'They're sentient beings': a new way of raising fish - and vegetables - in New York

[Jilly_in_VA]

Nestled between a Trader Joe’s and New York City’s East River is Oko Farms, a little hub of greenery in Brooklyn that looks out on to Manhattan’s skyline. Fenced off in the corner of an expansive construction site, it’s not easy to locate.

ast the gates is a 10,000 sq ft plot brimming with beds of lemongrass, cabbage, okra, peas, peppers, tomatoes, leeks, onions and carrots. They are sprawling patches of greenery, accessed by a narrow wooden walkway that interlaces throughout the property. But unlike most urban gardens, the plant beds have plastic tubes stuck to them. The tubes are connected to large baths of tilapia, carp, catfish and perch, and circulate water between the two.

Oko Farms is New York City’s first outdoor aquaponics farm, combining aquaculture (growing fish) and hydroponics (growing plants without soil) into one recirculating ecosystem. It’s an ancient technique once practiced by the Incas, as well as in Mexico, Peru, Japan and Egypt, that’s now seeing a resurgence in the US, particularly in urban areas since it doesn’t require soil and can increase crop production thanks to faster plant growth and year-round production, if done indoors.

Aquaponics is also thought to be more climate-friendly since it uses less energy and is more weather-resilient than traditional types of farming. Because most of the farm is outdoors, the farm relies largely on rainwater to replenish the system when needed, only using tap water during times of drought, or excessive heat in the summer.

Through her farm, as well as a host of educational and community programs, Yemi Amu, the founder of Oko Farms, wants to teach local residents how simple and beneficial aquaponic farming can be.

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/sep/07/oko-farms-brooklyn-aquaponics-fish

My SIL and one of the step-grands are doing this, raising microgreens for the restaurant his sister manages. He hopes to expand eventually when he moves onto his land.

[hunter]

1. I was raised on wild-caught fish, mostly fish my dad caught...

... and fish me and my siblings caught too, once we were old enough to go out on boats with him and had demonstrated some proficiency swimming. (My mom was always terrified we'd fall overboard and drown...)

Fish was the primary source of animal protein in our home.

Unfortunately commercial fishing has become an environmentally destructive industry, especially on a planet with eight billion humans to feed. Industrial fish farming can be just as bad.

I haven't given up eating fish or other sorts of meat entirely as my wife has, but I do pay attention to where the fish I eat comes from.

I'm a great believer in urban agriculture. All children ought to grow up knowing where food comes from. Cities don't have to be barren places of concrete and steel as this project demonstrates.

If you eat fish and are concerned about the size of your personal environmental footprint check out this site:

https://www.seafoodwatch.org/recommendations