Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Can Organic Cropping Systems Be As Profitable As Conventional Systems?
ScienceDaily (Apr. 7, 2009) — Which is a better strategy, specializing in one crop or diversified cropping? Is conventional cropping more profitable than organic farming? Is it less risky?
This study indicates that governmental policy that supports mono-culture systems is outdated and support should be shifted to programs that promote crop rotations and organic farming practices.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/20 ... 132600.htm

Germany to ban cultivation of GMO maize
"The suspicions that genetic maize damages nature and animals are so widespread that a ban is absolutely necessary,"
http://www.newsdaily.com/stories/tre53d ... rmany-gmo/

Too bad the U.S. government and big business don't listen.....

GMO ruins natural plants that are similar. It should all be baned, but over here only taxable profits matter.

Is true.

From same article.....

Fight Organic Farming by making the term "Organic" worthless in the eyes of the consumer. Without strict policing of standards Agri-Business will win.
http://www.organicconsumers.org/organic ... egrity.pdf

And sadly the "organic" cause is hindered somewhat... and, albeit unmeaningly, assists confusion... by the certification standards being restricted to definitions of "soil based" growing systems...

Even hydroponic systems and grow media usually fall outside the "definitions"... and won't be certified... as is the case with AP systems...

Unfortunately, much of the resistance to expanding the definitions... often comes from within the certification bodies themselves...

As discussed previously in much depth through many threads... hopefully we can ultimately change the paradigm...

Pity about AP. Is perfectly organic. Should have certification IMO. Especially if no processed foods fed to the fish.

Can understand about hydroponics.... adding man-processed fertilisers in balance for plant growth is not truly organic. The original mineral salts used, for instance, can be organic, but are purified and processed to be water soluble. Too much interference with nature. AP may sound similar to hydroponics to some but I believe is actually vastly different and superior. Many micro-environments are active that we know little to nothing about as we enjoy the benefits. The less we fiddle with nature and instead look to giving her the best we can to get the job done the better the results I think. Permaculture fascinates me for this very reason. Less and less care needed over time the more successfully these principles are established.

Question: Is AP only AP if fish and plants are in a water recycling system? Is a system with fish and plants... but where fish water goes to "waste" in plant beds.... still considered AP? I know it would be considered Permaculture.

Question for ROO: You know if these organic certification standards regarding AP are worldwide .... or only in certain countries?

Does anyone want to know how bad the water shortage is here in California, also known as the bread basket of the world????
As you read some of these articles, you will understand that there are two reasons for the water shortage- drought and trying to protect an endangered species, the delta smelt.
It will be interesting to see, as global warming progresses, how long it will take the government and the environmental people to understand that we will not be able to save all of the species that come under this direct threat- global warming is a species killer.
Groves of redwood trees are indiginous only to California but it has already been predicted that if they can not migrate fast enough to Oregon, they too will become extinct in the wild.

Water shortage no surprise in the south
No Central Valley Project water will be delivered to Westlands, Panoche and San Luis water districts and Tranquility and James irrigation districts along with 17 other districts along the Valley's west side.
Friant deliveries to east side growers amount to 25 percent of normal, but they are in jeopardy if districts with senior water rights claim a share.
In the south valley, Kern County Water Agency reports it will only receive 15 percent of its State Water Project allotment.
http://www.capitalpress.info/main.asp?S ... M=17879.52

Water shortage forces avocado growers to cut down trees
60 percent of the state's avocados grow in the region affected by the water cuts – a swath of land from Simi Valley to the Tijuana border. These days, large patches of that land look like graveyards – with rows and rows of avocado tree stumps painted white to keep out the bugs.
http://www.scpr.org/news/stories/2009/0 ... _0414.html

Updated allocations show severe water shortages will remain
In reaction to the water shortages, farmers throughout California are now fallowing ground and pulling out orchards and vineyards. Many are preparing to take emergency measures to help permanent crops survive until the water supply picture improves.
Meanwhile, groundwater supplies are shrinking and there appears to be little help in the offing from water sales and transfers due, in part, to water export constraints in the delta and infrastructure limitations.
http://www.cfbf.com/agalert/AgAlertStor ... 27CFC84FD0

$5.00 Lettuce Headed Our Way As California Water Shortage Cripples Growers
California’s sweeping Central Valley grows most of the country’s fruits and vegetables in normal years, but this winter thousands of acres are turning to dust as the state hurtles into the worst drought in nearly two decades.
http://www.mygtv.net/?p=15808

Marchers will seek water for Valley
The west side should pour its energy into diversifying the economy away from large-scale, irrigated agriculture, said Mindy McIntyre, water program manager at the Planning and Conservation League.
"It's unfortunate that so many are so dependent on such an unsustainable and unreliable water supply," she said.
http://www.fresnobee.com/local/story/1325221.html

Cutting down trees to save water is the most backwards thing I can think of.

Is like stopping breathing to save on air... Totally short-sighted.

Except of course the palm trees outside the palace in Frank Herbert's Dune. But yeah, I agree.

If you are referring to the avocado trees, if you read the whole article, under the circumstances, it is probably the best thing the farmers could have done. Stumping avacado trees doesn't kill them, just reduces their water usage but it does take three years to even get a crop again. The sad part is that there are no avocados to sell or buy for those three years.

Granted, I did not RTFA .

But my point was more that trees create more rain. Of course, I don't know the spacing utilized, so it's possible (probable?) that the way the avocado trees are planted, they are a drain.

In the lower Mississippi they are patroling the levees as high river levels peak around here in the Greater Baton Rouge area! It's a shame we couldn't divert water to the far west like California. I'm sure the costs would be enormous. If it were done I would prefer it to be done in huge underground pipe aquafers Those huge mining machines like put in the tunnel under the English Channel could do it. There would also be a huge environmental price to pay from invasive aquatic species that are in the Mighty Muddy's waters, but sure would make a lot of barren land come alive.

Ah, if you only knew the history of this place. Our water shortage is more than a recent event; it has been a work in progress for a long time. This area that I live in, the central valley, had the largest body of water west of the Mississippi. The water table use to be only 10 feet below the surface. The rivers were dammed and the water diverted into canals. It made for great fertile bottom land, hence the great agriculture here but the water table is now at 100 feet and dropping.

Tulare Lake
Tulare Lake is a normally dry fresh-water lake that was formerly the largest in the Western United States.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tulare_Lake

When they cut into the mountainside to make the grape vine freeway, they hit an underground aquifer that they just let spill to the ocean- 100,000 gallons a day for three weeks so they could finish the freeway.
Road Trip With Huell Howser #122 - RIDGE
http://www.calgold.com/roadtrip/

BRB, your sentiments about bringing water from the East is a nice thought but "they" already have plans to get water from Canada if it gets really bad. Why exploit your assets when you can exploit someone elses? I once read a report about blue water- it was a real eye opener- moving water to different locations and exploiting drinkable water as a military weapon, particularly in the Middle East where there is a shortage anyway. I haven't been able to find it again but if I do, I will post here. Why do you think I suspect that Bush's desire to own land in Paraguay is so suspicious, being over the largest fresh water aquifer in the entire world? Oh and if you're interested you can purchase the headwaters to this wonderous aquifer and 255,371 acres of Fazenda Santo Antonio do Paraíso for a mere $74 million.
The ranch balances precariously between the world's largest wetlands—the 68,000-square-mile Pantanal—and the world's largest soybean farm. While the property supports a herd of 23,000 grass-fed cattle and 7,500 acres of tilled soybean fields, 89 percent of it has been meticulously maintained in its original state, making it an island oasis for more than 420 bird species, two recently discovered insect species, and some of the most diverse wildlife in Brazil.
http://outside.away.com/outside/destina ... zil-1.html

The Guaraní Aquifer, located beneath the surface of Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay, is one of the world's largest aquifer systems and is an important source of fresh water.[1] Named after the Guaraní tribe, it covers 1,200,000 km², with a volume of about 40,000 km³, a thickness of between 50 m and 800 m and a maximum depth of about 1,800 m. It is estimated to contain about 37,000 km³ of water (arguably the largest single body of groundwater in the world, although the overall volume of the constituent parts of the Great Artesian Basin is much larger), with a total recharge rate of about 166 km³/year from precipitation. It is said that this vast underground reservoir could supply fresh drinking water to the world for 200 years.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guarani_Aquifer

We don't just need trees... we need forests. If a tree needs to be cut down then plant 10 where it can start a forest. Sometimes quick solutions bring long-term problems. The whole paradigm of the challenge needs to be considered. As Tamo said.... forests bring rain.

+1. Its a prove fact that tree encourage rain fall. There is a mountain area not to far from el paso where there is a forest in a canyon. There is significantly more rainfall inside the canyon than on the outside where there is little tree life.