The Organic Family Farm Canby OR

[Michael Silberstein]

We are the fist Commercial Aquaponics Farm in the PNW located in Canby Oregon. . We are centrally located with more then 2.5 million people with in one hr from farm 30 min to downtown Portland and 45 min to downtown Salem.Customers can take public transportation from down town PDX to one block from farm.

 We have had interest from New Seasons Market. They are willing to carry product in there stores once products are available.

 10+% of every harvest goes to locals in need threw food banks and other charities

 10+% of all income also goes to locals in need.

I started this business to provide Sustainable organic fruit and vegetables year around. 

we have a total of 3 acres of land and a 1.5 acre pond. The pond is stocked with trout and is spring feed.

Our Starting System will consist of 

10000 sq ft greenhouse

18 count 1400 gallon fish tanks. 

2 count 700 gallon sumps tanks

20000 gallons of grow beds

1000 gallon raft tank

400 sq-ft of Fodder growing.

300 tomato FD system

Stocking at 1 lb fish to 5 gallon water.  130 lb fish a week 

We have both water rights to the well on sight and the pond. the pond is feed by a spring and run off. both water sores have been tested and are clean.

 We are looking for investors to help use build out our system

[Michael Silberstein]

The greenhouse came with the property.

[Alex Veidel]

Sounds a little violent being "The Fist Commercial Aquaponics system". Is that like a communist regime and aquaponics put together? Sorry for crackin' wise... :)

[Michael Silberstein]

Would you like to try that again? because with my brain trauma i have no clue what you are trying to say. as fare as i can tell US english everything is correct. So why the reference to Communism?

its a commercial Farm as in for profit selling to others and paying taxes...

I have not clue what your reference is to,

Thank you

Alex Veidel said:

Sounds a little violent being "The Fist Commercial Aquaponics system". Is that like a communist regime and aquaponics put together? Sorry for crackin' wise...

[Alex Veidel]

I don't know, the word "fist" for some reason just made me think of the phrase "ruling with an iron fist", which lead to the comment about the regime. I just assumed you meant "first" and accidentally dropped the "r". Forget about it, it was a stupid joke anyway :)

[Jason Wosle]

I'm interested!  Please contact me.  You should've also received a short message to your inbox.

[Michael Silberstein]

Hello Jason,

  I would love to discuss what is going on at TOFF and what we need. I have not seen any message yet in any inbox.  I do understand your in Eugene that is about 1.5 hrs South of Farm by car or Amtrak has a commuter train that starts there and goes right past the Farm with a stop in Oregon City. With Public transit bus service from train station to within a 1/4 mile from farm.

Like I said there is public transportation to Farm.

Jason Wosle said:

I'm interested!  Please contact me.  You should've also received a short message to your inbox.

[Michael Silberstein]

The greenhouse is a little old but its installed on the farm. there are a few repairs that need to be done due to this green house has not been used for a few years. there are 5 broken roof panels. There is electricity to greenhouse. 240v  But due to time not used the other systems need to be checked before being powered. There is 2 plugs that are powered at 120v  more then enough for our system

[Dawn Owens]

So it sounds like you have acreage, plenty of water sourced and a greenhouse.  Why not start small with whatever you can afford to put in now (there's lots of ways of doing this without spending a lot of money), and as you sell produce, invest the proceeds back into the system and expand it.  You should be able to get started with just a few thousand in initial costs.  Those commercial aquaponics systems you may have seen which start out with 50K to 150K in massive greenhouses and tanks, etc., are up to their necks in debt, at least at first.  Better to start out slow.  Maybe if you have friends who need jobs/work/a career, they could invest a bit into this also. If your product is in demand, you'll sell everything you can produce and invest profits as able.  Check out the 'Friendly Aquaponics' site; they are in Hawaii but most of their information would work in Portland's climate.  All of their past newsletters are available on their site for the reading, and they themselves say that all their trial-and-error proven systems posts there are the equivalent of their $1K course.  I like that they've put their tank/raft systems right on the ground rather than build them up on platforms, it's cheaper; they recommend what liners, etc. to use to allow yourself to be organically certifiable down the road, which means you'll be able to charge more for a premium product.  

[Michael Silberstein]

Agree.. I am building the system as we go. we have one Sump and 7 grow beds started. We will be building the main Fish tanks in House for the cost of a tote. to build the tanks it 2 16ft cattle panels ($32 each) and a liner ($100 each)  I have recruited a few people for labor. But I live on a small VA payment and pay all the bills for the farm with it also. I Have been give a lot from everyone that can. From a ford f150 for gathering supplies, 2 2 hr pumps. 1 one horse pump. 2 water heaters. Fish safe  not tank) was given a 4 car garage took that down and used most to build the 7 grow beds 

Due to the lease I can not dig holes for any tanks. That was first choice.  I can put plumbing in ground if covered.

I am doing research to make sure every part of our system is Organic compliant. 

To completely built  we still need to get

4k board feet lumber.

18 tank liners

800 ft bed-liner

Grow-media to fill

36 cattle panels

4800ft plumbing 

Here is a larger version of the tanks I am building. and an Arial of the farm.  one block from Fred Meyers. 

[Michael Silberstein]

We are not needing 50k We are only needing a Few K. this will be used to finish the first stage of the build out. This will provide 2 fish tanks and supporting systems, grow beds, and fish.  then about every month 1 or 2 fish tanks and beds  taking about 9 months to complete system and be fully running. Over the Summer We will also be using the out side aria to produce more food to provide the needed income to do the aquaponics expansions.

[Dawn Owens]

Michael, what are cattle panels?  I presume bent metal fencing, like a metal gate?  

I've seen some designs for both the plants and as fish tanks that are wooden planks on ground level, held in place with metal rods secured into the ground.  The water is held in with food-safe liners; most of the weight of the water is right on the ground so not much chance of leaks or worse.  If you use a floating raft system, you won't need to buy grow-media, I would think that's cheaper (?).  And depending on what kind of fish you choose, you shouldn't need heaters in your climate.  I'm planning on koi (will be building out the system this winter/spring) but I don't want to get into harvesting for meat which I've decided grosses me out and would not be cost effective in any event. It also adds a huge amount to the legal side of things.  I'll be growing worms to augment their diet and they will easily take whatever cold or hot weather my southern Oregon climate will throw at them.  

Good luck with everything! 

[Michael Silberstein]

Cattle Panels are 16foot by 4 ft fence panels that are for cattle or other livestock.  they are typically 6 gauge metal rod welded together. they are rigid but can be bent to a round. Placing the ring on level ground place liner and done.. 

Here is a photo of larger tanks made this way.

tank design.JPG

Dawn Owens said:

Michael, what are cattle panels?  I presume bent metal fencing, like a metal gate?  

I've seen some designs for both the plants and as fish tanks that are wooden planks on ground level, held in place with metal rods secured into the ground.  The water is held in with food-safe liners; most of the weight of the water is right on the ground so not much chance of leaks or worse.  If you use a floating raft system, you won't need to buy grow-media, I would think that's cheaper (?).  And depending on what kind of fish you choose, you shouldn't need heaters in your climate.  I'm planning on koi (will be building out the system this winter/spring) but I don't want to get into harvesting for meat which I've decided grosses me out and would not be cost effective in any event. It also adds a huge amount to the legal side of things.  I'll be growing worms to augment their diet and they will easily take whatever cold or hot weather my southern Oregon climate will throw at them.  

Good luck with everything!