I like the idea of buying a conventional farm and slowly convert it to '
permaculture'.
For the same reason I like the idea of taking a hydroponic farm and turning it to aquaponic.
Is hydroponic the most natural way of procuring food .... NOPE
I think it is an acceptable way to make money to start your real
permaculture farmstead later in life.
Way better than working at a coal power plant/sweatshop to save up money to fund a
permaculture farmstead.
I like Zip Grow Towers. What system are you thinking about using?
Once you do have enough 'outside' money coming in from the hydroponic setup.
How much money do you think it will cost you in fish feed to to 'import' enough minerals to grow your vegetables/herbs?
How does that compare to the cost of buying organic liquid/hydroponic fertilizer or regular artificial hydroponic fertilizer?
Is it possible to tap into a waste stream to make your own hydroponic fertilizer?
How much will it cost in energy/fossil fuel. To grow hydroponically vs getting a farm much further out and driving into town?
If you had 'unlimited' resource for your size market what would the most natural/permaculture aquaponic look like?
*pond uphill filled with 'fish/duckweed/life/nutrient'
*growbed downhill gravity feed (solar/wind+pump)
*possible an enrichment pod between the two above (extra nutrient/life/waste + aeration+ sand filter).
To me organic hydroponic is very similar to aquaponic to me. Except the fish food comes pre-digested for you.
So how could you do your own fish food digestion onsite. (I am a genius with a fish tank).
But other than a fish tank what would life forms could you use.
I say ferment the fish food, not only that don't even buy fish food. Get it from a waste stream, or grow onsite.