Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Ok so one of the trending things on this board is the fact that Commercial AP just doesn't work.

Now my question is how many AP growers here sell any of what they grow?

Do any growers participate in their local farmers market?

I know its been said that Commercial AP doesn't work because the build out /to grow out /to pay out dont match up. However I wonder how many of you have supplemental incomes from AP?

Havent but I have thought about it.

I dont sell any of my fish or vegies but I do a lot of swapping. Ive got a network of friends that are involved with a broad range of things and we all swap bits and pieces on a regular basis. For exapmle, I know a guy who makes his own ding sausages so I might swap a trout or two in return for a bag of home made snags. Or, another friend of mine who makes some really awesome homebrew so Ill trade with a bag of chilli's or something. Over time Ive scored some really good bargains like vacuum sealers, pumps, pipework, legs of lamb, sauces etc etc... all kinds of stuff.

I only sell to one lady at work, but we give most of our stuff away to neighbours.
I might do things that value add too, such as make marmalades and jams out of my produce and sell these at work.

Selling items at a market is the dream though, so in answer to your question: No, we don't make enough to supplement an income but when we do I'll be sure to write about it

"it's been said" by people that can't...
Just b/c they can't, doesn't make it impossible .

I sell to a farmers market, several restaurants, and 2 co-ops. I turn down buisness every week due to production (sell everything I grow already).

How much time each week do you spend selling at the farmers markets.. and delivering to the restaurants & co-ops Ryan...

And roughly... how many lettuce etc... would you sell each week at the markets... compared to your other avenues???

+1 to rups question.

Also to everyone else how big is your system? What is you sq/ft (sq/m) of your GB

Also to that Rup, what do you do with all the stuff you produce. I feel like you have like 5 pretty big systems!

I do plan on selling once my system is done. I should have over 100 ibc grow beds when done, that should be enough to sell a decent amount of produce.

WOW. I am thinking that's ahuge leap of unfaith! I saw a large thread on whether or not AP HAS to make a profit, but i doubt it has been proven it can't.

Poppa, one of the biggest trending topics I see all the time on here is new people who join with the intent to build a huge system and make millions (myself included ) but from the the majority of people here who have been doing this the longest they have seem millions of those people come and go.

NOW I do believe there is a big flaw in most of those peoples plans which is debt. If you are in debt to your system your payout is probably not going to happen just like most start up businesses. Thats why I started this thread, I think that if you build your system to scale to what you can afford and grow your system (as this disease of AP give you demands), I think you can grow your small business into a bigger business. I mean my first system will have 250 ish grow spots. I obviously cannot eat that much so I will have extras to give/sell depending on the amount. Now I know my system out of the gate is not going to produce 250 plants. But once I get the system going it should, and then I hope to expand a grow bed at a time after that. My parents also want me to build them one in a room that could hold about 8+ IBC FT and 12+ 4x8 GB. which would be 1536 grow spots. I mean I have a couple local markets that have a need for greens and herbs. Most farmers here don't grow them. I mean even with my system I could grow basil and head lettuce and sell them to my local market weekly and make couple hundred a month. Nothing to live off of but enough to pay for my system which I will not be in debt to, and can grow it with the money I make from the small sales that I do have. Not to mention I could cut out the middle man and sell to all the "organic friendly" friends that I have with the small amount that I have and they are more then ok paying $1.50-$2.00 for a good head of lettuce. Organic food in Omaha is stupid expensive.

So its not that I don't have faith I just want to see how many like minded people are on here. I do agree you can't go big right away without major debts or being Non-profit getting money from the Gov. At least not right away.

4hrs at the market (call it 5 with setup/breakdown). My main restaurant is on the first floor and we interact quite often as chefs need herbs and vegetables but the total time is still minimal I'd say about a half hour a week. The others take about 5-10 min a week as they pick up at my service elevator.

I'm not at liberty to disclose production numbers but I can say that about 30% of my total sales are through the market and labor accounts for roughly 6% of sales. The Facility is roughly 3000 ft.²

Keep in mind, I am in an extreme urban setting with the restaurant located below me…

Ok but isn't Chatterson Farms a farm? Or do you produce also in the city??

For my personal farm, I don't have the time to waste time at markets. I sell direct to consumers through a club.