLynx said:

Now that's a story Rob. Kinda freaky. Glad the guy got a good tour finally though.

JT, I might have to start doing that sort of thing though I'm not sure that having groups would make it any easier as explaining the flow of my big system seems easiest to only about 3 people at a time. The times I've had larger groups I usually wind up having to go over it several times since the people further away from me seem to get distracted and need another go around.

the backyard 300 gallon system is much easier as it is really just the tank in ground and the indexing valve feeding the grow beds.

[TCLynx]

Ask if they have liability insurance for greenhouses or farms or aquaculture facilities?