I am just so excited to be the newest member of Indigo Crossroads, (IC). IC is where I've decided to land and build my future. Here on 80 acres of mostly forest I get to see the bright stars at night and listen to the Owls off in the distance. Miller Creek runs right through the land here and next to my cabin. The sound of it is nurturing to the soul and great for meditation.
Find out more @
http://earthnation.world?affid=tammy-shore
http://earthnation.world?affid=tammy-shore
Welcome Home.
I'm so excited about being here at the beginning of such an amazing project. I'll be helping to fund one of the five off-grid aquaponic greenhouses scheduled to be built this spring. Our friend Tony will be showing up with a crew in February to begin the bunkhouse construction. Once the bunkhouse is complete then the construction of the first greenhouse gets underway. The first one will take a bit more funding as it will include an industrial kitchen. This kitchen will support all five greenhouses and will use filtered rainwater along with the well water already being used here on the farm.
"Aquaponics (/ˈækwəˈpɒnɪks/) refers to any system that combines conventional aquaculture (raising aquatic animals such as snails, fish, crayfish or prawns in tanks) with hydroponics (cultivating plants in water) in a symbiotic environment. In normal aquaculture, excretions from the animals being raised can accumulate in the water, increasing toxicity. In an aquaponic system, water from an aquaculture system is fed to a hydroponic system where the by-products are broken down by nitrifying bacteria initially into nitrites and subsequently into nitrates, which are utilized by the plants as nutrients, and the water is then recirculated back to the aquaculture system.
As existing hydroponic and aquaculture farming techniques form the basis for all aquaponics systems, the size, complexity, and types of foods grown in an aquaponics system can vary as much as any system found in either distinct farming discipline." (1)*
The yield is high and our greenhouse design also allows us to grow year round. All our produce will be registered organic as well as non-GMO. The greenhouses will create a wonderful permaculture cycle that will grow as long as there are people to tend the farm. The fish and other aquatic species are fed on the front end. We eventually will be producing some, if not all, of the fish food we need here on the farm. Of course we will harvest the fish as a source of food and for market depending on the yield, this will grow over time too I imagine.
I love that we're doing all of this as an off-grid project. It leaves room for imagination and new ways of doing things that may not have been thought of before. By using the scraps from the greenhouses after harvest as fodder for the animals, we continue the cycle that gives us eggs, milk, and for the non-vegans, bacon. Below we find a technique that fits in with the concept of permaculture.
"This is basically greenwater aquaculture.
Here in PH (and in most Asian tilapia-growing areas) chicken and pig poo are commonly used for "extensive" tilapia cultures (outdoors, low tech, minimal human intervention and as opposed to "intensive cultures"), and are introduced to newly-prepared fishponds as fertilizer for green algae. Existing ponds can also be fertilized to encourage/maintain algae growth.
This works with tilapia as they are primarily vegetarians and can filter green algae suspended in the water." ~qommunity (2)*
A Medicine Man named Four Eagles who manages the farm here told me that the "red cedar" that grows around the Ozark Mountain Bioregion are an invasive species which came up from Texas. Since this is the case, and that they tend to block out other food barring indigenous species of trees such as oak, Hickory, Black Walnut, etc., we have started to remove them. We will be using them for multiple things around the farm and one of them is the bunkhouse and greenhouses. Using rain catchment, solar panels, perhaps wind turbines, and other forms of grassroots energy we will have a fully functioning off-grid Garden Village!
"The development of modern aquaponics is often attributed to the various works of the New Alchemy Institute and the works of Dr. Mark McMurtry et al. at the North Carolina State University.[14] Inspired by the successes of the New Alchemy Institute, and the reciprocating aquaponics techniques developed by Dr. Mark McMurtry et al., other institutes soon followed suit. Starting in 1979, Dr. James Rakocy and his colleagues at the University of the Virgin Islands researched and developed the use of deep water culture hydroponic grow beds in a large-scale aquaponics system." (1)*
Another great project that will start here at IC this spring is the Business Village. I have already set it up with unlimited high-speed internet and the cabin that it is planned to be built around is where I currently live. It is a perfect start to a little business center as it has a kitchen and bathroom already there. The plan is to build additions onto it and make office space and cubicles for online, printing, filing, etc.. It will be great for 
Earth Nation is how I found Indigo Crossroads as EN is creating a network between eco-villages around the world. The shared vision we all have has the wind at its back with the platform that has been created by center coordinators
Get Started! http://earthnation.world?affid=tammy-shore
Get support: http://earthnation.world?affid=tammy-shore
The possibilities are endless it seems and I look forward to watching as the Indigo Crossroads visions unfolds and blossoms. Being a part of such an incredible expedition into the vast unknowns around our world and life is heartwarming and a huge relief from the toxins of the city. Here I have quiet and high-speed internet for Steemit and other business I do. I have a community of like-minded folks to socialize with. I have a vision to support and by applying myself I will prosper beyond my wildest dreams. Thank you all for making this happen.
If you are interested in getting into Steemit- I recommend these 2 free steemit academies.
It will give you very essential knowledge in how to successfully sign up and how it works.
https://steemit.com/earthnation/@earthnation-bot/my-name-is-earthnation-supportbot-i-am-here-to-serve-all-minnows-of-steem
Warm regards,
Tammy
INDIGO CROSSROADS ~ https://www.facebook.com/groups/516475102070194/
INDIGO CROSSROADS ~ https://www.facebook.com/groups/516475102070194/
1)* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aquaponics
2)* http://www.backyardaquaponics.com/ (qommunity wrote this in one of the forums)
