How the aquaponics we'd only imagined became a real facility

At last, we took the first step into the aquaponics hydroponics we'd been preparing for so long. But since we're still testing with nutrient solution before adding fish, it's closer to nutrient-solution growing than aquaponics for now.

What we finally got after 4 years of renting

In our fourth year since moving to the countryside to farm, our tangerine orchard, our field and our processing kitchen were all rented. But the aquaponics facility was something we couldn't rent, so we kept taking out loans to get here. Of the 500-pyeong (about 1,650 m²) greenhouse, 300 pyeong is for the aquaponics facility and the remaining 200 pyeong is being prepared as an experience farm — but at the time of writing, even the 300-pyeong growing facility wasn't finished yet.

Of six beds, one first

There are six beds in total for the 300-pyeong space. Filling them all at once would be hard to undo if something went wrong, so we were running just one first to check the plastic liner and hose setup.

What we saw once we planted

We planted several crops in one bed and watched — overall, they grew well. But we could already see pests getting in, so we decided to make the insect screens tighter and prepare eco-friendly products as a precaution. Tall crops like basil, kale and arugula showed mottled leaf color, which we took as a sign that each crop needs a different EC (nutrient concentration), and we began thinking about separating the beds.

The response we saw at the farmers' market

When we took our first harvest to a farmers' market, the mixed greens sold too, but customers especially loved the arugula and butterhead.

Our first harvest on display at the farmers' market.

Looking back now — the approach we took then, "fully run one first, then apply it to the rest," is still how we handle anything new. Updates on what happened next continue on the NOW page.