Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

I had feared that was how it was going to come across as.

But when don't these ideas come across as money grubbing.

Considering there would be property lawyers involved with what I would assume as large contracts to sign.
The money going into a trust account held by the lawyers, I can't see how I would get the money.

Of course I am aware of peoples fears regarding too good to be true scenarios... Hence why I would do everything in my power to ensure people are safe in their investment.

But on anything of this scale, money does need to change hands in order for progress to be made.
And even tho it won't carry any weight, I am not in this for money.
I just want the lifestyle and I have come to the realization that I will need others to help me achieve this goal.
Hence why I have asked for interest.
Considering what I am proposing, it would have been easy for me to say $50,000 and make a profit.
But since I have listed and stated $10,000 per buy-in and member limited based on chosen property.

Then any money claimed will be exactly the equally shared portion of the total cost of the property.
Hence me not making any profit.

@earthbound - Exactly, and I want to give people that chance if they have like minds.

You can't expect people not to be suspicious Gareth...

You start your "network" and website around the middle of November last year... put together a small system around the same time....

http://www.youtube.com/user/KindredNetwork

Move to a new location... with a small blue grow bed system....



Post almost immediately about "aquaponics"... including postulations about stocking density being expressed as "one fish per 20L".. totally ignoring the critical factor of stocking to filtration density and feed rates...

And now appear out of nowhere... and ask people to throw money in your direction...

You've obviously been sifting through the forums for some time... and have gather your information... and great....

But, and no offence meant.... listening to your youtube video... (and the others)....and viewing the photo above.... seems to suggest that you're both young, and probably renting... neither of which in itself have any criticism attached...

But sorry.... I don't see a level of life experience there that would lead me to "invest" in your project... let alone any level of financial/investment... or business experience...

But hey... if you're genuine... go for it....

All your points are valid and I don't disagree with anything you have stated.

I am 29 so I can't say I am young and yet I am not old

I think the issue here is perceived experience.
While new over all to AP and many aspects of 100% self sufficiency... This isn't a project that I will completely control or oversee in every aspect.

The project is simply to get like minded people together for the community.
It is about getting a diverse selection of people who can together, make a strong community.

I do plan on getting this property one way or another. My main trade is Game Development and my company will be releasing a new game in the next year hopefully. That should yield me with enough money to buy property that will allow me to proceed with this project.

That being said, I still lack the experience you mention.
And at that stage, I would still need others around me to fill those areas.

The only difference between the two options, is that in this one, everyone would have equal shares.
Whereas the other, I would own the land 100% and could dictate anything I wanted.

However I am smart enough to realize that it still wouldn't get me what I am after.

There is a phrase I've heard in my life and it will play well here...
"Knowing my weakness is my greatest strength".

I play to my strengths... One of those is that I am a fast learner and can adapt very quickly.
I managed to assemble a stable AP system within a week of reading up about it.

With that... I hope people still aren't discouraged.

have a go..... I would love to share a heap of land with like minded people and do a heap of different farming styles in one area..... would be awse

Thanks mate, for provoking me to dream a little today

Sounds perfect to me but coming back to reality most the people who get involved in these sort of communs are from a different planet, My auntie was real big in this sorta stuff back in the day now shes constantly posting AJ Miller clips on facebook, I've gotta wonder what happens to a person to get suckered into such bs. Love the idea of providing for yourself and family but for me my dream is buying my own acreage and doing just that without the wack jobs involved and i think that will always be the biggest problem

no offence intended in anyway shape or form go hell for leather

No offense taken Matty, and to be honest, I feel the same.

That's why this post was to get an indicator of interest so that I can proceed with the first phase of the project.
That would be to have those interested, fill out a questionnaire that would be a psychological profile and help me separate the serious agrarians to those whack jobs that just want to grow a special herb and eat mushrooms.

Not that I am against the medicinal benefits of either, I'm just saying there is a certain type of person you want in such a community... Those being of course the ones who genuinely wish to help make it work.

Problem with letting people buy in, is that you are stuck with them. I would be more for buying it myself and then have more control in how it is shaped. You let the wrong people in and its too late to get rid of them and it spoils it for the rest. But if you stay in control you can always put the land into trust when you pass on or scrap it if it does not work.

I couldn't imagine anything more frustrating than getting involved in such a community with the wrong people. For instance - how do you make sure everybody pulls their weight. Would there be some form of point system where effort led to share of produce etc so that free loaders would not be able to continue their involvement?

BTW - while I would never suggest your intentions are anything but pure - I have to say the comment about generating electricity from AP does sound a bit snake oil like. There have been posts in the past by people who think that electricity could be generated from the the falling of water that had been pumped to a height. If this could be done, there would be no need for a carbon tax

Good idea on the community, unfortunately I do not trust anyone enough to share my dream of living on the land with, especially when asking for money up front.

As has been said there are a bunch of these communities that are successful over seas in particular Denmark. Some of them are rural some are urban.

I used to be involved with one here in Oz and still have shares but the project has not progressed. I know of three others one being setup by a friend of mine.

Goodluck but posting on a forum like you did was probably inviting negative sceptical comments. Now that people have cast their flowers you might get some more positive feedback.

For the sceptical for any of these projects there is by necessity and design a long courtship process because people are not buying into a housing development or investment opportunity but a community.

Oh whats that, you invested your money in a venture like this and it hasn't progressed and you've lost your money?
And you wonder why there is sceptics?

Oh and posting on a public forum was bound for "negative scepical comments", you should have just done a mass spam email across the country you'd be sure to find some poor unsuspecting suckers that way!

Yes those frustrations are a very real possibility.

That is where you do your best to filter those people out.

I had devised a calorie based currency system where work put in = food.
There is a lot to it but basically any produce in the community is donated to the community pool.
From there you can get produce based on your level of input of that pool.

That is something that would work, but needs more refinement.

This is where the community would fall into work sectors based on skill.
Where someone would be a butcher and supply meat et cetera.
Someone else is a tailor and would provide clothing.

So that everyone in the community had something to contribute.

I had also devised a simple Master/Apprentice system that would see a workplace education system that would see the youth in the community grow up with a practical education.

There are a lot of aspects to this that makes it a rather interesting project to consider.

@BNDYBEAR: Err, I wasn't asking for cash upfront Once a member has made it to Phase Two, they would get a say in the property that would be purchased.
Phase Three would then see their money transferred to a Trust account held by Property Lawyers until the sale goes through.

@Stuart: Thank you for your input. As I said earlier, unfortunately there is no easy way to approach such a subject without people immediately thinking 'Con' or 'Cult'.
It's just the perception at the moment.

@veggieboy: Oh it is possible... It would only be around 10-20% reclamation, but that is essentially a saving of 10-20%

That's where I guess they never discussed their building strategies or provided information of building methods and materials?

mate , i still dream of building an earth/ship/ home in a community..would be way cool http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L9jdIm7grCY