tour of Sacramento area aquaponics systems!

[Paul Trudeau]

Hey folks, how about we have a tour of aquaponics systems in the Sacramento area?  To keep it simple, it wouldn’t be for the general public, but mainly just for those of us with aquaponics set-ups (of any kind/size/stage of development).  It’d give us all a chance to see if we can learn from each other and help each other out.  Step one:  find out who’s interested in participating in the tour.  Are you?  Please let me know.   Thanks!

[Susie Gehri]

Paul:

I think this is a great idea!!  Bill and I would like to come, if it's not on a Saturday.

[Vonita V Murray]

Paul,

Got your message.  I would love to go on a tour.  At this point...I have an unbuilt hoophouse (the ground posts are in) and plans for a system...but it isn't built yet.  Email me at my website or give me a call (also on the site).  I would LOVE to chat. :)  www.mariposavalleyfarm.com

[Paul Trudeau]

Hi all, update on tour progress:  3 or more folks have up-and-running systems and want to participate in the tour; and there are at least that many out there that I think have up-and-running systems but haven't said yet whether they'd participate; and again at least that many out there with systems in some stage of construction/transition; and about twice as many so far who don't have systems yet but want to go on the tour.  A couple people suggested waiting til it's warmer so the systems are more productive.  That would also give folks time to finish building and/or respond to my invites.  So:  maybe we'll aim for May/June before it gets too blazing hot around here?  I'll keep trying to contact folks and get more info, including hints from others who have organized such tours before.  In the mean time, feel free to be in touch--Paul    [e-mail]

[Hilda]

Hi there, My husband and I total newbie. We are in Vacaville and would love to join the tour. We just want a small system set up to start and hopefully expand it later on when we know what we're doing :) Thanks so much!

 

[Susie Gehri]

Hi Hilda....Welcome!  Small systems are fun I think.  Have you checked out Murray Hallam's Aquaponics out of "totes" or IBC's.

Hilda said:

Hi there, My husband and I total newbie. We are in Vacaville and would love to join the tour. We just want a small system set up to start and hopefully expand it later on when we know what we're doing Thanks so much!

 

[Hilda]

We're ordering the book. We're waiting for Sylvia's book to come in the mail, too! Susie, where are you located at???

 
Susie Gehri said:

Hi Hilda....Welcome!  Small systems are fun I think.  Have you checked out Murray Hallam's Aquaponics out of "totes" or IBC's.

Hilda said:

Hi there, My husband and I total newbie. We are in Vacaville and would love to join the tour. We just want a small system set up to start and hopefully expand it later on when we know what we're doing Thanks so much!

 

[David Dudley]

 Thanks for the invite to this Sac Group...good to know such exist, as I have much interest and enthusiasm aquaponics....but much to learn.  I would welcome a tour opportunity.  Thanks again.

[Paul Trudeau]

Dudley,

cool, stay tuned here for tour news.  And if by chance you get a system up and running in the next few months, let me know!

Paul
[e-mail]

David Dudley said:

 Thanks for the invite to this Sac Group...good to know such exist, as I have much interest and enthusiasm aquaponics....but much to learn.  I would welcome a tour opportunity.  Thanks again.

[Paul Trudeau]

Hi gang,

We have a date!  The first-ever tour of Sacramento area aquaponics systems will be Sunday, June 10.  Please mark your calendar now!  We have a nice variety of systems to check out, with fish tanks ranging from table-top aquarium to hot-tub and maybe even a pool.  Many details yet to be worked out, but please save the date now.  I think this is going to be a lot of fun, and informative too (and for me it already has been both).  A few notes for now:

--there will be no charge for the tour.

--intended participants are those involved in aquaponics already to some degree at least.  If you're involved enough to have joined this forum, that should do.  What I don't want is for you to invite people not already involved in aquaponics, because the stops are mainly people's homes and yards, and space is limited.  So, if you and your family are working on starting a system, great, come on the tour.  But don't announce it to, for example, your kid's class and invite them all to come along so they can find out what aquaponics is all about.  (After you get your system started up, you can invite them to your house!).  Make sense?

--a special thanks to those who have offered to have their system be a stop on the tour.  Those folks are allowing you over to their homes out of the goodness of their hearts.  Plan to treat them nicely!

--so far a few stops are confirmed, and several others are possibilities (including some systems under construction right now).  Final tour schedule for the day will be worked out much closer to June 10. 

--plan on providing your own transportation.  We will try to organize carpools, but that's not guaranteed.  As fun as it would be, we're not going to rent a bus or anything like that.  Maybe another time.

--I guess it's not too early to hear from you:  please let me know if you want to participate in the tour.  Let me know how many people you'll come with, and whether you're participating as a "tourist" (ie visiting other people's systems) or as a "stop" (showing off your system) or both.  It should be possible to do both.  I'm anticipating that we'll have a schedule of specific times at specific stops--we won't be asking for stops to be open for visitors all day.  You can reach me on this forum or at [e-mail] or [phone] (cell). 

--I've organized many events large and small over time, but never an aquaponics tour.  If you have any thoughts, suggestions, questions, ideas, concerns, or offers of help (!), please let me know. 

 

Looking forward to this a lot!  Hope you are too.

 

Paul