Yes, I like to think that I am Zen-like for many years, hope I'm not deluded. My zen has lead to this: I would like to share with you what may be the cutting edge way to grow your own food, cheap, easy, efficient, takes little time, little space, revolutionary, non-commercial: view photos at <A HREF="http://www.geocities.com/anttiveikko/HP/hp.html">M Y S I G H T</A> Hi, This is to let those who may be interested in the state of progress of the aquaponics, with its unique feature of 2 liter plastic pop bottles used for seedling holders and arranged in a vertical manner. Antti, a young man from Finland visited recently and took some photos after he helped retrofit the infrastructure of the greenhouse. Also, there is some photos of the smaller, portable version that is really more feasible for most people. In those photos, there is only one vertical column of plants hanging over a garbage can full of water, water plants, and some fish. This structure could easily hold 6 verticals, depending on their height, but if 6' could hold about 160 vegetable seedlings. The large version has only about 5 verticals in place, but has room for about 30 more, which I intend to install in the next few months, to bring it up to full capacity. This will also allow for the increase in fish and life in the raceway below. Currently there is only about 10 - 2 to 4 pound hybrid carp and one medium sized turtle. One can see that the water plants are flourishing and grow quite easily in this medium. The algae has been a major problem. Still water and sunlight make for algae, which clogs up the whole system. To counter this problem the 2 liter plastic pop bottles are dipped in black latex paint. This masks the sun from the water in the bottles. A roll of hay enclosed in a string bag keeps (mysteriously) t a synergistic system. The fish poo supplies the nutrients for the vegetables. The bacteria in the roots of the vegetables helps clean the fish water, the action of the falling water aerates it. The water plants both supply the food for the fish and clean the water. The more variety (plants and creatures) in the fish trench/eco-system the stronger and more resilient it becomes. Snails and weeds cannot reach the plants, the whole system requires daily monitoring in the morning and evening. Most of the bugs seem to be worked thru and if anyone wants to try it, I will be happy to supply whatever info is required to make it successful. This is a first step of a proactive, grassroots focus in order to help make individuals and communities enstrengthened thru becoming more autonomous, self-reliant, and resilient, in addition to laying the groundwork for the kind of just society that we all want and deserve. Kind Regards, Tom Osher San Francisco In a message dated 6/26/00 9:53:27 AM, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: << So.., we learn, we move on. Each person must find their own ZEN. jeff >>
