Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

That's why a HACCP. Identify where your control points are and keep good records and your half way there. I'd be concerned with High Nitrate water splashing on the edible leaves so a wash station would handle that.
Take it slow MF, is my advise let the thing build its self. If there is a market then there may well be investors as the business grows.
I worry about your Fishies, You need to get that cleared up with the state and get an aquaculture liciense or I would think your dead out the gate. That would be a first step as your testing the waters on the pesto.
Go get em!

Food inspectors can just be told the fish are aquarium-trade cichlids (and they are), and none would be knowledgeable enough to tell what you have apart from a Convict, for example. Starting to market fish is definitely going to bring you out in the open, though. How far away is an area where tilapia are legal? Could you buy land there and expand there? Then you could get more/better brookstock easier, too.

I worry about the fish thing too. I would never take the operation out of my backyard without switching fish OR as you suggested going for an aquaculture license.

I have been half heartedly shopping for a small parcel of land within a 30 mile radius of our home.

Janet - that's right, I forgot the cichlid angle...and of course food inspectors are not fish experts and wouldn't know the diff. My next goal is to find a third party inspector and request a site visit for some advice and recommendations.

The California Fish and Game Code specifies a region of California around the Salton Sea and the Tihachipi Mts. where talapia is allowed. That region is 400 + miles away.

There was a local hatchery that went belly up within 20 minutes of here, and the guy said he was licensed for Tilapia but the license specified it had to be in a closed system. Not sure how much truth there was to his claim.

I'll research it and contact fish and game..... the enemy! lol

Good luck for sure and are you going to give up your secret pesto recipie? ...Grin... I have no idea what pesto even is. LOL
Could you not search puplic records on the hatchery to check for what they were licensed for as well?

good idea....I will check now.... Google saves!

well...... I think he was full of poop, cause I don't see Tilapia as one of the species on his list. He is licensed for everything else. I'm surprised actually at how few licensed fish farms there are in CA.

enter Mr Opportunity.

I wish. It seems as though the dirt crops are more profitable than the fish crops perhaps due to land prices here. The good thing about AP is I do not have to shop for a parcel that has good soil. Although I do need a decent water supply and at least to start, electricity. Hard to find that cheap.

Looks like you have already started as you are doing market research now on the Pesto and fish.
How did the fish go over by the way?

Excellent. The gentleman who took them offered me $2.00 per fish ($40.00). I transferred the live fish in a 5 gallon polytank and he returned the tank this afternoon after transfering the fish to his own small tank.

He said that the Hmong community is by word of mouth only and that he can find as much business as I can handle.

I think I have found a good underground market.

Now to find an underground basil market and I will be off and running.

There are three upscale gourmet restaraunts in town, 2 italian and 1 american cuisine. When I retunr from back east I will hit them up.

I think pesto will be too much challenge to prepare and sell. Easier to clip basil trimmings and sell.

If I find the market, I will just stay put and buy better tanks and build out the garden into a small greenhouse....the heck with messing around!

Woot!

I read on the barrel ponics forum that the fda was going to annonce a ban on fish from china. Hear anything?
I think your on to the thing, build from where yer at, less stress and all that rot. You can expand as you go. Let the market drive the business.

I agree. oh and I hope China fish are prohibited. What do they do to get them here, ship them live in frieghters? Tilapia locally is $1.09 lb. That is ridiculously cheap...I can't see how any fish farmer can compete with that.

Mike, For your plants, maybe try growing ginger, shiso, mizuna, lemongrass, or some of the other Asian greens and herbs. Ask your friend to tell you what herbs his wife would treasure. Expand that Hmong market. Be full-service!

Good idea Janet...I will talk with him as soon as I get back. I'm anxious to get feedback on the fish, ie taste, etc. Will the herbs you mentioned grow well in water intensive conditions?