What do you know about Aquaponic Gardening ?

Re-blogged from

A Brief Introduction to Aquaponic Gardening

Friday, May 10, 2013 | 0 comments

By Jonathan Parker

Aquaponics is an amazing permaculture method that may have been practiced as far back in history as the Aztec civilization. There are records of the Aztec people raising fish alongside of crops that were alien to the growing environment, using the nitrite and ammonia rich water as a fertilizer base for the crops they were growing.

This is the basic premise of aquaponics, combining aquatic and agricultural ecosystems in a mutually beneficial symbiotic relationship.

Hydroponics
Hydroponics is a method of growing plants that involves feeding the plants nutrients through the water source alone, sans soil. The various scientific discoveries that lead to the current systems of hydroponics were actually spaced over hundreds of years with each researching building on the foundations laid by his predecessors. Dr. William Gericke is considered by many to be one who finally pulled it all together and perfected the technique, naming the system for 'hydros' ( water) and 'ponos' ( working).  The benefits of hydroponic growing are many.

• No soil is used ( although sometimes a medium such as clay balls or rocks may be included). 

• You can control the level of nutrients your crop receives and balance waste more efficiently.

• Pests and diseases are easier to manage due to mobile containers and the ability to isolate what you grow.

• In a hydroponic system, many plants will grow just as well, and usually better than their soil based counterparts.

• Plants grown in this system are much easier to care for and harvest.

And there are many other benefits as well.

Aquaculture
Practiced for hundreds of centuries by everyone from the Romans to the Chinese. Aquaculture is simply the farming of fish, eels, shellfish or any other 'aquatic' life. Something as simple as raising goldfish in a backyard pong could be considered aquaculture. There are concerns raised with aquaculture. The disposal of waste, protection of local species and interference with the natural environment are issues that anyone undertaking aqua-farming should consider.

A more aesthetically pleasing design is optional of course.

Aquaponics combines many of the benefits of hydroponics and aquaculture and removes some of the drawbacks. When raising fish ( or any creature ) in a closed environment without natural water movement the waste produced by your little friends will accumulate and eventually make the water toxic. Whats interesting is that the same waste that will eventually kill your fish can be converted by plants into beneficial nitrogen. By arranging a pump that flows from the bottom of the Aquaculture bin to the connected Hydroponic bed oxygenates and cleans the water while nourishing the plants at the same time. A small system like the one to the right can be built for less than $100 dollars.

Aquaponic systems aren't for everyone. Although less than a regular garden, they do require a bit of work. The small pump, if not run off solar power, will add a little to your monthly energy bill. Consider this though. With a few lights over your system, and a relatively temperate indoor space, you could raise fish and crops year round. Will all the amazing advances in permaculture, there is no reason why anyone should not be able to have a flourishing and abundant food system in their own backyard, and this is just one of the many ways you can do that.

Jonathan Parker is an EMT-Paramedic and Preparedness Instructor with a love for emergency medicine, self-sufficiency and homesteading. His goal is to empower people towards a natural and sustainable lifestyle.

Tags: aquaculture, aquaponics, jonathan-parker, natural-living, permaculture

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New Ideas about Water

Reblogged from Waking Times

4 Fresh Water Ideas That Could Change The World

June 4, 2013 | By Dylan Charles | 1 Reply

Jonathan Parker, Guest
Waking Times

2013. The year of flying cars and private space travel right? My broken phone that's lying on the floor next to the chair has more computing power than existed in the whole world 40 years ago  We are no longer talking about how to reach space, but what mundane tasks to do when we get there. Hmm, well, there still is a big demand for real estate with a view.

But people smarter than me estimate that 20% of the worlds population has almost zero access to clean drinking water. Priorities, shmiorities. (shmiorities Jon, really?) Yeah really.

Well, thankfully, there are still quite a few more people out there, also smarter than me, that are working on solutions for this problem. If you haven't heard of these ideas before, they are quite sciency (Yeah, I did it again. So?)  Lets check out number one.

1. Self filling water bottles

This idea is number 1 for no other reason than it's my favorite concept. A water bottle that gathers moisture from the ambient environment and fills itself for your drinking pleasure. NBD Nano is the name of the company, and I honestly believe they could change the world.The design is actually science at the nano-particle level. Using materials originally designed by MIT researchers to be used as water harvesting surfaces, they actually use a design that is extremely hydrophobic (water literally can not cling to it, it scatters away) and manipulate the surface texture in such away that it traps water. I won't venture into the extreme details, but it's a lot more complicated than just stretching some plastic over a tube and calling it a day. They manipulate nanoparticles and various experimental polymers in such a way that their prototypes are expected to draw up to 3 liters of water an HOUR depending on the environment.

Of course the idea doesn't have to stop there. If you had a perpetually self-filling water bottle, why not have a perpetually self-filling hot water tank in your house? Radiator in your car? Public drinking fountains? I have to stop there, because so many other ideas kept popping into my head I could fill the whole article with them. The first production models are likely to be expensive, but that's where this modern world of ours really excels. Flat screens that cost thousands of dollars 10 years ago can be had for hundreds these days. As technology becomes easier to produce, the products created from them tend to drop dramatically in price.

I feel like there are plenty of people out there with deep pockets that could find it in their hearts to contribute to a cause like this. Millions of children being able to drink freely without cramping and illness should be enough of a motivator to tug someone's heartstrings. Or at least their wallets. After all, it's not every day you get to invest in something that every person in the world could use.

2. Seawater Greenhouse

I have to say, It was a toss up between the seawater greenhouse and the perpetual water bottle. (Sounds like a quote from Dr. Who.) And if I think about them too much I might have to switch them, so I'm just going to dive right in.

Finding a way to extract fresh water from the oceans has been on a lot of minds for a long time. And there have been many close successes. Sundrop Farms seems to have conquered many of the hurdles and created a system that is already functioning in many locations around the world. Their design not only produces clean, drinkable water from salt water, it creates a closed loop of energy, moisture and cooling/heating properties that can produce thousands of pounds of tomatoes a year. And it's not a concept, they are already doing just that!

I admire this company because they have embraced many self-sustaining concepts without becoming total eco-maniacs. Their greenhouse draws on the salt water, heats it, which releases the moisture into the air of the greenhouse and cools the ambient temperature (most of the greenhouse are in hot, arid zones). They are almost completely solar powered and can turn a desert into a blooming garden in a few months. The system also promotes year round growing so the food output is only limited by the size of the greenhouse. Check out the graphic below for a visual of the system.

So far, the only waste produced are the filters on which the salt condenses – and these have lasted over two years without any sign of needing replacing. The designers anticipate the filters could be cleaned and reused or recycled as building materials. I could envision a few miles of these along the U.S. coastline, producing drinking water, solar energy and thousands of tons of fresh organic produce every year.

Hey, a guy can dream can't he? Another idea that instantly came to mind was combining a system like this with a aquaculture system, which we have mentioned before. One of the issues they ran across in development was the quality of the water produced. It was actually too clean, to the point of being distilled. Distilled water is OK for drinking, but it lacks many of the nutrients needed for healthy plant production. It made me wonder if the addition of aquatic life to the system might resupply some of the vital nutrients, and provide a protein source to boot. Maybe one day.

3. Desert based water-producing wind turbines

Say that five times fast. This is a great idea based on (in my mind) a failing concept. Wind turbines that produce energy have proven to have some detrimental effects on local environments and birds. That might be less of problem in the desert, especially considering these are expected to produce up to 1000 liters of water a day. In the desert, Eole Water has already attracted the attention of top industrial partners like Siemens, Carel and Danfoss for their design.

Air is drawn in through vents on the turbine and heated to produce steam, the steam is condensed into water which is then filtered down to a tank system on the bottom. It doesn't have the added benefit of producing food, and there are a lot of moving parts to maintain, but with turbine production still running full tilt in many parts of the world, It isn't too far out to imagine on of these being set up in local village hubs. It might even help produce jobs, in that every time it broke down you would have to ship in engineers to fix it. Not to mention the cost of building one hovers at just over half a million dollars. Still, it's a step in the right direction, and a thousand liters of clean water a day (Again. In the desert) is nothing to sneeze at.

4. Water producing billboard?

Last but not least was the novel concept that inspired me to write this article. A billboard that produces potable (drinkable) water. The University of Engineering and Technology in Peru designed  a billboard that produces water from the humidity in the air. Well, maybe it is least. Out of all the concepts, this one requires a solid on-the-grid connection to perform its primary function. And while it may work in the desert, even in a  climate with up to 90% humidity, it only produces about 100 liters a day. UTEC claims they are cheap to install, at about a 1200 dollar set up.

What's interesting is the method the University chose to finance the project. You could set up a system like this anywhere, but rarely would the free water pay for its own creation. Attaching it to a billboard has added a revenue stream to the project, and they have even seen an increase in advertising interest after the first water billboard was produced, which was beneficial to the University and will hopefully fund more clean water for local Peruvians. Not bad for what started out as a demonstration of the school's engineering program.

I look forward to seeing what these projects will produce in the future and wish all those looking out for their fellow man the best of luck. May humanity win!

About the Author

Jonathan Parker is an EMT-Paramedic and Preparedness Instructor with a love for emergency medicine, self-sufficiency and homesteading. His goal is to empower people towards a natural and sustainable lifestyle.

This article is an original feature of NaturalBlaze.com, an excellent source of news and information about natural health and wellness. 

This article is offered under Creative Commons license. It's okay to republish it anywhere as long as attribution bio is included and all links remain intact.

Re-blogged from Care2

10 Unusual Uses for Peanut Butter

• Becky Striepe
• June 4, 2013
• 5:05 pm
• 42 comments

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We all know that peanut butter is tasty on a sandwich, but did you know that there are lots of uses for this savory spread beyond making lunch? Check out some of these unusual uses for peanut butter!

Of course, peanut butter has cooking uses beyond sandwiches. You can use it as a base for a Thai peanut sauce or even to make your own dog biscuits, but it's actually pretty handy outside of the kitchen, too!

If you're allergic to peanuts, these methods will work with a non-allergenic replacement, like sunflower seed butter. It's the natural oils that are doing the work, and in most cases sunflower butter has the goods to do the work, too!

From personal grooming to home repair, peanut butter comes in handy all around your home. And the best part? In a lot of cases, you can use peanut butter in place of quite a few chemical products! Here are a few of the interesting ways that you can use peanut butter to replace household and grooming products.

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Rice - and the Use of it besides eating ...

Re-blogged from Care2
Rice -and the Use of it besides eating .....

13 Surprising Uses of Rice -

• Katie Waldeck
• May 29, 2013
• 5:59 pm
• 247 comments

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Rice isn't just for dinner! This staple is a multi-purpose wonder: it keeps your feet warm, it rescues your fancy electronics, it does difficult cleaning jobs, and even keeps your pet entertained. Click through to read these and more clever ways to use rice.

Earlier: 15 Surprising Uses for Apples

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Superfoods you are probably not eating !

Re-blogged from "Care2"

8 Superfoods You Probably Aren't Eating

• Samantha, selected from Planet Green
• April 16, 2012
• 6:06 pm
• 394 comments

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By Sara Novak, Planet Green

Sometimes we get caught up in the routine of eating the same foods over and over again. Often times it's not that healthful eating isn't tasty, but rather it's the lack of variety. Adding a variety of super nutrient dense foods to our diet ensures that we're getting the laundry list of vitamins and minerals that the body needs to thrive.

Most aspects of a healthy diet are quite obvious. We know that fruits and vegetables are healthy and processed foods are not healthy. Too much meat and fried foods are also not healthy. There are, however, those foods that we should be eating but for one reason or another we tend to overlook. Consider superfoods that you haven't yet added to your diet along with some ideas about how to put them to work in your favorite recipes.

(Click through to the end, or click the left arrow button, for a text-only version.)

1. Spirulina

Spirulina is a blue green algae that's a wonderful food especially for those that avoid meat products. Though this is certainly true of everyone, a deficiency in B12 is more common in vegans and some vegetarians because B12 is found in animal products. If you're feeling really tired and rundown, you might not be getting enough. There is no whole food source of B12 for vegans, except for spirulina. What's more, spirulina has iron. A deficiency of iron, also called anemia, is a very common ailment in our population. Add spirulina to shakes and smoothies by the spoonful.

Image credit: SweetOnVeg via Flickr

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More News about Foods' Benefits

Re.blogged from "care2"

Seven Foods That Fight Inflammation and Belly Fat

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Fruits and vegetables

All fruits and vegetables, due to their rich nutrient and fiber content, help to combat chronic inflammation, so make sure to include adequate amounts of these foods daily. Some types of fresh produce, however, are even more potent than others.

Some terrific anti-inflammatory fruits and vegetables to include in your meal plan include apples, berries, broccoli, mushrooms, papaya, pineapple, and spinach.

Energy Forecast for June 2013 by Lee Harris

Re-blogged this via Laura Bruno's Blog

June 2013 Energy Forecast – Lee Harris

Jun 3

Posted by Tania Marie's Blog

 

 

 

 

 

 

1 Vote

This is a FABULOUS sharing from Lee, in my opinion. So mirroring of what I've been talking about/reflecting back with others, as well as experiencing/reflecting on myself. He perfectly pin points the energetic themes that have been taking place.

Themes include:

• Compression around finance and money worries – rooted in survival and your feelings/beliefs about this and opening to bigger safety within your experience
• Continued awareness and opening expansively carries with it also the inevitability of your needing to open to and face EVERYTHING – to include the shadow aspects
• Going further than you've ever gone before
• Allowing yourself to catch up with the huge opening you have been doing
• Finding that it is quick and easy to reset your mental patterns and catch things to shift your experiences
• Becoming more of an observer, which lets the mental chatter release and you can focus on how the body is feeling
• Your healing hands are becoming increasingly more important
• Anxiety will be assisted by going beyond the thoughts and into the body and feelings to help them feel safe to release it, which in turn creates a relationship of trust with your body and opens to beautiful experiences
• Some are experiencing heightened awakenings, more connectedness and peacefulness – keep riding this
• There are different ways to work with aspects going on in the world that may to some be shocking in the form of agendas and forces on the planet that are operating from a different energy field and focus – this can be liberating and create more conscious choices around actions taken that mirror you
• One way to work with these energies is talking out and taking stands against things and another way is working on your higher self and allowing your energy field to become as bright and as beautiful and centered as possible – both are needed, valid, and equally as powerful as part of creating shifts
• Rewriting your scripts and stories so that the energy and feelings surrounding your old stories are different and match the new place and reality of where you are now and want to be
• Loosen personal structures
• Breathe your way through it and ride the energy expansion waves – flow with times of expansion and contracting when needed, without judgement, and when contracting, realize it isn't losing your power, but drawing you deeper into the heart, yourself, and that core power at center that also is just as expansive as the outer realm
• Things are becoming more alive in our world, which is why it may be difficult to plan and easier to ride the waves, as well as important to be willing to be vulnerable with intimacy between self and others, moment to moment – this will change your experience and that of the people around you as well to being freer
• We are bringing our higher selves back into the body
• Anxiety will come from not slowing down or stopping when needed – pause the speed train or get off of it for a moment and allow the feelings to come up from this
• The driving masculine side is no longer needed to be running the show anymore
• Challenge yourself to not do what you do every single day – try something different from your norm
• Invite more intimacy into your life and more loving people into your experience
• Sensitivity to energetics is increasing for more people – be aware of how you feel in every moment and situation
• Any self-judgment really needs to be taken on now, as it won't last much longer in anyone on this planet
• Catch your negative thoughts and words and where they come from
• We are breaking with our history and embracing the reality of constant evolution
• Remind yourself that you are saf

http://youtu.be/120gqwpUscE

Re-blogged via Oracle and Healers

June 4, 2013

Darkness and Light

Blessed are you that continue to shine even as the swirling, curling darkened mists surround and threaten to envelope you. Rejoice in your light, bring brightness to the world and sing with your souls to The Universe. The harmony always awaits your melody. ~ Creator